Islamabad: The Ninth Adab Festival presented by Lightstone Publishers, and Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad – also the venue of the Festival — packed in a day full of riveting discussions, book launches, and performances, here earlier today. The Festival was well-attended by literature and culture enthusiasts of all ages who could be seen flocking to one session after another all day.
The day began with welcome speeches by Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, and Ameena Saiyid, the founder and director of Adab Festival. The first session set the tone of the Festival with a highly enlightening talk on ‘Jinnah’s Vision for Pakistan. A Call for Action’, featuring Yasser Latif Hamdani and Ilhan Niaz in conversation.
The next session titled Leadership and Legacy, featured the launch of Zahid Hussain’s ‘A Dialogue with History.’ Panellists in this session included Zahid Hussain himself, Maleeha Lodhi, and Arifa Noor, while Salma Malik moderated the session.
Arieb Azhar then enthralled the audience with his soulful rendition of Sufi songs with dhamaal. Up next was the session on Reimagining Education: New Frontiers and Opportunities. It featured Shakil Durrani, Uzma Yousuf, Hassan Khan, and Federal Education Secretary, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani and Ehtasham Anwar as panellists, while Mosharraf Zaidi moderated the segment.
Her Story, Her Voice: Celebrating Women’s Empowerment had speakers Dr Fouzia Saeed (author of Tapestry: Strands of Women’s Struggles Woven into the History of Pakistan), Maliha Husain, Senator Krishna Kumari, and Fazila Aliani. The session was moderated by Amna R. Ali.
The next session was on ‘Pakistan and the Changing Global Scenario’. Speakers were Mushahid Hussain Sayed, and ambassador Masood Khan. The segment was moderated by Omayr Aziz Saiyid.
A session titled
??? ?????? ?????? ??? conducted in Urdu and Punjabi, featured Sufi poetry with Sarwat Mohiuddin with Tariq Bhatti as the interlocutor.
The Festival closed with the launch of Dr Sania Nishtar’s ‘Delivering Welfare at Scale: Ehsaas 2047’, featuring Dr Sania Nishtar in conversation with Amna R Ali.
The Ninth Adab Festival reaffirmed its mission to promote culture, literature, and intellectual dialogue while continuing to strengthen its legacy as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s literary community. The event provided a platform for creative exchange, intellectual exploration, and the celebration of Pakistan’s literary and cultural diversity, drawing students, families, and individuals from all walks of life.
