The ninth edition of Think Fest “Afkar-e-Taza” continued on its second day at the Lahore Arts Council Alhamra with remarkable intellectual depth, vibrant participation and a rich diversity of ideas, further reinforcing its standing as Pakistan’s most comprehensive platform for critical thought, global dialogue and cultural exchange.
The second day featured 18 thought-provoking sessions, two significant book launches, a music concert by acclaimed artist Umer Mukhtar and screenings under the Banff Film Festival, presented in collaboration with the Canadian High Commission. Day two commenced at Alhamra Hall No. 2 with the high-profile session “Global Inequality in Historical and Comparative Perspective,” featuring renowned economist Thomas Piketty from the Paris School of Economics and eminent scholar S. Akbar Zaidi, who engaged the audience in a compelling discussion on global disparities. The session was presented with the support of the French Embassy. At 12:45 pm, Alhamra Hall No. 1 hosted “Who Needs a University Any More? Higher Education and the Future of Learning,” featuring Zeinab Badawi, Uzma Qureshi, S Akbar Zaidi, Sohail Naqvi, Adeel Malik and Khadija Aamir, offering critical reflections on the future of learning and academic institutions.
The afternoon sessions sustained the festival’s momentum with “Kya Aisay Hi Chalay Ga?” at 3:15 pm, where Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmed Khan, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Ayesha Baksh, and Mahmil Sarfraz addressed contemporary political and governance challenges. This was followed by “Devolution for Revolution” at 4:30 pm, bringing together Federal Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, former federal minister Ishrat Hussain, Vice Chancellor LUMS Ali Cheema, Mary James Gill, and MPA Ahmed Iqbal for an in-depth dialogue on decentralization and reform. The day concluded in Hall No. 1 with “Winning the Narrative, Losing the Nation? Media Polarization in Pakistan,” featuring Absar Komal, Taimoor Salahuddin, Mansoor Ali Khan, and Syed Muzammil.
The second day also featured important book launch ceremonies, including “War in the Age of the Smartphone,” with Matthew Ford, Air Marshal (R) Aamir Masood and Azima Cheema, followed by “Building Bridges Beyond Borders: The Resilience of Pakistan,” compiled by renowned vlogger Abdul Karim.
Across Alhamra Hall No. 1, Hall No. 2 and the Literary Baithak, additional sessions explored a wide spectrum of global and national concerns, including digital resilience, inclusive societies, tax justice, geopolitics, science diplomacy, skills development, feminist discourse, artificial intelligence, political inequality, sustainability in fashion and artistic resistance. The day’s concluding session, “Women, Art, Practitioners of Resistance & Poetic Narratives,” brought a reflective and powerful close to an intellectually charged day.
On the third and final day, Think Fest “Afkar-e-Taza” will host 15 further intellectual sessions along with six book launch ceremonies, before formally concluding on January 25, 2026. With over 40 national and international sessions, 8 to 10 book launches, film screenings, music performances, food and cultural stalls, and a major exhibition, the ninth Think Fest stands as one of the most expansive and inclusive intellectual festivals in the region.
Think Fest “Afkar-e-Taza” continues to offer a rare opportunity to engage with global ideas through a local lens. Lahore Arts Council Alhamra, as Pakistan’s premier cultural institution, remains at the forefront of fostering dialogue, learning and intellectual exchange. Students, researchers, artists and citizens from all walks of life are invited to be part of this exceptional gathering and benefit from a truly international platform of ideas.