India’s Javed Akhtar to attend Faiz Festival in Lahore this weekend

The Faiz Festival's seventh edition is set to take place from February 17 to 19 in Lahore, with a formal ceremony scheduled for the first day after Friday prayers. The festival will offer over 60 free literary, music, and art events, including discussions, lectures, theatre, dance performances, and qawwali, and will host foreign delegates from the UK, Canada, USA, and India.

Unlike previous years, all events and activities at the Faiz Festival will be open to the public free of charge, as the organizers received criticism for the high cost of tickets to attend the prestigious event. Preparations are underway at the Alhamra Arts Council on Mall Road and the surrounding areas, including Canal Road, in anticipation of the three-day literary festival.

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Muneeba Hashmi, the daughter of the late poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz and festival organizer, stated that the festival aims to balance quality and relevance while also accommodating the current circumstances.

This year, a large delegation from India, including renowned poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar, will be attending the festival, with Akhtar launching his new book and participating in the mushaira. The organisers have decided to make all events free of cost for the general public after facing criticism over ticket pricing. The Alhamra Hall and its adjacent roads, including Canal Road, are being prepared for the three-day festival.

Notably, all performances at the festival will be free of charge, except for a concert by Shafqat Amanat Ali, which will cost Rs 3000 per ticket. The event also promises a variety of local personalities and international performers, such as Rizwan Wali Muhammad, son of Habib Wali Muhammad, who will present his father's and Faiz's works, and a delegation of qawwals from the family of Sabri Gharana from the UK.

Apart from the International Faiz Festival, Lahore recently hosted the Pakistan Literature Festival (PLF) at the Alhamra Arts Council, which included three days of sessions, performances, and interactive exhibitions on art, poetry, society, economy, and entertainment. The festival paid tribute to the services and works of Naheed, Dada, and Nahid Siddiqui and presented them with Lifetime Achievement Awards. 

Pakistan Literature Festival 2023 begins in Lahore