APROPOS the editorial ‘Learning fests’ (Feb 3) and the numerous reports on the First Adab Festival Pakistan in Karachi. The two co-organisers, lead sponsor and co-sponsors and the whole team deserve felicitations on presenting an interesting programme at relatively short notice.

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of Adab Festival Pakistan was that it was the first time in Pakistan’s history that the premises of a state institution i.e. Sindh Governor House, were used for this purpose. It was refreshingly easy for all citizens possessing NIC cards to enter and exit without the normal, strict security protocols. Even more remarkable: there was complete freedom of expression, including candid criticism of the military in multiple sessions held on State premises!

While the event was reasonably well-attended, there were plenty of empty chairs in many sessions including in the main pavilion. The organisers over-estimated the willingness of the chattering classes to give up their obsessions with eating out and shopping in order to benefit from this event.

Dawn covered some of the major sessions well, but coverage was quite lop-sided in favour of two or three sessions while totally omitting even passing reference to several remarkable sessions. e.g. the screening of, and discussion about the award-winning first Pakistani documentary made in the Wakhi language spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan, titled The Unknown Mountaineers made by Shehrbano Saiyid. One of the courageous woman-climbers from that region and three male mountaineers also participated in this session. Another example of non-coverage was Education emergency featuring Shehzad Roy, Zubaida Jalal, Salma Alam, Shahid Siddiqui, Ameena Saiyid and Faisal Mushtaq, moderated by Baela Raza Jamil. Surely, Dawn could have briefly listed such unusual sessions to inform lazy readers who did not bother to attend!

The concluding session was an apt climax. In contrast to the doom-and-gloom speech by Ahmed Rashid, Britain’s award-winning columnist and author, Peter Oborne, gave a rousing address warmly appreciating the positive aspects of Pakistan in 2019.

He said: “why are Pakistanis so cynical about their own country? ..... What’s wrong with Ahmed Rashid ?” In simple yet profound Urdu, Hasina Moin asserted that Pakistan is capable of producing even better literature in the future than it has in the past and the present.

One whose session was not covered
Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2019