By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi inaugurated the four-day “18th Aalmi Urdu Conference 2025 – Jashan-e-Pakistan” with an enthusiastic gathering of literary figures, artists, students, and cultural enthusiasts.
Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori attended as the chief guest, while the opening ceremony featured the recitation of the Holy Quran, the national anthem, and a show reel highlighting the conference’s legacy. Marking the birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Christmas, the event included cake-cutting ceremonies.
Renowned poets, writers, critics, and journalists including Iftikhar Arif, Asad Muhammad Khan, Peerzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, Noor-ul-Huda Shah, Mustafa Qureshi, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Hafeez Khan, Sarwat Mohiuddin, Ejaz Farooqi, Huma Mir, Nasir Abbas Nayyar, Yousuf Khushk, Mazhar Abbas, Munawar Saeed, Ghazi Salahuddin, Adal Soomro and Suhail Warraich attended the inaugural session.
Governor Tessori praised the Arts Council as the “soul of Mini Pakistan,” lauding Ahmed Shah for fostering a vibrant cultural institution. He highlighted Urdu as the unifying language of the region and emphasised the importance of arts and literature alongside science and technology in shaping society. Tessori also acknowledged the contributions of Pakistan’s armed forces, noting that collective national unity enables the country to overcome challenges.
In welcome address, ACP President reflected on the council’s two-decade journey, recalling the city’s early lack of cultural infrastructure and paying tribute to departed literary and artistic figures including Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi, Fatima Surayya Bajia, Jameel Uddin Aali, Intizar Hussain, and others. He highlighted the conference as a platform celebrating Pakistan’s writers, poets, artists, and actors, and stressed its role in preserving cultural memory while encouraging future generations.
Keynote speaker Nasir Abbas Nayyar emphasised literature’s role in creating new spaces and perspectives, arguing that it can challenge societal decay and foster global dialogue. The conference, he said, provides a “Global Dialogic Space” where theatre, film, painting, music, and dance from over 100 countries interact, blending local identity with international engagement.
Poet Iftikhar Arif stressed the importance of linguistic harmony, noting that the Urdu Conference includes speakers of all Pakistani languages to strengthen dialogue and understanding across communities. The theme of the 18th Aalmi Urdu Conference, “Jashan-e-Pakistan,” celebrates national unity, literary heritage, and the creative arts, reflecting both Pakistan’s cultural diversity and its global connections.
