Ghalib Memorial Trust arranged the Second International Ghalib Conference from December 11 to December 13. Many national and international scholars, writers and critics participated in the conference. Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan was the chief guest of the ceremony. Others honorable guests were Intizar Hussain, Arif Nizami and Khaleeq ur Rehman. The session was moderated by Muzaffar Abbas whereas all the subsequent sessions were moderated by Azmat Rubab.
Chairman of Ghalib Memorial Trust Tasleem Ahmed Tasawar presented his welcome address and said that they had gathered to celebrate the Ghalib’s 215th birth centenary. He pointed out the historical connection of Ghalib and his family with the city of Lahore and informed the audience that Ghalib’s grandfather had first settled in Lahore when he migrated from Samarqand. He said that as citizens of Lahore, it was their duty to promote the Ghalib’s thoughts and poetry. Tasleem Ahmed Tasawar briefly described the working and plans of Ghalib Memorial Trust.
Chairman Aiwan-e-Iqbal Arif Nizami expressed his views by saying that the construction of Aiwan-e-Ghalib was just as important as Aiwan-e-Iqbal. He said that Iqbal himself was an admirer of Ghalib’s poetry. He also said Ghalib was the poet of peace and love.
Khaleeq ur Rehman thanked and encouraged the efforts of Tasleem Ahmed Tasawar. He invited the trust to hold the third international conference at GC University with its co-operation. While addressing the conference the Chief Guest Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan described his student life and interest in Ghalib, Meer, Iqbal and HabibJalib’s poetry. He said that Tasleem Ahmed Tasawar had maintained the golden traditional of Ghalib’s love.
At the end of the ceremony, the chief guest along with other guests inaugurated the Ghalib Calendar and the collection of last conference papers in a special issue called Suraj. Shields were distributed among the honorable guests.
On the second and third day of the conference, academic sessions held in the Quid-e-Azam Library Hall in which national and international researchers and critics presented their papers. The speakers explained the different aspects of Ghalib’s poetry and described his message of peace and love.
