LAHORE: A grand evening was held in honor of the renowned poet, writer, and critic Ghulam Hussain Sajid, presided over by the distinguished literary figure Salma Awan.
The officials of the Sui Northern Gas Cultural Society Chairman Farooq Majeed, Secretary Mudassar Bashir, and office-bearers Amjad Mumtaz, Liaqat Ali Nahra, Raheel Farooq, and Rizwan Naseer warmly welcomed the guests. Gracing the stage were Salma Awan, the chief guest Ghulam Hussain Sajid, Naveed Sadiq, Saima Aftab, and Farooq Majeed.
The event commenced with a soul-stirring Hamd (praise of God) recited by Syed Irfan Ali. Reflecting on his life’s journey and devotion to literature, the chief guest Ghulam Hussain Sajid remarked with humor and simplicity:
”I am the first reader and the first poet of my tribe. To be honest, no one in my home including my spouse has ever read my poetry. In my childhood, newspapers wrapped around groceries and stories found in a school trunk nurtured my intellectual growth.
This deep bond with reading and literature seemingly isolated me, but my world is still vibrant with a ten-thousand-book library and knowledge.”
Expressing his gratitude to the management, he suggested that the society should also initiate annual awards across various literary genres.
Presiding over the session, Salma Awan remarked that Ghulam Hussain Sajid is a multifaceted literary personality and that organizing such a splendid literary evening within a government institution is highly commendable.
Naveed Sadiq and Amjad Mumtaz presented insightful essays on the chief guest’s literary contributions. Arshad Aziz, who arrived from Faisalabad, brought smiles to the audience with his humorous essay, while Urdu poetry by Saima Aftab and Punjabi poetry by Liaqat Ali Nahra earned rich applause.
Irfan Ali performed Shiv Kumar Batalvi’s famous poem “Maye Ni Maye” set to music, while Aftab Javed enthralled the audience by reciting Ghulam Hussain Sajid’s piece, “Gyan.”
At the conclusion, Secretary Mudassar Bashir invited the honored guests to the stage one by one, where representatives of the society presented them with commemorative shields and bouquets.
Reported By: Shahzad Framosh
