Although writers and poets sing songs of peace and always dream of a homeland free of wars and conflicts, yet whenever someone threatens their homeland and puts its security to risk, they prove an iron wall and stand firmly behind their defence forces.
These views were expressed by writers, poets and intellectuals at a seminar ‘Role of Writers in promotion of Peace’ organized at the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL).
Eminent poet and writer Prof Jalil Aali presided over the event while Chairperson of the PAL Dr Najiba Arif gave welcome remarks.
Poet Mehboob Zafar, fiction writer Hameed Shahid, writer Dr Waheed Ahmed, poet Akhtar Usman, Col (R) Sharafat Ali, Momina Waheed, Imdad Akash, Hasan Abbas Raza, Farheen Chaudhry, Narjis Jahanzaib, Fatima Jahan, Iqbal Hussain Afkar, Sardar Yousufzai, Khurram Khaliq, Sara Khan and others also attended and addressed the seminar.
In his presidential remarks, Prof Jalil Aali said Pakistan is our identity and we cannot sit silent when someone tries to assault our identity.
We, poets, he said have the pen to express our emotions and when time calls, we can use this pen as a sword.
The world, he said understands only language i.e.strength and show of power and Pakistan made the world listen with this language, he said.
Dr Najiba Arif said our writers and poets like other segments of society, hold their independence and sovereignty of the country dear and are ready to give any sacrifice when this independence is threatened.
The world has seen that the entire nation was united to counter the threat, she said.
Of course, we desire peace but our desire should not be seen as weakness, she said.
Hameed Shahid paid glowing tributes to the armed forces of Pakistan for giving a befitting reply to the Indian aggression.
He said still there is room for peace and both India and Pakistan should take the path of dialogue to amicably resolve their bilateral issues.
