QUETTA: The two-day Quetta Literary Festival (QLF) was inaugurated on Monday at the Balo­chistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences (BUITMS).

Leading writers, poets, intellectuals, filmmakers, artists, drama writers, novelists, and media persons are participating in the first literary festival of the BUITMS.

Acting Governor Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani also attended the event.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the festival, BUITMS Vice Chancellor Engineer Farooq Ahmed Bazai said educational institutions could play a very effective role in the national development if they create and establish close relations and coordination among writers, intellectuals and other segments of society.

The BUITMS vice chancellor added that such literary festivals would not only promote literary activities in the province, but also provide opportunities to young people to learn about culture and social values.

On the first day, veteran actor and director Zeba Bakhtiar and other prominent personalities including Jamal Shah, Ayub Khoso, Jamal Shah, Abdullah Jan Ghaznavi, Farooq Mengal, Dr Qasir Bengali, Amjad Islam Amjad as well as senior journalists Wasatullah Khan and Mubashir Zaidi and former federal education minister Zubaida Jalal participated in panel discussions.

Books written by 40 veteran writers of the country are on display at the festival.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2018