Citing new studies, senior poets, writers and scholars said on Tuesday that poetry and creative reading improve emotional health by nearly 50 percent and should prompt Pakistan’s corporate sector to treat literature as a serious social investment.
They said promoting reading, language learning and cultural engagement is linked with stronger mental resilience, better communication skills and long-term well-being, yet very few companies in Pakistan support such work.
They were speaking at the launch of the Jahan-e-Maseeha Literary Forum’s 27th thematic calendar, “Raaz-e-Dawam-e-Zindagi,” an event attended by leading writers, researchers, medical professionals and members of the corporate community. The ceremony opened with the release of the 2026 calendar followed by a poetry session warmly received by the audience.
Renowned poet Iftikhar Arif said the true purpose of poetry is to elevate human perception, and that countries which invest in literature and cultural expression see measurable gains in creativity and emotional stability among young people. He said several major companies in Pakistan contribute to charity and welfare, but very few support language, culture and literary development.
Iftikhar Arif praised PharmEvo’s literary contributions, saying its thematic calendars help reconnect younger readers with Urdu at a time when many believe the youth are drifting away from their linguistic heritage.
Poet and playwright Wasi Shah said the evening deserved to be called a “Shaam-e-Iftikhar” in honour of Arif. He said Urdu’s script is as visually striking as a painting and should be taught with pride. He noted that relying entirely on Google and digital shortcuts is weakening reading habits among students.
Wasi Shah said PharmEvo’s thematic calendar is more than a cultural effort; it is a social contribution that brings younger generations closer to their identity through literature.
A Former head of the Quaid-e-Azam Academy and senior researcher, Khwaja Razi Haider, said the calendar has been designed with a focus on character development and inner reflection. He said PharmEvo has consistently served Urdu and generations of young readers for more than two decades, combining corporate responsibility with cultural preservation.
Chief Executive Officer PharmEvo Syed Jamshed Ahmed said holding literary gatherings within the corporate sector is never easy, yet the company continues this tradition with pride. He said PharmEvo is now ranked among the top sixteen out of more than seven hundred pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan, but still sees literature as an essential part of its mission.
Ahmed expressed concern that many children in Pakistan no longer learn proper Urdu, while families abroad often make a deliberate effort to preserve the language at home. He said a society that stops reading or dreaming loses its ability to grow, adding that literature plays a central role in nurturing imagination and emotional strength. “A person who cannot think or dream, how do we count them among the living?” he asked.
