LAHORE, Oct 16: A warm welcome will be accorded to the first-ever delegation of Indian writers and poets which is arriving here through Wagah border on Friday.

The delegation is scheduled to attend the Pen and Peace Conference of the writers in Islamabad. The hosts include the Hawwa Associates and the Action Aid Pakistan.

The delegation will be welcomed by a reception committee comprising Dr Mubashir Hasan, Saleema Hashmi, Begum Tahira Mazhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Izmet Shahjehan, Nadeem Fazil, Nusrat Shaikh and Khadim Husain.

Intizar Husain, Munnoo Bhai, Javed Shaheen, Dr Anwar Sajjad, Altaf Qureshi, Asghar Nadeem Syed and Qasim Jaffery will give a reception

to the delegation in the evening.

On Saturday, the Indian literati will visit the Government College University to have a talk with its students. It will attend a reception at a local hotel in the afternoon. Mr Liaquat, I.A. Rahman, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi and Ms Ajeet Cour will speak on the occasion.

The delegation will then proceed to Islamabad to attend the Pen and Peace seminar, which will continue till Oct 21. The keynote speakers at the three-day seminar will include Ms Zehra Nigah, Dr Fauzia Saeed, Ms Ajeet Cour, Mr Mushtaq Ahmad Yousafi, Dr Shahid Mehdi, Mr Intizar Husain, Dr Gopi Chand Narang, Dr Anwaar Ahmad, Ms Chitra Mudgal, Ms Khalida Husain, Mr Tahir Muhammad Khan and Dr Kamal Kumar.

Mr Mansha Yad and Ms Taran Cour Gujral will present recommendations while Ms Zobaida Jalal will deliver the presidential address at the final session.

The delegation will reach Lahore on Oct 23 and leave for home the next day.