The 8th edition of Adab Festival Pakistan, the nation’s premier literary event, took place on Sunday, drawing a diverse audience for a day full of thought-provoking discussions, artistic performances, and celebrations of Pakistan’s literary and cultural heritage.
The festival kicked off with a captivating play, Unfit Ball Hai Dunya Meray Agay, by Khaled Anam of Grips Theatre, resonating with both children and adults. The formal inauguration ceremony followed, with speeches from Ameena Saiyid, Munis Abdullah, Shoaib Arshad, and festival partners.
The event also saw the presentation of the coveted Adab Festival/Infaq Foundation Literary Awards, which honored outstanding literary works in Urdu, Sindhi, and English, followed by a musical performance by Arieb Azhar. Throughout the day, various sessions explored crucial topics ranging from Pakistan’s agricultural potential, social justice, feminism, and education to Pakistan’s cultural identity and its economic challenges. Notable discussions included Miftah Ismail’s conversation with Omayr Aziz Saiyid on economics and governance, and a session on Jinnah’s Vision Revisited: Pakistan at 77 with Yasser Latif Hamdani, Muhammad Ali Shaikh, Ali Usman Qasmi, and Syeda Maham Zahra. Other significant talks included Nasr, Nazm, Aur Naya Daur, featuring prominent speakers like Arsalan Mirani, and Growing Returns: Pakistan’s Agricultural Potential, which emphasized sustainable development.
There was also a powerful panel on gender equality featuring Aisha Sarwari, and a session on educational reforms in Pakistan, where activists discussed success stories and best practices.
The festival also celebrated Sindh’s rich Sufi traditions in a session titled Sindh’s Sufi Soul, led by Saif Samejo and Dr. Sahar Gul, alongside a panel on Fintech, Business, Regulatory Requirements and Trends of Electronic Fraud. The day’s discussions also included
The Story of Karachi with Ali K. Chishti, exploring the city’s transformation and political economy, and From Bureaucracy to Bestseller with Salman Faruqui, where he shared life lessons and career advice.
The festival concluded with a satire performance by Anwar Maqsood and another musical performance by Arieb Azhar, leaving attendees inspired and reflecting on Pakistan’s literary and cultural richness. Co-founded by Ameena Saiyid and Asif Farrukhi, the Adab Festival remains committed to fostering cultural exchange and intellectual dialogue, with plans to continue celebrating and promoting Pakistan’s literary heritage through future events.
