ISLAMABAD: Pakistani writers are raising their voices for the rights of the Palestinians, highlighting the atrocities being committed in Gaza Strip in their poems and writings. Literature written in this regard is of international standard and needs to be compiled and published.

This was stated by Dr Inamul Haque Javed who presided over a literary session organised by the Idara Adab-o-Saqafat.

Writers and journalists Prof Maqsood Jafri, Hafeez Khan, Tariq Khurshid, Basharat Ali Syed, Akbar Hussain Akbar, Khalid Azim, Anees Ahmed, Adeel Raza, Tariq Hashmi, Bilal Dar, Tariq Shahid, Saeeda Tariq and Owais Jan participated in the session.

Dr Javed said the literary atmosphere of Islamabad was very rich in the 80s.

“Nowadays, it is not like that. Bureaucratic behaviour has prevailed more in the works of academic literary institutions,” he said.

He said the literary traditions of Islamabad were dying as only a select number of writers were seen at literary fairs.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Maqsood Jafri said that poets were preachers.

“Real poets are only those with sharp consciousness and a lively conscience. Poets who write against the war and promote peace in Palestine are pioneers of love and humanity,” he said.

Idara Adab-o-Saqafat President Tariq Shahid moderated the event.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2023