SUKKUR: The two-day ‘Pakistan Literature Festival-2023’ (PLF-2023) drew to a close on Sunday evening after adopting 12 resolutions presented by Mohammad Ahmed Shah, president of the Karachi Arts Council, which had organised the event in collaboration with the IBA and Arts Council of Sukkur.

The audience gave their approval of the resolutions by raising their hands.

The resolutions strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression on Palestinian territories, especially Gaza, and Indian aggression in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

They stressed that the aggression must be stopped immediately and serious efforts should be made to rehabilitate the victims.

Two-day ‘Pakistan Literature Festival-2023’ draws to an end in Sukkur

The resolutions called for permanent solutions to both the issues as per the aspirations of their respective people.

The participants through a resolution emphasised the importance of promoting cultural and literary activities.

They believed that the cultural and traditional links between different units of Pakistan, interaction among writers, poets, artists and intellectuals and creative links between them were the most effective and indispensable means of unity and solidarity in the country.

The resolutions said that the participants considered rural and urban disparities as a major issue in the country.

They demanded that immediate and concrete steps should be taken for the development of rural areas.

They condemned discrimination against women and called for legal, administrative and practical measures in this regard.

They said that permanent peace and development of the country could only be ensured through elimination of the culture of weapons in Pakistan and promotion of a culture of dialogue and communication.

They stressed the need for translation of literature in different languages and demanded that such works should be promoted by making the relevant institutions more active.

A large number of well-known writers, poets, singers and university students, participated in literary sessions, debates, discussions with literary and political figures, musical programmes and a mushaira also featured at the festival.

The closing ceremony was attended by Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Islam Sheikh, Chairman District Council Kumail Haider Shah, IBA Vice Chancellor Dr Asif Ahmad Sheikh, Sukkur Arts Council President Mumtaz Bukhari, senior actor Munawwar Saeed, Syed Mustafa Kamal, senior journalists Sohail Waraich and Ghazi Salahuddin, educationist Dr Jafar Ahmed, Dr Adal Soomro, Fazlullah Qureshi and others.

Huma Mir moderated the event.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2023