‘Literary activities needed to defeat extremism, promote softer image of Pakistan’

Elimination of terrorism, extremism and promotion of Pakistan’s soft image in the world is not possible without promotion of literary and educational activities such as holding book fairs and festivals, said eminent poet and writer Prof Pirzada Qasim on Sunday. 

Speaking at the concluding day of the first-ever ‘Literature Festival for Healthcare Professionals 2016’ in Karachi, Dr Pirzada Qasim said that those who could not attend the literature festival had missed a great opportunity. Qasim said he was not expecting such a large presence of doctors with their families at the literature festival.

The two-day literature festival was organised by the Jahan-e-Maseeha Adbi Forum, led-by Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui. According to organizers, over two thousand doctors, physicians and health experts visited the fair with their families and purchased books worth tens of thousands of rupees during the literary activity.

Dr Pirzada Qasim said he had seen senior professors and physicians enjoying the festival. He said other organisations and literary forums should also hold such activities after regular intervals.

Another prominent poet and writer, Prof Sahar Ansari, also visited the literature festival and lauded the organisers. He said it seemed that Karachi was regaining its lost glories due to peace and tranquillity in the city.

Felicitating the Jahan-e-Maseeha Adbi Forum for their successful endeavour, he hoped that more such literature festivals would be held in the coming days.  

Senior physicians and doctors who visited the literature festival asked for including subjects of humanities and literature in the medical curricula in Pakistan, saying literature and non-medical subjects would help doctors and physicians to understand human behaviour and psychology and deal with them compassionately.

 “Doctors have become machines and are behaving mechanically these days. Reading literature, non-medical books and subjects will improve their relationships with patients and their attendants,” eminent physician Prof Ejaz Vohra said while speaking at festival.

Organisers said the festival was attended by over 2000 doctors including general physicians, medical consultants, paediatricians, gynaecologists, orthopaedics, pulmonologists and experts from other medical specialties. 

Renowned orthopaedic surgeon and former executive director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr Anisuddin Bhatti, was also glad to see such a large number of doctors purchasing books. He said that it was heartening that people were still showing interest in printed form of knowledge instead of computers and tablets.

“Books give us knowledge that lasts for life while words and images seen on electronic screens vanish immediately. Books are best friends of human being and would last forever,” he said while urging other associations and bodies to follow the tradition of holding book fairs for healthcare professionals.

Dr Bhatti was of the opinion that instead of gifts and arranging tours for doctors, pharmaceutical companies should also provide latest books, journals and research to the doctors so that they could learn about latest techniques in the fields of surgery and medicine.

Former president of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), Prof Sohail Akhar, also visited various book stalls at the literature festival and vowed to hold such activities from the platform of the PIMA in the coming days.

He also praised the Jahan-e-Maseeha Adbi Forum for their literature forum and offered them to hold such events and literary activities for the health fraternity in collaboration with the PIMA.