hy are literary festivals important? While they’ve long been celebrated elsewhere, their prominence in the Global South has surged over the last decade. The 15^th edition of the Karachi Literature Festival boasted one of the largest literary crowds.

The celebration of intellect that continued for three days from February 16 to February 18 at the Beach Luxury Hotel, was full of fervour, conversations, food and music amidst sun, sea and breeze.

Despite the censorship in Pakistan, particularly Karachi, due to political influence and blatant intimidation hindering open discourse, the Karachi Literature Festival remains steadfast in its commitment to tackle these issues head-on. Serving as a beacon for expanding dialogue and intellectual horizons, it has consistently hosted esteemed literary figures, showcasing a prestigious lineup featuring authors such as Mohsin Hamid, Ali Rohila, Safinah Danish Elahi, Saba Karim Khan, Bina Shah and Nadeem Farooq Paracha, and speakers from various circuits including Shehzad Ghias, Mustafa Chaudhry, Amber Rahim Shamsi, Muneeza Shamsie and Nadia Naqi.

Election say Zara Hat Kay was one of the sessions that kept the spirit of the election discourse alive. It featured Zarrar Khuhro, Wusatullah Khan and Shahzeb Jillani, with Nadia Naqi as the moderator. The session that followed was an extension of the same: Reforming Pakistan: A New Social Contract. Miftah Ismail, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar debated in an engaging conversation with the moderator Shaheen Salahuddin. In the same vein, the session moderated by Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, The Big Picture: Future of Pakistan, explored Pakistan’s challenges, emphasising the pressing need for education and addressing diverse issues, such as environmental challenges, women empowerment and governance issues. Panelists Shamshad Akhtar, Maheen Rahman, Mohammad Ali, Sirajuddin Aziz, and Wasif Rizvi underscored the significance of harmonising political and economic frameworks and prioritising grassroots judicial systems to pave the way for growth and progress.

Having learnt the ropes of journalism from the maestros of print journalism, I found To Print or not to Print: Blended Digital Face of Learning extremely relevant and relatable. Jibran Jamshad, Jehan Ara, Arshad Saeed Husain engaged in a session moderated by Faisal Bari, talking about the costs, challenges and solutions of print as opposed to social and digital media.

Besides the conversations, for the book lovers, there were various book launches including The Whispering Chinar by Ali Rohila, The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon authored by Safinah D Elahi, Foundations and Form: Memoirs of a Pakistani Architect by Mukhtar Husain and Earth and Glimmer by Haya Fatima Sehgal, among others. It was heartening to see Pakistan’s publishing industry move upwards and onwards to come at par with its regional counterparts.

Each day was equally filled with entertainment such as the screening of Gandhi and Jinnah Return Home on day one, feature film Moor (Mother) on day two and Ladies Tailor, a play by Sameea Nazir on day three.

The festival was thrilling for children in equal measure as Atif Badar, on day two and day three, engaged in interactive theatre and dramatic poetry readings. The audience, comprising children and elders, relished the dramatic readings and storytelling sessions. The youth greatly benefited from and enjoyed the theater workshop. During the workshop, they actively participated on stage alongside the lively Badar. The elders were also invited to join, wholeheartedly engaging in the activities. The audience commended his efforts, expressing gratitude for the valuable lessons learned and the boost of energy received, leaving them spirited and stress-free. The children also experienced various storytelling sessions and dramatic movements at ITA’s Kitab Gaari, mobile bookshop. There was also the Lincoln’s Corner by the Sea where children were encouraged to play board games to enhance their language skills and speaking prowess.

Day three was a busy one, the highlight being a very polarised session that the crowd enjoyed and engaged with titled Framing Reality as Comedy. It featured Shehzad Ghias Shaikh, Mustafa Chaudhary, Murtaza Chaudhary and Amber Rahim Shamsi; Nadeem Farooq Paracha moderated the session. The session could easily be summed in three phrases: highly entertaining, extremely comic, unapologetically candid. The literary extravaganza ended on a high note with Sufi Qawwali by Najmuddin Saifuddin and Brothers.

A diverse array of authors spanning various subgenres from across Pakistan and beyond convened at the event. The location was ideal, allowing the visitors to enjoy the sea and the sun while sipping karak chai, with separate areas dedicated to food stalls and books. Expertly moderated panels provided both insights and entertainment, though a few short readings would have been appreciated.

Whether you’re an established writer, aspiring author, book blogger or avid reader, this festival offers a welcoming atmosphere to connect with like-minded individuals, get books signed and leave feeling inspired to delve deeper into the world of writing and reading.

The writer is the head of content at a communications agency