ZUBAIR QURESHI
A MilliMushaira (national poetic recital) was held in connection with Pakistan Defence Day aiming to pay tribute to Martyrs, ‘Ghazis’ and national heroes at Pakistan National Council of the Arts.
Caretaker Federal Minister for Education & Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi was the chief guest on the occasion while Caretaker Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Jamal Shah attended the event as guest of honour.
Chairperson of the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) who herself is a renowned writer and critic had organized the event in collaboration with the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) and the PNCA.
While appreciating the poets for paying rich tributes to the defenders of the land, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi said 6th September was a milestone in Pakistan’s history as the entire nation stood by the armed forces of the country in defence of Motherland.
On this day in 1965, the armed forces and people of Pakistan thwarted the enemy’s nefarious designs, he added. He said that the courage and valour they demonstrated has no parallel in history. Addressing the participants, Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Jamal Shah said the whole nation saluted the martyrs and ‘ghazi’ who gave supreme sacrifices for the defence and security of the motherland.
Jamal Shah said a national level literary conference on linguistics and folk literature would also be organized soon to promote literature and folk literary heritage. He said the conference would offer a platform for regional literary academies from across the country and academicians to present and discuss the languages, cultures and literature.
Earlier, senior poet and professor retired Ehsan Akbar presided over the poetic event while well-known poet MehboobZafar moderated the event. Those who presented their poems and kalam included Prof JalilAali, Ali Akbar Abass, DrInamulHaqJaved, NaseemSehar, Ziaud Din Naeem, QayumTahir, ManzarNaqvi, Ayesha Masood Malik, RehmanHafeez, AbidaTaqi, ShakeelJazeb, NusratMasood, JunaidAzhar, Dur e ShahwarTuseef, Dr. Shazia Akbar, Akbar Khan Niazi, WafaChishti, AnjumSaleemi, IqbalHussainAfkar, Sarwan Sindhi, Rashid Abbasi, Muhammad Latif, ShakoorAhsan, Nasir Bashir, ZakirRehman and Muhammad Imran.
Joint Secretary National Heritage and Culture Muzafar Ali Burki, Director General PNCA Muhammad AyubJamali and DG NLPD Prof SaleemMazhar were also present on the occasion.
