Daily Times

The giant of injustice in the world is never defeated without the struggle for democracy and allowing it to flourish, senior journalist and analyst Sohail Warraich said while addressing the launch of his new book The Party is Over, held at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. Warraich said that today people want “tabdeeli as soon as they get up in the morning.” “There is no change in any society unless there is a strong struggle”, he said. “Democracy will flourish with time and we all should take a part to keep its light alive”, he added. “The trial of Imran Khan begins from today and now he will be held accountable for whatever he will say and do to fulfill what he has promised in the past,” said Warriach.

Senior journalist Mahmood Shaam said the title The Party is Over remains just that “as the real party has begun now.” Shaam said that Warraich was among the most important journalists in the country and has maintained his relationship with the world of art and literature as well.

He added that Warraich’s writing were not only symbolic to the times but had logic and gave reasonable arguments. “Today the majority of TV talk shows rely more on noise rather than the validity of different arguments. Democracy is alive in Pakistan and we all have to work for its development,” Sham said.

Shakeel Adil Zada, a prominent personality of the world of Urdu Literature, said that Warraich was a columnist who penned his words in “very generous Urdu” and if he wished could write able fiction as well.

Mazhar Abbas, a senior journalist, said that if you analysed the general election 2018, you will perceive that “the party is not over for a single party, it has been over for many other parties holding a majority.” He added that “a good columnist is someone whose columns not only consist of opinions but predict news as well.” He appreciated Sohail Warraich’s journalistic abilities by saying that his interviews and writings have always been unique.

The president of Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, Mohammad Ahmad Shah said that journalism today is observing the worst case scenario and the major reason why it is thought, is because it has become a common perception that education is not important to be a journalist. Fazil Jamili, senior journalist and poet, said that Warraich had promoted the Urdu language through journalism as his columns initiate their readers towards Urdu literature. Dr Ayyub Sheikh also presented his views on the creative writing skills of Warraich and Uzma Al-Karim hosted this session of the launch. Later, Warraich presented the guests with copies of The Party is Over and expressed his gratitude towards the Arts Council of Karachi management for making the event a success.

Published in Daily Times, August 1^st 2018.