Borderlines panel – participants from left to right: moderator Ghazi Salahuddin, Sehba Sarwar, Noor Zaheer, Naila Mahmood, and Tehmina Ahmed; photo by Akbar Baloch

Back in 2010, I participated in the first Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), and this year, I am back for the seventh annual festival that has surged from 10,000 audience members (the first year) to more than 70,000 this year. Today, VBB launched the first two volumes of our Borderlines publications, with a panel that featured readings by contributors Tehmina Ahmed, Naila Mahmood and Noor Zaheer and myself. The session was moderated by Ghazi Salahuddin.

I read an excerpt from my memoir, one that appeared in Houston Chronicle’s Gray Matters; only when I began reading, did I appreciate how many family members and family friends joined us for the session.

Tehmina and Naila’s readings were perfect as was Noor Zaheer and Ghazi Salahuddin’s last-minute participation. The discussion was rich, and the documentation by photographer Akbar Baloch made the morning even more memorable.

The rest of the festival was packed with exciting panels and readings. For a full list, please visit the KLF website.

(left) A packed session with writer Laxmi Narayan Tripathi; (right) guards patrolling the grounds.

05 Feb 2016 · 08:54:11 PM