HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Literature Festival (PLF) would be held in Hyderabad, for the first time, on March 1-3, caretaker Sindh Information Minister Ahmed Shah announced while inaugurating the ‘9th Hyderabad Literature Festival (HLF) on Saturday.

He said the festival ‘on a grand scale’ would be held in the Public School, Latifabad.

The PLF, earlier, had been held in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Sukkur, he recalled.

Mr Shah said that many literary giants, like Anwar Maqsood, Iftikhar Arif and Peerzada Qasim, would be taking part in the Hyderabad PLF.

He said that after restoration of peace in ethnic riots-torn Karachi, he and his colleagues in the Arts Council of the city started literary events like International Urdu Conference and literary festivals.

“We can connect people through Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Shaikh Ayaz and Ibrahim Joyo,” he said, adding that the cultural and literary events are the first line of defence against terrorism.

“We organised PLF in Sukkur and we are committed to hold such festivals at district level across Sindh,” he said.

The minister described Sufi saints and literary figures as “reformers and revolutionaries”, and stressed that the glorious past of Sindh’s rich culture and civilisation must be revived.

He said that hatred and violence could be eliminated through cultural activities and gatherings because culture and literature were more powerful than political power.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2024