The first Islamabad Literary Festival 2023 Concludes – Citizens,Writers Laud Efforts of CDA for Starting Literary,Cultural Activities after 15 Years.

ISLAMABAD – 20 March 2023: Islamabad Literary Festival 2023 organized by CDA has been. Renowned writers from all over the country, prominent personalities from literature, culture, arts and various walks of life participated in the literary festival. The literary festival continued for three days which was organized for the first time in Islamabad. Chairman CDA Captain Noor Ul Amin Mengal has said that being the city manager of the country’s capital, it is our responsibility to promote the culture, arts, traditions, civilization and culture of the entire country in Islamabad.

According to the details, different colorful programs were also presented on the third day of the festival. The third day started with program Youth Role models which was participated by people belonging to different walks of life who earned good name for Pakistan both at national and international level in their respective fields. The program was hosted by Absa Kanwal. Badminton player Ayesha Akram, football and basketball player Sana Mehmood, boxing player Mohammad Shoaib, renowned artist Bano Rehmat, art director Kamran Khan and Table tennis player Raheela. While Chairman CDA Noor Ul Amin Mengal also participated in this panel discussion.

Speaking in the program, Ayesha Akram said that CDA has a big hand in her success because whenever she needed to prepare for any international or domestic competition, CDA management provided her Iqbal Hall Badminton Court. She said that hard work is the main ingredient to get success in any field of life, followed by parents’ trust in their children. That is why parents should encourage their children especially girls.

Sana Mehmood, who represented Pakistan at the world level in football and basketball, said that these two sports were considered male sports, but with hard work, I proved that if girls are given facilities, they can serve equally for the country. She urged the parents to encourage their children in sports fields and other areas of life. She said that the place where she has been playing is also a ground built by CDA. She requested the Chairman CDA to add more such facilities in the city.

Mohammad Shoaib, from Quetta, who made Pakistan famous in boxing, said in the Pakistan there are about 36 sports being played, but boxing is the only sport in which blood flows along with sweat. but he never felt any pain for the sake of the country’s name. He said that he is unbeaten in professional fights.

Bano Rehmat, a singer from Kashmir, while speaking in the program, said that she started her career with radio. She had to face huge challenges to reach this point of career but family support is the factor that got her to this point.

Famous art director of the country Kamran Khan said that his field is training of models belonging to the fashion industry. He said that very little work is being done in this sector in Pakistan. He said that he has represented Pakistan in Dubai Fashion Week where his work was highly appreciated.

Raheela, a world-class table tennis player, said that unfortunately, table tennis facilities are non-existent in Islamabad. She requested to Chairman CDA to ensure provision of these facilities in Islamabad.

Chairman CDA Captain Noor ul Amin Mengal said that CDA’s job is to build facilities and only civil society can run these facilities in a better way. Therefore, CDA has decided that it will hand over the facilities to the civil society after building these. Chairman CDA said that CDA has also decided to create Sports Support Fund under which support fund will be provided to national players to help them financially. He said that we will create more academies in which women players can play separately.

On the last day of the literary festival, a program was organized on Gilyat and Murree, in which Dr. Waqar Zakaria, Anis ur Rehman, Parvez Abbas and Bilal Abbasi participated. Parvez Abbas hosted the program. Speaking in the program, Dr. Waqar Zakaria said that the hill ranges of Murree and Giluat are very beautiful and of historical importance, so we should take steps to ensure the protection of forests and wildlife here.

Dr. Anis ur Rehman while speaking said that the Gilyat chain is 60 kilometers long and 20 kilometers wide. Here, along the mountains, the series of springs near Donga Galli are very beautiful and of historical importance. The Haru river is formed by these springs and the centuries old Gandhara civilization is situated on the bank of the Haru river which reflects that the Haru river is the main reason for the establishment of the Gandhara civilization in Taxila.

Dr. Bilal Abbasi while speaking said that there are many points of tourism in Pakistan, but people who go to the mountains are not able to take care of cleanliness due to which the factor of litering is increasing here. Therefore, it is necessary to create a sanitation system in the mountainous areas. He said that it is the responsibility of both the community and the state to work together to keep these places clean.

On the last day of the Literary Festival, the program Pakistani Nasar key 75 Saal was presented. Mohammad Amin Shahid, Neelam Ahmed Bashir and Hafeez Khan participated in the program. The participants of the program said that after the creation of Pakistan, the creative intensity of the Urdu language started as Urdu emerged as a comprehensive language. The participants further said that since the 21st century there has been an active wave in novel writing, from which it can be inferred that novels are preferred more than fiction in Pakistan. The participants further said that the events taking place at the national level have greatly influenced the prose literature.

On the third day of the literary festival, artists belonging to Lahore theater also performed their art.A Mazahia Mushaira was also organized on the last day of the literary festival. In which Anwar Masood, Salman Gilani, Muhammad Arif and other poets participated. The poets spread smiles on the faces of those who came to the literary festival with their poetry.