Rabbani lauds PST efforts aimed at promoting reading, writing culture

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman of the Senate Raza Rabbani has called for reviving the vital link that exists between the reader and the book and commended the efforts of the Perveen Shakir Trust (PST) for working in that direction and promoting a culture of reading and writing in society.

Addressing as chief guest at the PST literature festival and award-giving ceremony here on Sunday at a local hotel, Raza Rabbani paid tributes to the trust’s Chairperson Parveen Qadir Agha, Secretary General Raana Seerat, short story writer Mazharul Islam and other organizers of the event.

Senator Raza Rabbani said it was quite heartening to see the PST making endeavours not only to keep alive the memory of the great poet Perveen Shakir but also promoting a culture of book-reading in the country which otherwise is fast diminishing.

A large number of art and literature lovers attended the festivals. Literary luminaries like Asghar Nadeem Syed, Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik, Dr Najiba Arif, Muhammad Hameed Shahid, Nasir Ali Syed, Muhammad Asim Butt, Naheed Qamar, Rafaqat Javed, Muhammad Saleem Sethi, Tahir Sherazi, Sabin Younas and others also participated in various sessions of the day-long festival that was creatively designed by Mazharul Islam.

A marathon reading of Perveen Shakir’s poetry, lively debates on “Kitabain Udaas Hain: Kitab ka Mustaqbil” were also among the highlights of the festival.

Besides, discussion on the books written on Perveen Shakir and her poetry “Perveen Shakir: Nay Zawiay, nay Mutaliaat” “Perveen Shakir Alamatiat kay Tanazir Main” and “Tragedy and Defiance: The Lives and Poetry of Sylvia Plath, Forugh Farrokhzad, and Perveen Shakir” by Mahmood Ali Ayub also warmed the audience’s hearts.

Raza Rabbani congratulated the PST on opening its chapter last year in Canada. Now Perveen’s poetry will find audience overseas also, he said.

Chairperson of PST, Parveen Qadir Agha earlier in her welcome address briefed the Chief Guest and the audience about the primary job of the trust i.e. to keep Perveen Shakir’s memory and heritage alive over the past 30 years (Perveen Shakir died on Dec 26, 1994 in a fatal road accident in Islamabad).

This year’s festival is being held after a period of four years because of COVID-19 and other reasons but now we shall try to hold on an annual basis, she assured the audience. She also paid rich compliments to the members of the PST for their unwavering support for last 30 years. Their effort in keeping the legacy of Perveen Shakir’s legacy is truly commendable, she said.

A number of awards were also given on the occasion along with cash prizes of total amount Rs 1.35 million. Mazharul Islam was given Nayyer Adbi Award for his 2023 novel “Sarus Cranes Have Flown out of their Dreams” along with Rs 200,000.

Well-known fiction writer, Mustansar Hussain Tarar received (in absentia) “Husn-e-Funn” award along with Rs 100,000. Likewise, Amjad Islam Amjad Adbi award was presented to Hameeda Shaheen (in absentia) for “Zinda Hoon” along with Rs 100,000. Another literary stalwart Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik received Mian Atta Rabbani Award along with a cash prize of Rs 100,000 for his book “Ashyana-e-Ghurbat say Ashiaan dar Ashiaan.”

Chairperson of the PAL, Dr Najiba Arif received Aks-e-Khushbu Award 2022 along with Rs 50,000 cash prize for her book of short stories “Meethay Nalkay.”

Muhammad Hameed Shahid (Iqbal Fareed Adbi Award 2023 along with Rs 50,000 for his autobiography Khushbu ki Diwar Kay Peechay), Khurshid Rabbani (Sultan Mahmood Qazi Adbi Award 2021 with Rs 50,000 for his book Ghubaar-e-Ayna), Asim Butt (Begum Sarfraz Iqbal Award 2024 with Rs 50,000 for Kafka Kahanyan), Saleem Sethi (Begrum Sarfaraz Iqbal Adbi Award 2021 with Rs 50,000 for his translation of Attar’s Mantaqul Tairand) others also received various awards including PST’s Aks-e-Khushbu Awards.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025