HOUSTON: The third Pakistan Literature Festival, a two-day event organised by the International Academy of Letters USA, concluded on November 1 in Sugar Land and Stafford, Texas. Held on October 31 and November 1, the festival brought together writers, poets, journalists, intellectuals, and artists from Pakistan, the United States, and Canada.
Discussions covered Urdu language and literature, Pakistani culture, journalism, cinema, television drama, the identity of the younger generation, and social challenges facing Pakistan. Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, addressed the gathering through a video message, while Pakistan's Consul General in Houston, Aftab Chaudhry, and Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Sameer Zuberi attended in person.
The festival was organised by Ghazanfar Hashmi, president of the International Academy of Letters USA. The opening day at the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Centre in Sugar Land featured several insightful panel discussions.
A session titled "Women's Voices in Urdu Literature" featured Professor Tahira Naqvi, Ishrat Afreen, Dr. Saima Iram, Mona Shahab, Bina Goindi, and Tasneem Abidi, moderated by Nasira Zuberi. Another discussion, "Two Cultures, Two Generations: New Concepts of Leadership," included Dr. Mohsin Ansari, Sameer Zuberi, Dr. Imran Sharif, Siraj Narsi, Maria Kari, and Umar Khawaja, moderated by Ibrahim Javed.
Mental health was discussed by Nasruddin Rupani, Dr. Asim Shah, Dr. Mohsin Ansari, Mahtab Muradi, Nusrat Haris, and Asif Sinan, with Naveeda Hashmi delivering opening remarks and Mazhar Khawaja moderating. A panel on Pakistani cinema and television featured Shahab Zuberi, Nilofar Abbasi, Noor Naghmi, Adil Murad, Kamran Ali Asdar, and Yasir Raza, moderated by Najia Ashar.
The day concluded with "Sham-e-Ishq," featuring Sufi music by Hasnain Javed and Asif Sinan. On November 1, the programme moved to the Tuscany Ballroom in Stafford to continue the intellectual discourse.
A panel titled "Iqbal: A Poet for Every Age" featured Dr. Muhammad Naeem Virk, Dr. Saima Iram, Atif Tauqeer, and Pervez Jafri. The session "Pakistani Media: Truth and Responsibility" included Shahab Zuberi, Raza Rumi, Ashraf Shad, Fazil Jamili, Faisal Aziz Khan, and Khurram Shahzad, with Yousuf Chaudhry opening and Ghazanfar Hashmi moderating.
Shabbar Zaidi discussed "Reimagining Pakistan's Future," moderated by Ghazanfar Hashmi and Nasira Zuberi. The event also included book exhibitions and fine arts displays, showcasing the creative depth of the diaspora.
The closing ceremony was followed by an international mushaira, presided over by Khawaja Razi Haider and hosted by Mehboob Zafar. The festival provided the Pakistani diaspora with a vital platform to exchange ideas on literature, culture, and the evolving identity of the nation.