MBELDOG BLOG

The Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) has published a special book on Faiz Ahmed Faiz, which is written by Tasleem Elahi Zulfi.

The book, ‘Faiz Ahmed Faiz in Beirut’, focuses on Faizís activities and routine during his stay in Beirut as an expatriate. The book brings new aspects of the poetís life in light for the first time.

Giving a briefing on the release of the book, Fakhar Zaman, Chairman PAL, said that the book had been published in the light of President Asif Ali Zardari’s special instructions regarding the celebration of 2011 year as Faiz Ahmed Faiz year.

The academy has organized a series of nationwide seminars on Faiz. The first programme of the series was held at PALís main office in Islamabad. However, all four provincial offices of PAL also organized such events.

Fakhar said that Tasleem Elahi had brought into light four years of Faizís life about which not much was known.

Tasleem had written down his memories about the meetings with Faiz when the poet was in Beirut. However, special issues of quarterly ‘Adbiyat’ and an introductory book on Faizís life and work, under the series of ‘Makers of Pakistani Literatureî, had also been published by the PAL, he said. The academy, however, had plans to publish more books on Faiz during the coming months of the year, he added.

The academy would also hold an international conference on Faiz this year, for which primary arrangements had already been made, he said and added that the book by Tasleem was a significant addition to PALís publications and would be a good source of reference for scholars, researcher and general readers.