Commissioner forms Karachi Literary Circle

Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani has formed a group of literary figures, called the Karachi Literary Circle. The purpose of the group is to expand the literary horizon of the city, according to a press statement issued by the commissioner house.

A meeting in this regard was held on Sunday evening at the residence of the commissioner in which dozens of writers, poets and journalists of the port city took part to chalk out future plans of the circle. Prominent Urdu, Sindhi and English writers also attended the meeting.

Shallwani requested eminent media persons Ghazi Salahuddin and Peerzada Salman to lead the group and suggest ways to involve writers and poets of all the six districts of Karachi to take part in activities that the circle would come up with.

The participants lauded the commissioner’s effort. Those who attended the meeting and expressed their views included Noorul Huda Shah, Muneeza Shamsie, Abbas Husain, Fahmida Husain, Raana Shaikh, Rumana Husain, Maheen Usmani, Neda Mulji, Syed Kashif Raza, Irfan Javed, Rafaqat Hayat and Sameera Raja.

Shallwani said that the port city would be made the centre of cultural activities once again. With the formation of the literary circle, he said, the people of Karachi would get opportunities to not only read books but discuss them.

He believed that positivity in the society could be inculcated by promoting the reading culture. The commissioner showed his interest in the formation of library and cultural hubs in all areas of the city. However, he shared how most of the libraries in the city were either deserted or completely shut down.

The council of libraries, he said, was helping to revive the libraries across the city. It was unanimously decided in the meeting that the Karachi Literary Circle would commence cultural activities in every nook and cranny of the city. Possibilities of holding a cultural convention in the city were also discussed.