MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Literature Festival, Kashmir chapter, concluded on Sunday evening after hosting back-to-back lively and rich discussions on literature, culture, history, the ongoing freedom movement in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and a musical gala.

The event was organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan in collaboration with the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government at a local hotel. Prominent personalities from literature, politics and media enlightened the audience on a series of issues, related to the disputed Kashmir region, a major part of which is waging a heroic struggle to overthrow Indian subjugation.

On this occasion, posthumous excellence awards were given to Ahmed Shamim, Prof Waris Mir, Dr Sabir Afaqi and Dr Iftikhar Mughal on behalf of the AJK government and the Arts Council.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony, noted writer and poet Noor ul Huda Shah, said the love and affection showered by the Kashmiris over the past two days was exemplary, creating an urge among all the delegates to visit Muzaffarabad over and over again.

She maintained that the platform of the Arts Council had been established through years of hard work where differences of opinion were openly accepted and responded to in a positive manner.

“In future whenever we will speak about our own woes, we will not forget to mention the deprivations of our Kashmiri brethren,” she said.

Midhat Shahzad, Secretary of Tourism, AJK, said that the festival had and would continue to spread the message of friendship and love.

In the evening, the audience, comprising mostly the young boys and girls, were enthralled when Sahir Ali Baga, Ahsan Bari, Bano Rehmat and Arman Rahim delivered melodious renditions of different songs.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2023