Star-studded Faiz festival concludes

The three-day long thought-provoking and one of the most memorable mega event ‘4th International Faiz Festival’, concluded at Alhamhra Arts Council, The Mall on Sunday night.

The star-studded, excitement-filled congregation of the larger than life figures from the world of literature, performing & visual arts, writers, poets, intellectuals, journalists, peace & human rights activists, left behind a blazing trail of thought-provoking questions in the minds of the participants and spectators.

The superb and flawless performances by the young and renowned stars like Tina Sani, Zia Mohiyuddin, dance performance by a private school, and movies by The Little Art for the young & vibrant.

The concluding day’s programmes and proceedings were certainly highly absorbing which included sessions like Drama Now: Who Wears the Crown with Sultana Siddiqui, Kashif Nisar, Amina Mufti and Asghar Nadeem Syed, while Tauseeq Haider was the moderator of the session. Another highly enlightening session titled “Pakistan: The Way Forward” was conducted by Fahd Hussain and the participants included Shafqat Mehmood, Bushra Gohar, Nuzhat Sadiq, Rubina Rauf and Hasil Bizenjo. ’Sach Gup”, was another worth mentioning event with Shoaib & Salima Hashmi and Navid Shahzad, conducted by Adeel Hashmi. Women of Media: The Survivors & the Fighters’ was about the plight of the women working in the media. Samina Ahmed, Simi Raheel, Samina Pirzada and Zeba Bakhtiyar were the participants, while Bushra Ansari moderated the session.

The recitation and conversation by Zehra Nigah and Dr Arfa Sayeda was another heartwarming session. Zia Mohiyuddin presentation of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry in his peculiar and mesmerising style stole away the hearts of the spectators of the show. In the last day’s proceedings, sessions were dedicated to the memories of Madeeha Gohar, Kuldip Nayyar and Pran Nevile, in which renowned personalities, including Syeda Hameed, Khursheed Kasuri and Aitzaz Ahsan expressed their views and shared their memories. Aijazuddin conducted the session titled ‘Gulshan-e-Yaad’ in memory of Kuldip Nayyar and Pran Nevile, while Shahid Nadeem moderated the session which was organised in the memory of Madeeha Gohar participated by Dr Shaista Sonu Sirajuddin, Dr Rubina Saigol and Narvan Nadeem (son of Madeeha Gohar ), titled “Ab Kya Daekhain Rah Tumhari”, Madeeha Gohar: Building Bridges & Breaking Walls.

Besides the intellectual and literary sessions, art exhibition titled ‘Zard Patton Ka Bun Jo Mera Des Hai’, flute playing by Akmal Qadri, theatre play ‘Multan Shehr Di Waar’ by Sangat Production, classical music: Patiala Gharana by Ustad Hamid Ali Khan were also held on the last day of the event.

‘Yahan Se Shehr Ko Daekho’ Wirsa: Hamari Zimadari, was another thought-provoking feature of the festival’s concluding day programmes. Another interesting session ‘Parallel Politics: Another Perspective’ participated by Jawad Ahmad, Jibran Nasir, Ammar Ali, Jan and Sr Taimur Rehman and moderated by Dr Osama Siddique was worth attending.