The just concluded two-day Karachi Literature Festival has won Pakistan lots of admiration and almost all the overseas participants concurred that Pakistani society was endowed with ample intellectual potential. All the foreign participants, both foreigners and those of Pakistani origin, who talked to The News appreciated the achievements of the young Pakistani writers and the accolades they have earned overseas.

Some of them talked to The News at the dinner for the writers, authors, and speakers hosted by Mrs Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director Oxford University Press (the co-sponsor of the event along with the British Council), at her residence.

Given below are the views of some of the foreign visitors:

Victoria Schofield: Ms Schofield is no stranger to Pakistan. A close friend and associate of the late Benazir Bhutto’s, she was in the country during the trial and execution of the late Prime Minister Z A Bhutto in the late 70s. Based in London, she has written a number of books on Pakistan, including, “Kashmir in Conflict”, “The Afghan Frontier”, and is presently working on a book to be titled, “Wavell”.

Asked for her views on the festival and how they portended the future of Pakistani society, she said that she was really impressed by the people who flocked to the event which showed their thirst for intellectual nourishment.

Talking about the Pakistani authors, many of whom had come from overseas, she said it was so nice to see that despite the attempts by the forces that matter to thrust obscurantist values and regimentation on the ones in Pakistan, they had such a depth of vision and intellectual clarity. “Pakistanis certainly have the art of debating issues”, she said.

“After having seen things for myself at the festival and the potential of Pakistani society, I would say that the image of Karachi as the hotbed of killing, bloodletting, and crime, projected by the foreign media is a case of utter ignorance”, she said.

However, she said that to iron things out back to normalcy, Pakistan would have to get over its political and security mishaps. These mishaps, she said, served as a real obstacle to the flowering of the intellectual potential of a society that otherwise is so deeply imbued with it.

Sara McDonald: A London-based writer, Mrs McDonald is presently in Karachi where her husband is associated with a PIA project.

“We had been hearing so much day in and day out about the killings and bloodletting in Karachi and to be honest, I was sacred to come out, to begin with. However, I came and stayed a few days but shortly after that I was back again. I fell in love with Karachi and have made so many friends”, she says.

Talking in the context of the festival, she said, “I was really impressed by the organisation. It was a mighty success. I was impressed by the young people’s questful questioning”. She felt that right now, there weren’t very many avenues for young people to have their works published and said that immediate attention should be accorded this issue. She expressed deep admiration for the Pakistani authors and the ease and fluency with which they “so effectively” communicated their thoughts and views to world outside.

“In Pakistan you have a kind of an honesty which has ceased to exist in the west”, she said.

Zulfikar Ghose: “Pakistani society has lots of intellectual potential, both here and overseas. Despite all the brushes against enlightenment, it is so heartening to see young Pakistani authors and artists producing such exciting works”.

These were the views expressed by Zulfikar Ghose, an overseas Pakistani, hailing originally from Sialkot and now leading a retired life in the US after having taught English at the Texas State University, Texas, USA, for 38 years.

Being of Pakistani origin, he was a bit more involved and more concerned with the future and the welfare of the country and began to talk on the political plane. Speaking with a crisp, impeccable British accent despite having lived in the US for 38 years, he said that he was impressed by the fact that Abid Hasan Manto’s party had drawn up a constitution envisaging the country as a secular state in accordance with the Quaid-e-Azam’s dream of Pakistan.

“What I’d like to see happen is the establishment of a secular state in which we are all free and equal with absolutely no special privileges for any particular group. The only group we belong to is humanity. I’d like to see Pakistan free of the gaping economic disparity. I hope for a free and equal society in which there is no exploitation of the many by the few”, Mr Ghose said in a tone evocative of nostalgia for the motherland and a concern that is natural for one’s moorings.The news