Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani has said that a deliberate attempt was made to strangulate the culture of literature and poetry in the society leading towards creation of a vacuum which was filled by culture of intolerance and torture.
He expressed these views at first ever Urdu Literary Festival organized by Parveen Shakir Trust in connection with 39th anniversary of poetic collection “Khushboo” of late Parveen Shakir.
He said that history was replete with examples when poets like Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Habib Jalib stood against dictatorships and authoritarian rule and their poetry gave birth to movements, however unfortunately, the state by way of deliberate action killed the culture of literature in Pakistan.
“Literature gives birth to new thinking, tolerance, and compassion and perhaps state was not ready to accept these things”, Raza Rabbani remarked.
He further said that these deliberate attempts have produced a society which was indifferent and intolerant. He also mentioned the recent disappearances and said that right under the nose of the state people have disappeared but nobody dared to ask question the state that if they were guilty then proper judicial proceedings be initiated according to constitution and law of the land.
He said that rural areas were facing hardships for basic facilities and urban centers were in race for power and corruption and affairs of the state where elite was ruling the roost.
Perveen Shakir Trust Chairperson Parveen Qadir Agha highlighted the aims and objectives of the trust and said that the Urdu Poetry Festival was unique and first of its kind and was celebrating the book birthday of ‘Khushboo’ authored by Parveen Shakir in 1977 in Karachi. She said that the trust was vigorously promoting, protecting and preserving her poetry and Urdu literature. Parveen Shakir Trust Secretary Mrs Raana Seerat also addressed the occasion and informed the participants about the overall concept of the festival.
Later, the Senate chairman also distributed seven “Aks-e-Khushboo Awards” to literary figures and lauded the excellent arrangements made in this regard. He said that such festival would help better promote and protect our literature and promote a culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. The event was attended by noted literary figures, journalists, writers, poets and people from different walks of life.