Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday inaugurated the 17th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), describing literature as a vital force for social understanding, empathy and resilience in an increasingly fragile world.
Addressing the opening ceremony, he congratulated the Oxford University Press (OUP) Pakistan on successfully sustaining the festival for 17 consecutive years, calling it a testament to vision, commitment and consistency.
He said the Karachi Literature Festival had firmly established itself as one of Pakistan’s most significant cultural and intellectual platforms. Referring to this year’s theme, ‘Literature in a Fragile World’, Shah said the modern era was marked by environmental stress, global uncertainty, technological change and social complexity.
In such times, he noted, literature played a stabilising and humanising role by preserving memory, nurturing empathy and enabling societies to reflect and reconnect across cultural and geographic boundaries.
Highlighting Sindh’s rich literary heritage, the CM said the province had produced enduring voices such as Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast, Shaikh Ayaz, and Mirza Qaleech Baig, whose works continued to promote tolerance, pluralism and compassion.
He stressed that these values were not confined to history but were urgently needed in today’s world. The CM said Karachi had reclaimed its position as a vibrant hub of economic, intellectual and cultural activity, and events like the Karachi Literature Festival contributed significantly to projecting a confident, creative and enlightened image of Pakistan internationally.
He added that the KLF provided a meaningful platform for established authors, emerging writers, students and readers to engage with ideas that shaped both individual perspectives and collective futures.
Appreciating the role of the OUP, Shah said the OUP’s contributions through publishing, educational initiatives and support for the KLF had strengthened Pakistan’s intellectual ecosystem. He announced that the Sindh government planned to collaborate with the OUP under the Oxford Education Programme for Sindh to improve learning outcomes and empower teachers with modern skills and resources.
Reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to improving education and book reading culture, the CM said Sindh would continue to support initiatives that promoted learning, creativity and cultural engagement. “Supporting arts and literature is not merely cultural patronage; it is an investment in social cohesion, critical thinking and long-term progress,” he remarked.
Addressing the youth, he encouraged them to develop a lasting relationship with books, saying that time spent in reading was never wasted. He also urged the writers and artists to continue creating, questioning and illuminating society, expressing confidence that Pakistan’s best intellectual contributions still lied ahead.
Concluding his address, the CM mentioned a quote by Byron to highlight the enduring power of words, expressing hope that the KLF would continue to inspire dialogue, thought and understanding well beyond its venues.
In his welcome address, OUP Pakistan Managing Director Arshad Saeed Husain said literature was not an indulgence, but a civic imperative. “This festival embodies responsible innovation and shared prosperity. Dialogue has long been the craft of this city; we convene to question and understand. Only the sustainable form of power has the power to persuade through evidence, empathy and perseverance,” he said.
“We are celebrating knowledge, culture and civilization” said Alexis Chahtahtinsky, consul general of France. Lance Domm, British deputy high commissioner, highlighted their contribution to the festival by bringing British authors to Karachi.
In her keynote address, Senator Sherry Rehman said the KLF had become the soul of Karachi. In the current age, the world was in great need of knowledge and literature, she remarked. The other keynote speaker, Nasir Abbas Nayyar, highlighted the power of literature in shaping societies and encouraging critical thinking.
The speeches were followed by the 2026 KLF-Getz Pharma Book Awards Ceremony. Ferdowsnama by Shandana Minhas was the English Fiction Prize winner, while the Urdu Poetry Award winner was Aahang by Dilawar Ali Aazar. The Urdu Prose Award went to Namak ki Betiyan by Naseer Soomro.
The opening ceremony concluded with a captivating Kathak performance by Nighat Choudhry and Kathak Souls titled “Rhythm of Traditions through Poetry and Movement”. The first day of the festival also included a Sindhi Mushaira, and other sessions.
