Rich tributes paid to armed forces for laying sacrifices in defence of Motherland
In line with nationwide Independence festivities, the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) organized a special celebration to commemorate 78th Independence Day.
The event titled “Nasl-e-No Adabi Mela 2025” or Youth Literary Festival brought together young writers from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, D.G. Khan, D.I. Khan, Malakand, Chitral, Bhakkar, Balakot, Kashmir, Peshawar, Fateh Jang, Jhang, Attock, Kashmore, Bahawalnagar, Abbottabad, Sialkot, Nowshera, Gilgit, Waziristan, Quetta, and other cities of Pakistan.
Besides hundreds of young students from across the country, senior writers and poets also attended the event to encourage the young budding writers and poets. Dr. Najeeba Arif, Chairperson of PAL, warmly welcomed the young participants and other literary figures from around the country. She along with former Caretaker Minister and renowned artist & Chairman of the Silk Road Culture Centre, Jamal Shah, Federal Secretary for the National Heritage and Culture Division, Asadur Rehman Gilani, senior poets Zehra Nigah, Sehar Ansari, writers, Muhammad Hameed Shahid, Dr Waheed Ahmed, Afshan Abbasi, Naeem Fatima Alvi, Director General PAL, Sultan Nasir and officials and staff of the academy hoisted the national flag and prayed for the country. Special guests including noted writers Kishwar Naheed, Iftikhar Arif and Ambassador of Vietnam H.E. Pham Anh Tuan was also there on the invitation of the PAL Chairperson.
National anthem was played, patriotic songs were sung and cake was cut on the occasion to celebrate the Intendance Day. Rich tributes were paid on the occasion to the armed forces of Pakistan for laying down their lives and facing heavy odds in defending the Motherland.
The event was joined by hundreds of youths dressed in traditional green and white kameez shalwar. In her welcome address, Dr Najeeba Arif called for celebrating the Independence Day with great zeal and vigour and urged the young generation to engage their elders in dialogue about their country, about the sacrifices that were made to achieve a separate homeland.
In his presidential address, Jamal Shah praised the PAL and its chairperson for organizing a thought-provoking event engaging the youth in the Intendance celebrations urged the youth to remain associated with their civilization and values. The real creative work is something that talks about the coming days and a writer should have the eye to see that. Noted fiction writer, Muhammad Hameed Shahid while addressing the young audience said love for homeland should be an integral part of their personality as well as their creative belief. “Love for Pakistan circulates in my blood and all my literary and creative journey has been marked by this conviction,” said Hameed Shahid to the great applause of the audience.
