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<img src="https://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/akhbar/2024-12-04/1257872_6874471_h_akhbar.jpg" alt="President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmad Shah (centre), well-known intellectual and humorist Anwar Maqsood (second right), prominent poet Iftikhar Arif, writer Noor Al Hadi Shah (right) and Ejaz Farooqui (left) gave a briefing. Media during press conference for 17th World Urdu Conference 2024 "جشن کراچی دسمبر سے شروع ہونے والا ہے۔ 3 دسمبر 2024 کو 05۔ - اے پی پی" width="700" height="400" class=""/>
President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmad Shah (centre), well-known intellectual and humorist Anwar Maqsood (second right), prominent poet Iftikhar Arif, writer Noor Ul Huda Shah (right) and Ejaz Farooqui (left) gave a briefing. Media during the press conference for 17th World Urdu Conference 2024 “Jashan Karachi is scheduled to start from Dec. 3 Dec 2024 05. – APP
The Arts Council of Pakistan announced in a press conference on Tuesday that the four-day 17th World Urdu Conference 2024 Jashan-e-Karachi is going to start on Thursday.
President Arts Council Mohammad Ahmad Shah, renowned comedian, host and playwright Anwar Maqsood, renowned poet Iftikhar Arif, writer Noorul Huda Shah and Ejaz Farooqui briefed the media about the mega event.
This year’s World Urdu Conference will celebrate “Jishan-e-Karachi” and will start on December 5, and continue till December 8. Given the growing interest, the inaugural session will be held at the YMCA grounds. The conference will feature more than 60 sessions, and a cake-cutting ceremony to mark ACP’s 70th anniversary.
Addressing the press conference, Ahmed Shah praised the distinguished services of Iftikhar Arif and Anwar Maqsood in Urdu language. He criticized the Indian government led by Narendra Modi, calling it an agent of hatred, but emphasized the love between the people of India and Pakistan. “We want to maintain our existence as a state. I will be patient and talk to Javed Siddiqui and Gulzar Sahib through the media,” he said, adding that writers from India were also invited to the conference. I have been invited.
Shah remarked that the World Urdu Conference positively paved the way for other festivals and conferences. He said that although Lahore has been the center of Urdu for more than 300 years, the residents of the city do not speak it as their mother tongue. He outshone everyone else, praising Punjab’s unparalleled service to Urdu.
Shah emphasized how the Arts Council has worked to change the image of Karachi. “In a city that was once infamous, we welcomed 30,000 people and international guests during the closing ceremony of the World Culture Festival Karachi. We proved that Karachi is a hub of hospitality and resilience.
He emphasized the importance of the World Urdu Conference as a means of preserving and continuing the cultural heritage of the region. “This conference is proof of our commitment to cultural continuity and promotion of Urdu.”
Renowned comedian Anwar Maqsood said that Urdu is a universal language, many artists have been invited to the conference. The goal is for them to learn and improve their pronunciation. He praised Ahmed Shah and said that he had not slept properly for six months. Only Ahmed Shah can organize such successful events.
Maqsood criticized those who questioned the organization of the conference and labeled them as jealous of its success. Eminent poet Iftikhar Arif highlighted that the number of writers globally is decreasing as people prefer earning money over creative pursuits. He stressed the importance of art and culture in promoting a civilized society, describing the Arts Council as unparalleled in the scale of its work.
He said that the city was once known for its negative tendencies but the initiatives of the Arts Council have changed its narrative. This Urdu conference is unique as each edition is different from the last. Iftikhar Arif stressed on unity and said, “76 languages are spoken in Pakistan. A person who loves his mother tongue cannot hate anyone else’s language. We must reduce hypocrisy and jealousy. Whether I am a Sindhi or an Urdu speaker, it does not diminish my Pakistani identity.
Iftikhar Arif noted that despite limited online book sales, festivals attract book buyers. Despite being based in Karachi, Arts Council has gained worldwide recognition. He congratulated Ahmed Shah and his team for their excellent efforts.
Author and Joint Secretary Arts Council Noor Ul Huda Shah praised Ahmed Shah for organizing Urdu conference continuously and termed it as a commendable achievement. He said that we often find ourselves at odds with society. “Literature and art serve as a cure for our hearts, and Ahmad Shah has perpetuated that cure through the Arts Council.” When asked about the prominent presence of artists this year, Noorul Huda Shah explained that the quality of dialogues in plays and films has deteriorated, breaking the link between literature and art. “This conference will address that gap.” The opening day will feature a session titled ‘Main Hoon Karachi – Anwar Maqsood’, featuring Tabish Hashmi and Wasim Badami. On the second day, the World Urdu Conference will begin with a session on ‘Karachi’s Part in Urdu Poetry’, followed by discussions on various topics such as ‘The Light of Sacred Literature’, ‘World Changing Women’, ‘Book Launches’. ‘KMC from 1843 to 2024’, ‘Children’s Literature’, ‘With Arfa Syeda Zahra, ‘Saraiki Safaat O Adab’, ‘Governance for People’s Empowerment’, ‘Pakistani Media in the Perspective of International Media’, ‘ Karachi: Yesterday and Today’, ‘Pakhtoon Concerns and Literature’, ‘Dear Karachi – The Story of a City Told Through Letters’, and ‘I am Karachi – Asim’ Azhar, Humayun Saeed, Mahira Khan. The ceremony will end with a Mushaira.