By Shahida Naveed
LAHORE, Jan 17 , DIPLOMATIC Star (DS): Promoting literature, art and culture is equal to the portrayal of Pakistan’s soft image in the international community.
These views were expressed by the renowned English poetess Farzana Aqib, wife of famous cricketer Aqib Javed on her Grand 16 Books Launch ceremony, held at Quaid-i-Azam Library here on Sunday.
In her welcome address, she said it is a very unique and proud moment for me that I have made world record to write 16 books in five months ,which she termed a great honour for me and my country Pakistan.
Recalling the past, when her father used to visit the same library where she is being nominated for a section named after her , she said I missed my father a lot and that cannot be expressed in words.
Offering her gratitude to the participants of the event, she said and hoped that she would continue to work with same passion and dedication to achieve another milestone in the filed of English literature
Later, addressing the Grand Books Launch ceremony Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is committed to promoting literature, art and culture in the country.
The minister said that the government wanted to put the country on the track where Pakistan could compete the world in literature, art and culture like other sections of life.
He said that unfortunately, Pakistan had been kept behind in literature during the previous regimes.
He said that a society would be a sick society where drama, poetry and literature would not be promoted as all colours of life were linked with poetry, prose, drama and stories.
The minister said that medium of story-telling had been neglected and those experts had been ignored who promoted literature, resulting in decline of poetry and drama in society.
He said that PTV World was being made an entertainment channel where medium was English and quality dramas, poems and literature would be welcomed on it.
He invited English writers to come forward and share their works through the PTV World so that Pakistan could progress in this field.
Earlier, he expressed his joy to join the ceremony as the chief guest and recited some versus of the poetess.
Renowned journalist PJ Mir, Olympian hockey player Khwaja Junaid, Justice (retd) Nasira Javaid and Executive Director Alhamra Zulfiqar Ali Zulfi also addressed the ceremony.
The poetess and author Farzana Aqib, wife of former cricketer Aqib Javaid, is a social activist. She has set a record by writing 16 books in just five months period.
