Arts Council Karachi inaugurated Pakistan Literature Festival Quetta Chapter.

Speaker of Balochistan Assembly Captain (retd) Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai, President Arts Council Karachi Ahmed Shah Sindh Minister of Culture Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Vice-Chancellor of BUITEMS, Khalid Hafeez, former Principal Secretary to PM, poet Fawad Hassan Fawad, Noorul Huda Shah, Ghazi Salahuddin, Hafeez Jamali, Muneer Badini, Professor Nurul, Saleem Safi, Mazhar Abbas, Sadiqa Salahuddin and Sohail Ahmed were present. Number of people including students attended event.

Ahmed Shah praised support of Minister and VC in organising Pakistan Literature Festival in Quetta. Professor Qarar Hussain laid foundation of education in Balochistan and spent his childhood there. He highlighted that enemy tried to divide Pakistan on ethnic, linguistic and political grounds. He emphasised that without fusion of Balochi, Pashto, Saraiki, Sindhi, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Gilgit-Baltistani, Shina and Urdu Literature, Pakistani literature remains incomplete. Modern literature is incomplete without Gul Khan Naseer, Khushal Khan Khattak, Rahman Baba, Ghalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Sachal Sarmast.  Pakistan youth are future of this country. If you move forward, Balochistan, KPK, Punjab and Sindh will all move forward.

 Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai said that literary festival is not just gathering of writers, poets and intellectuals but celebration of human spirit that reflects social knowledge. Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah said, Moen-Jo-Daro history is five thousand years old. Baloch or Pashtun, here have an ancient connection. Love of Balochistan is for entire Pakistan.  Saleem Safi said Balochistan University is not just Balochistan’s but Pakistan’s best university. You are fortunate to have Vice-Chancellor who is so visionary and future-oriented that he completed his Ph.D. in AI in 1992 and throughout Pakistan, I couldn’t find another person with Master’s degree in AI. He praised Ahmed Shah for his endeavours. Mazhar Abbas said that coming to Quetta has refreshed old memories for him. My favourite and respected politician was from Quetta. I had my last interview with Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo. Bizenjo’s services are commendable for Balochistan.

 Sohail Ahmed (Azizi) said that he had come to Quetta for first time. Seeing you makes me feel that love can never be diminished. He said, “Ahmed Shah is blend of Pakistani culture, who knows Balochi Lewa along with Punjabi Dhamal, Khattak Dance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindhi Dance.  Noorul Huda Shah said, “If there is any youth in Pakistan who stands up with full consciousness, it is youth of Balochistan. She said, “There is sensitivity in your beauty. No nation is luckier than nation whose young sons, daughters and women travel from here to Capital.  Sadiqa Salahuddin said, “I’m not saying we should leave past behind, but while using information technology, we should also keep old traditions alive.” She said that we can bring change in country through art and culture.  Various stalls were set up at Pakistan Literature Festival including books, food, handicrafts, Sindhi Ajrak and other representing cultural  of other provinces.