Session on ‘Literature in National & International Languages’ launched at PAL

Islamabad : The fourth book-launching session by the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) was held on January 22, under the theme ‘Literature in National & International Languages’. The event marked the release of new translations by the Academy’s Bureau of Translations, which included translations from other Pakistani languages into Urdu, international languages into Urdu, and Pakistani literature written in Persian, says a press release.

The chief guest of the ceremony was the Portuguese Ambassador, Manuel Frederico Pinheiro da Silva. In her welcome and introductory remarks, the chairperson of the Pakistan Academy of Letters, Dr. Najeeba Arif, emphasised the importance and utility of translations. She explained how translations can help bridge the gap between different regions of Pakistan by enabling people to understand each other’s thoughts and emotions, as well as how global literary translations can act as bridges between nations. She extended special thanks to the Portuguese Ambassador for his presence and for paving the way for literary connections between Pakistan and Portugal.

The Portuguese Ambassador, Manuel Frederico Pinheiro da Silva, expressed his gratitude to the Pakistan Academy of Letters for translating the internationally renowned Portuguese author José Luís Peixoto’s novel into Urdu under the title ‘Viran Nazar’. He remarked that writers are not only custodians of humanity’s collective memory spanning centuries but also the ones who pass it on to future generations. Writers, he said, provide people with self-awareness, enabling them to discover the truths hidden within themselves. He highlighted that the creators and artists of a nation are its identity. Mentioning Vasco da Gama’s role in establishing connections between different countries centuries ago, he also spoke about formalizing collaborations between the Pakistan Academy of Letters and relevant counterparts in Portugal. He expressed the hope that future translations between Urdu and Portuguese would be direct, bypassing English. Finally, he read out a message from José Luís Peixoto written specifically for the event, in which the author described the novel as an expression of his deepest identity and thanked translator Atif Aleem (the translator) and the Pakistan Academy of Letters (the publisher).

Akhtar Usman discussed the late Dr. Aslam Ansari’s Persian collected works titled ‘Gulbang-e-Arzu’ and drew parallels between it and classical works like Nezami Ganjavi’s ‘Panj Ganj’ (The Quintet). He also mentioned the ‘Chahar Maqala’. He noted that Dr. Aslam Ansari’s five Persian ‘mathnavis’ could be understood in the light of this classical tradition. While Aslam Ansari’s Urdu poetry reflects a romantic essence, his Persian poetry reveals him as a thinker, influenced by classical Persian luminaries such as Rumi, Hafiz, and Iqbal. He also noted the impact of Ibn al-Arabi’s ‘Fusus al-Hikam’ on his work.

Abdul Khaliq Taj spoke about the Academy’s publication ‘Shina Folk Tales’, which consists of Urdu translations of folk tales from the Shina language, an important Pakistani language spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan. He highlighted the strong tradition of storytelling in Gilgit-Baltistan and how he adapted some of these orally transmitted stories into Urdu.

Farheen Chaudhry shared her thoughts on ‘Amriki Kahaniyan’ (American Stories), a collection of selected Urdu translations of short stories by American authors, discussing each writer individually.

The event highlighted the Pakistan Academy of Letters’ dedication to promoting intercultural and inter-lingual understanding through translation and literature.