Punjabi literary festival ends with discussions on literature, journalism, history

FAISALABAD: The 10th Lyallpur Punjabi Literary Festival wrapped up on Monday, with presentation of a rich array of insightful discussions on topics spanning Punjabi literature, journalism, history, and education.

The event served as a vibrant platform for scholars, writers, and enthusiasts to explore the depth and impact of Punjabi culture and heritage. The event was organised by Lyallpur Literary Council in collaboration with the Bank of Punjab, Interloop Limited and EFU General Insurance.

In the first session of second day, Dr Faisal Jappa, while speaking on the topic ‘Lyallpur Di Sahitak Tareekh’ (Literary History of Lyallpur), stated that the people of riverbank settlements had historically excelled in every field they pursued. He noted that the influence of these regions was evident in classic Punjabi love stories such as ‘Heer Ranjha’ and ‘Mirza Sahiban’.

Scholar Nain Sukh expressed concern over lack of research on the history of the ‘Bar’ region, highlighting that canals existed before British rule, but were later developed in a way that disrupted river-based trade.

The session also paid tribute to Punjabi literary icons, including poet Nand Lal Noorpuri, singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and writer Afzal Ahsan Randhawa. Dr Rabia Sarfraz pointed out the scarcity of libraries and research institutions in Faisalabad, which hinders independent research efforts.

Dr Sumaira Akbar acknowledged the growing realisation of importance of local narratives over Western perspectives in Punjab. The second session ‘Punjabi Press and Journalism’ featured a discussion led by Dr Abdul Aziz Malik, who highlighted that journalism in British India began in 1822 in Calcutta, but the first Punjabi newspaper emerged after the Partition.

Professor Zubair Ahmed mentioned that ‘Sajjan’ was the first Punjabi newspaper, which played a crucial role in shaping Punjabi journalistic language.

A documentary titled ‘Boohey Khullay Rakhin’ was screened, followed by a discussion featuring Dr Ilyas Chattha and Dr Ali Usman Qasmi. The session concluded with a traditional ‘Jhummar’ folk dance performance by the students of Graduate College Muhammad Sharif Chiniot.

In a discussion on ‘The Need for Punjabi Dictionaries’, Dr Asim Mahmood highlighted that Pakistan had published fewer than 3,000 dictionaries, despite Punjabi being spoken by over 90 million people.

Dr Ghulam Murtaza questioned whether traditional dictionaries were still necessary in the digital age as many young people now use emojis to express emotions. Dr Saeed Ahmed pointed out that most Urdu dictionaries were heavily influenced by Persian and Arabic while Dr Naeem Warak traced the history of dictionaries back to the invention of the printing press.

Dr Khalid Mahmood, while speaking on ‘Libraries and Contemporary Punjabi Society’, stated that digitalization had increased access to books, which was crucial as traditional book publishing had become expensive. Kashif Manzoor argued that before improving libraries, it was essential to assess the demand for them in society, noting that many people are preoccupied with livelihood concerns.

Dr Faisal Bari, while discussing ‘Illiteracy and Our Education System’, noted that Pakistan’s census data on literacy was unreliable due to low birth registration rates. He pointed out that nearly 6 million children were born in Pakistan annually but 25 million remain out of school. Dr Sajida Haider Windal stated that even students enrolled in schools and colleges often lack critical thinking skills as their education was too restrictive.