• By Rimsa Khan

• Karachi literature festival

  
  

  Three jam-packed days devoted to writing, to literature and to everything else in between. A festival not just of books, but of thoughts and ideas, with the space for diverse opinions to be held and expressed, and respected by all. KLF is promoting the real image of Pakistan in the country as well as internationally. The event that drew a crowd, from all walks of life. They subscribed to different religions and sectarian beliefs. The entry to the event was free for everyone.
• There are a lot of people out there talking about the 5th Karachi Literature Festival in their blogs. Reading some of them will give you good idea while some will filled with useless rubbish. Let me share my experience with you about KLF.
• I had a great time at the Karachi Literature Festival this year. I remember when it was started in 2010 and there were only 50 speakers over 2 days at the Carlton Hotel with two sessions running at the same time. But in 5th KLF, there were around 250 speakers, 3 days conferences, seven concurrent sessions and more than 70,000 visitors. I would call it a major success.
• This year panels were much more interesting. On Sunday 9th Feb, I took part in some sessions. But the most exclusive session that I attend was with Mohammad Hanif, which was moderated by Aliya Iqbal Naqvi. I have heard a lot about Mohammad Hanif, but never got a chance to meet him, but KLF is the best opportunity for me. In the session, Mohd Hanif spoke about his writing styles and the struggles he faced in his life.
• People asked a lot of questions about his novels as well as his personal life but I must say he was earthy and extremely funny while handling the questions. The most touching moment for me was when he quote that: “Karachi is a difficult city to live in, which makes it a very easy city to write about”. I must say, each year, the speakers have been outstanding. Another amazing feature of KLF was the performance by THE SPIANZ THEATER which was organized by oxford university press.
• This year’s festival was the most mature and powerful but I also noticed a lot of negative comments about KLF on Twitter and Facebook. This is a shame, because KLF is one thing that promotes a very positive image of Pakistan in the world. Why we Pakistani’s don’t realize that it takes a year of hard work to put this festival together but only few comments to tear it down. It shows that how small minded and jealous we are about something which is a positive experience for our country.
• All in all, a fantastic experience, it was a huge success and the chance for me to meet with Mohd Hanif. May it be even better next year.