Print

    'Sargoshiyan: An Evening of Whispers' at IBA Karachi

    Written by: Farheen Abdullah
    Posted on: January 31, 2017 |

    Team 'Banjara' at IBA Karachi

    Often thought to exist on opposite ends of the spectrum, Business and Performance Art form an unusual combination. Challenging the stereotypical beliefs associated with a business institute, the members of IBA Literary Society organized Sargoshiyan, an evening dedicated to poetry and literary expression on the 29th of January. The purpose of the event was to bring together various literary societies from universities all over Karachi, and to celebrate the wealth of talent possessed by the youth of the city.

    The IBA Literary Society was not alone in its efforts, and was supported by the Spoken Stage team, who used the platform to host the City Final of the Pakistan National Poetry Slam. Hoping to resolve societal conflict and intolerance through a platform that encourages dialogue, Spoken Stage explores the oral tradition of poetry, contemporarily known as ‘Spoken Word Poetry.’ The organization aims to promote the art of performance poetry and storytelling to create a more tolerant and integrated society by supporting freedom of creative expression.

    Sargoshiyan at IBA Karachi
     
    Khalid Omar and Ilsa Rashid - Sargoshiyan at IBA Karachi

    Khalid Omar and Ilsa Rashid

    Promising an evening filled with music, drama and poetry, the host Khalid Omar started off the show by explaining what Sargoshiyan stands for, i.e. ‘the whispers that are not free’, and the students’ attempt to bring these whispers together to form one ‘awaaz’ (voice). The opening performances were given by the students of IBA. Shehroze Shaikh, a sophomore, delivered an original Urdu poem based on the ‘Whispers of the Night’, while Ilsa Rashid presented a sequel to a slam poem she had earlier written to her best friend.

    From amongst the performances that followed by students of various universities, Shariq Hasan and Asad Aly particularly stood out. While the former eloquently described the life of Habib Jalib as a poet of resistance and compared the poetry of Faiz and Jalib through a musical performance, the latter presented his soundscape project based on the city of Karachi. Other notable performers included Shahrukh from NED, Mudassir from Karachi University who presented a tribute to Abdul Sattar Edhi in the form of an original song, and Sarah Hussain who shared her experiences on being a female writer in Pakistan.

    Presenting the only play of the evening, students from FAST University took the stage to perform Banjara, a story based on the grievances of a struggling singer, a defeated boxing enthusiast, a bride-to-be, and a mother who loses her son. Personifying zameer-ul-insaan (human conscience) as the lead character in the play, the concluding dialogue, ‘yeh woh maut hai jis ki khabar nahi hoti’ (the death of human conscience is one which is not felt), left the entire audience evaluating their actions as a society.

    Judges Zoha Jabbar, Fatin Nawaz and Dr. Markus Heidingsfelder - Sargoshiyan at IBA Karachi

    Judges Zoha Jabbar, Fatin Nawaz and Dr. Markus Heidingsfelder

    Safee Ul Haque, Manager IBA Literary Society

    Safee Ul Haque, Manager IBA Literary Society

    Spoken Stage took charge of the second half of the event with twelve performers, four of whom were selected to represent Karachi at the Final of the Poetry Slam in Lahore. The judges from Spoken Stage included Nida Khan, Onaisa Abbasi, Dr. Markus Heidingsfelder, Asmara Faiq, Fatin Nawaz, and Zoha Jabbar. As part of its efforts to support the literary tradition of Karachi, the IBA Literary Society will be covering one-way travel expenses for the four finalists.

    Advocating freedom of expression, Sargoshiyan explored the immense potential of poetry to turn suppressed opinions and unheard voices into something louder and more meaningful. Leaving the audience with positive feelings of freedom, hope and the will to express themselves, the Manager of the Literary Society, Safee-ul-Haque, signed off with a promise to return in April with another initiative. Titled The Narrative Karachi Calling, it will set out to explore the culture of Karachi, its people and their stories, and hence create a new platform to bring forth the voice of the masses.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021