Karachi, November 7, 2025: Ameena Saiyid S.I., Founder and Director of the Adab Festival and Managing Director of Lightstone Publishers, unveiled the speakers and the highly anticipated programme for the 10th Adab Festival at a press conference held here earlier today. The milestone 10th Adab Festival will take place in Karachi on Saturday, 22nd November and Sunday, 23rd November 2025, at Habitt City, Sharea Faisal/Tipu Sultan Road, Karachi from 1 pm till 9:30 on Saturday and from noon tlll 9:30 on Sunday.
Providing a comprehensive overview of the festival, Saiyid introduced some of the distinguished speakers and said, “As in the past, Adab Festival’s carefully curated programme features an impressive range of diverse speakers, including Zehra Nigah, Farhatullah Babar, Zahid Hussain, Kishwar Naheed, Shandana Minhas, Wusatullah Khan, Zarrar Khuhro, Dr Ishrat Husain, Mian Raza Rabbani, Shahzad Ghiaz, Yasmin Lari, Munis Abdullah, Dr Faisal Mushtaq, Sultana Siddiqui, Mahtab Rashdi, Sharmila Faruqui, Shazia Marri, General Moinuddin Hyder, Dr Mohammad Ali Shaikh, Azaz Syed, Nadeem Farooq Paracha, Shabbar Zaidi, Syed Salim Raza, Noor ul Huda Shah, Saif Samejo, Saeed Mehdi, Sarwat Mohiuddin, Salma Alam, Arshad Mahmood, Omayr Aziz Saiyid, Sumera Naqvi, Nadia Naqi, Fazil Jamili, Azhar Abbas, Naila Mahmood, Omar Shahid Hamid, Safinah Danish Elahi, Taha Kehar, Mazhar Abbas Anjum Halai, Muhammad Ali Shaikhi, Noorul Huda Shah, Salman Faruqui, and Dr Huma Baqai, all of whom will engage in critical discussions, challenge dominant narratives, and explore alternative perspectives.”
She added, “The Adab Festival/Infaq Foundation Awards will also be announced, recognizing outstanding writings in Urdu, English, and Sindhi. Notable books, such as Beyond the Bomb by Munir Ahmad Khan, Pakistan’s Nuclear Odyssey by Farhatullah Babar, The Eyewitness: Standing in the Shadows of Pakistan’s History by Saeed Mehdi, Queen Zarqa, A Transgender’s Odyssey by Hayat Roghani, translated by Shama Askari, and The Future of Civilization by Syed Ahmed Taqi, will also be discussed.”
Ameena Saiyid expressed her gratitude to the Adab Festival’s partners, including the Lightstone Publishers, Sindh Government, DAWN, The British Council, Institute of Business Management, Habib Metropolitan Bank, Maliha and Munir Bhimjee, Bank of Punjab, Faysal Bank, PARCO, OGDC, TCS, and Habitt Karachi, for their unwavering support of the Adab Festival. She also thanked the Adab Festival team at Lightstone Publishers, who have worked tirelessly to bring Adab Festival to fruition.
The Adab Festival serves as a new Silk Route, bridging cultural and geographical divides and promoting the exchange of ideas, literature, art, and culture. This free and open event aims to inspire a love for books, literature, music, and various forms of expression, fostering a sense of community and inclusivity.
Through this celebration of literature and art, the Adab Festival strives to create a platform for creative exchange, intellectual exploration, and visionary thinking, making it an event that truly belongs to the community.
