First International Punjabi Conference and Poetry Session in Kasur District

By: Dr. Muhammad Riaz Anjum

Under the auspices of the Bulleh Shah Literary Society (Registered) Kasur, the first International Punjabi Conference was held on Saturday, August 31, 2024, coinciding with the 267th annual Urs (death anniversary) of Hazrat Syed Abdullah Qadri Shatari, also known as Baba Bulleh Shah. The conference’s theme was The Current State of Punjabi Language and Literature. The event commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, performed by Hafiz Ali Ahmed Sabir, Secretary for Information and Broadcasting of the Society. After that, Naat (a poem in praise of the Prophet Muhammad) was recited by Al-Haj Shaukat Naqshbandi, Chairman of the Society.

The first two sessions of the conference were chaired by Dr. Mujahida Butt, Chairperson of the Punjabi Department at Women’s University, Lahore. The dignitaries included Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Azmi, Director of the Center for Translation and Interpretation at Minhaj University, Lahore; Dr. Nighat Khurshid, retired Principal of Government Guru Nanak College for Women, Nankana Sahib; Professor Dr. Muhammad Arshad Iqbal, Vice-Principal of Government Dayal Singh College, Lahore; and Dr. Hafiz Ahmed, retired Assistant Finance Secretary of the Gujranwala Board. The proceedings were anchored by Dr. Muhammad Arshad Shahid, supported by Ashraf Khan Shazi.

During the first session, various national scholars delivered presentations. These included Dr. Arshad Mahmood Nashad, Head of the Urdu Department at Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad; Dr. Riaz Shahid, retired Head of the Punjabi Department at Government College University, Faisalabad; Dr. Muhammad Ayub, retired Head of the Punjabi Department at Government Postgraduate College, Samanabad, Faisalabad; Dr. Saadat Ali Saqib, retired Professor of the Punjabi Department at Punjab University, Lahore; Dr. Fazeelat Bano, Associate Professor at Minhaj University, Lahore; Dr. Arshad Iqbal Arshad; Dr. Ehsan Ullah Tahir, Head of the Punjabi Department at Government Graduate College for Boys, Satellite Town, Gujranwala; Professor Dr. Mujahida Butt; Muhammad Akhtar Khan, Vice President of the Ali Arshad Mir Foundation, Lahore; Dr. Zeba Nisa, Lecturer in Punjabi at the Department of Pakistani Languages, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad; Dr. Muhammad Irfan Haq, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Punjabi and Cultural Studies, Punjab University, Lahore; and Dr. Ghulam Dastgir, Head of the Department of Education, University of Narowal.

International scholars also presented summaries of their papers online, including Gurdish Kaur Grewal, Vice President of the Calgary Women’s Cultural Association, Canada; Dr. Joga Singh Virk, retired Professor of Linguistics and Punjabi Lexicography at Punjabi University, Patiala; Dr. Jasbir Singh Sarna, retired Senior Officer of the Agriculture Department, Jammu & Kashmir; Dr. Devinder Pal Singh, Director at Canbridge Learning, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; and Dr. Jaswinder Singh, Assistant Professor of Punjabi at GSSDGS Khalsa College, Patiala.

During the second session, Professor Dr. Saadat Ali Saqib, Sabir Virk, Javed Mehdi, Owais Raza Sabri, Haji Allah Wasaya Gauhar, Ali Chand, and Anmol Brothers performed traditional kafi (Sufi poetry) of Bulleh Shah. Following the sessions, awards and certificates were distributed to scholars and performers, including Dr. Arshad Mahmood Nashad, Dr. Muhammad Riaz Shahid, Dr. Muhammad Ayub, Dr. Saadat Ali Saqib, Dr. Fazeelat Bano, Dr. Arshad Iqbal Arshad, Dr. Ehsan Ullah Tahir, Professor Dr. Mujahida Butt, Muhammad Akhtar Khan, Dr. Zeba Nisa, Dr. Muhammad Irfan Haq, Dr. Ghulam Dastgir, Sabir Virk, Javed Mehdi, and Owais Raza Sabri.

Posthumous Bulleh Shah awards were presented to the descendants of literary figures, including Muhammad Iqbal Zakhmi, Dr. Muhammad Younis Ahqar, Talib Jatoi, Abdul Hameed Nizami, and Nazir Ahmed Zahid, in recognition of their scholarly and literary contributions. A resolution was also passed to make the teaching of the Punjabi language compulsory in schools, which the attendees strongly supported. After the two sessions, lunch was served to the participants.

In the third session, a poetry recital (mushaira) was organized, chaired by Mahboob Sarmad from Faisalabad. Other notable guests included Dr. Nighat Khurshid, retired Principal of Government Guru Nanak College for Women, Nankana Sahib; Muhammad Siddique Johar from Kahna Nau; Malik Sharif Arshad from Changa Manga; and Javed Kanwal from Musa Pur, Tehsil Sialkot. The proceedings were conducted by Salim Aftab Salim, General Secretary of Bulleh Shah Literary Society, with Hafiz Ali Ahmed Sabir reciting verses from the Quran and Sardar Muhammad Umair presenting the Naat.

Local poets initiated the recital, including Salim Aftab Salim, Azmatullah Khan Azmat, Abdul Razzaq Mohsin, Hafiz Iftikhar Fakhr, Muhammad Ashfaq Nasir, Sardar Umair Ali, and Zulfiqar Nazir, who received enthusiastic applause for their performances. Prominent guest poets from across the region included Iqbal Darvesh from Lahore, Adil Munhas from Lahore, G.M. Saqi from Lahore, Liaqat Mayo from Lahore, Zafar Iqbal Saeem from Sarai Mughal, Yaseen Yas from Phool Nagar, and many others, who captivated the audience with their poetry.

Many people, including many students, attended the event. Notable attendees included Junaid Khan Qadirabad, Mian Ahsan from Lahore, Mian Waleed from Lahore, and several other distinguished guests from Kasur, Lahore, and surrounding areas.

After the event, Dr. Muhammad Riaz Anjum, President of Bulleh Shah Literary Society (Registered) Kasur, expressed his gratitude to all the participants and highlighted the importance of such conferences in promoting the Punjabi language and literature. He hoped that this inaugural Punjabi conference would catalyze further efforts to enhance the status of the Punjabi language globally. The society members congratulated Dr. Riaz Anjum for the successful conference organization.