The simple act of picking up a guitar and claiming an audience through it is enough to counter the extremist narrative. It is rebellious enough to knock down extremist propaganda, veteran journalist Nadeem F Parachi said on Saturday. He was responding to a question at The Evolution of Pakistani Pop Music: Koi Naghma Koi Khushboo session at the Faiz International Festival. Paracha agreed with the questioner’s concern about state institutions’ role in perpetuation of an anti-music ideology but he said that music was also used by the state to spread its own ideology, through patriotic and religious songs. Nonetheless, he stressed that music must be seen as a rebellious activity in its own right Paracha agreed with the questioner’s concern that state institutions’ role in perpetuation of an anti-music ideology but he said that music had been used by the state to spread its ideology as well, through patriotic and religious songs. Nonetheless, he stressed that music must be seen as a rebellious activity in its own right. The session was hosted by music composer Arshad Mehmood and it also featured an upcoming pop singer Ahmed Jilani, the lead vocalist at Pepsi Battle of the Bands’ runner-up ‘Badnaam’. Before the session started, a short documentary highlighting the salient breakthrough moments of the history of Pakistani pop music was played. Later, Mehmood recalled that his earliest encounter with pop music was through a song his father used to sing to him when he was a child whose lyrics were ‘Yeh raatain, yeh mausam, yeh hassna hassaana, phir mujhay bhool jaana. Paracha countered the perception that pop music in the country dated back just to the 90s. He said the earliest Pakistani pop song was produced by Ahmed Rushdi (O ko korina). Roona Laila, Alamgir, Muhammad Ali Sheiki, and Nazia and Zohaib Hasan were all pop icons of their times, he said. Ahmed Jilani chipped in by shedding light on what inspired him to make music. He equated the creation of music as a process of self-actualisation. “I see it as a condition of unrequited love which until and unless expressed can burst at the seams of the soul,” he said. As the discussion moved towards the question of the state’s patronage (or lack thereof), Paracha highlighted that state institutions like the Radio and Television channels had taken the leading role in promotion of musical arts. Mehmood quoted his own example when he was encouraged to enter the field by Shoaib Hashmi. He said the ghazal maestro Mehdi Hassan had also got his first break in 1959 through the radio when he was sang Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s famous ghazal ‘gullonmein rang bharray’. Jilani criticised successive governments for creating space for the extremist narrative to nurture which, he said, was not only anti-music but also discouraged moderation and liberalism. He emphasised that unlike those state officials who were responsible for promoting the extremist narrative, the people of Pakistan were moderate and encouraged music as a cultural form. Mehmood went as far as to place music and musicians at the very apex of the cultural renaissance and progress, and termed that the musical community and artists symbolised and epitomised the very best which a culture and civilisation had to offer. “Artists are a unique species that need not only to be nurtured but also respected and compensated well for their effort,” he said. Jillani concluded the session with a passionate appeal to the audience to ensure that music could become a unifying force in Pakistan. “Arts plays a focal role. The state doesn’t give it enough attention. Music, of any form, has a healing effect. As a society, we need to realise the importance of arts,” he said. Young writers urged to seek inspiration from their cities: The session titled Faiz Shanasai was held at Adbi Baithak. It was moderated by Dr Ali Madeeh Hashmi and panellists were Dr Imran Zafar from Government Post Graduate College Jhang and Dr Safia Kausar from Government Viqar-un-Nisa Post Graduate College for Women, Rawalpindi. The panellists said that Faiz Ahmed Faiz had started his career as a teacher and adopted different professions from time to time. Dr Zafar said Faiz had started writing poetry in class 7th or 8th but it was in college when he first became known as a poet. He said Faiz wrote around 80 ghazals but the bulk of his poetry was in the nazm format. ‘Faiz had started writing poetry in class 7th or 8th, but it was in college when he first became known as a poet. Faiz wrote around 80 ghazals but the bulk of his poetry was in the nazm format’ The academic said that it would not have been difficult for Faiz to do poetry in Punjabi language, but then his audience would have been limited. Urdu language allowed him to reach out to a much bigger audience across the world. The panellists said that Noon Meem Rashid, Majeed Amjad and Meeraji had all been known as great poets by the time Faiz entered the profession. With his style of writing, he was soon able to make a name for himself. Dr Kausar said that Faiz’s poetry was revolutionary as he wrote on the most pressing social issues of all times. Faiz tried to shake people’s conscience through his progressive poetry. On the occasion, Dr Zafar read out Fiaz’s last ghazal ‘Bahut Mila Na Mila Zindagi Se Gham Kya Hai’. Dr Kausar also shared a couple of poems with the audience. In Cities in Literature session, travel writer Mustansar Hussain Tarar said that all famous novelists and writers had mentioned cities where they grew up and spent their lives in their works. He said poets, writers and novelists could bring to life ruins through their work. When Sarmad Khoosat asked Bushra Ansari what had led her to chose comic roles at a time when other actresses were opting for serious roles, she said, “I went ahead with whatever made me comfortable. I sang and I performed as a comedienne. You can say I was simply going with the flow,” she said, “I remember I used to joke around and have a laugh on sets and make everyone else laugh as well. They looked so serious and under pressure, wanting to get everything right.” He said almost all great fiction writers belonging to the Punjab had wrote extensively about their cities in their novels. He said the three greatest writers of the contemporary era – Albania’s Ismail Kadare and Turkish writers Orhan Pamuk and Yashar Kamal – had all mentioned their cities and town in their novels. Tarrar also shared with the audience the story of his meeting with Qurratulain Hyder during her visit to Pakistan. He said Hyder was the undisputed queen of fiction writing. Tarar said he had met her in the Walled City of Lahore. “Apa said to me that street’s names and appearance in the Walled City was similar to that of streets in Lakhano (a city in India). In response, I said that Lakhnao had been dead but Lahore was still alive,” he said. Tarrar further said that sometimes fiction writers took help from the environment of their cities to build new stories and characters. “The inspiration also enabled them to challenge the society’s conscience,” he said. Meanwhile, he said, fiction writers built new cities through their stories as well. He said the ambience of Lahore could help new writers to produce great novels. “They should explore the city and seek inspiration for their works,” he said. The session was moderated by Amna Mufti. The second day of the Faiz International Festival 2017 featured speakers from different backgrounds. There were sessions on the poetry and life of Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The festival has been underway since 2015. After its first edition, the festival moved to the Alhamra Art Council on The Mall. It is meant to pay tribute to Faiz for his contributions in literature, journalism and to the nation in general. On the second day, a large number of intellectuals, youngsters, poets, students, poets, scholars, writers, artists and people from different walks of life visited 24 indoor sessions. The day also featured a debate competition and performances by Lok Virsa. Activities were also arranged for children. These included a Children’s Literature Festival, a Theatre Workshop and a Science Workshop. Exhibitions featured photos of Faiz from the Murree Museum Artist Residency. Four activities held outdoors included performances like theatre play titled Nukar Natak by Sangat production, an Alhamra Music Class, a Young Singers Sing Faiz event and The Little Art. Published in Daily Times, November 19th 2017.