Intellectuals asked to work for a just society

ISLAMABAD: Artists, poets and writers have a duty to contribute towards creating a just society as they are gifted with deep sensibilities and moved quickly by distress.

This was stated by renowned intellectual and writer Dr Alya Imam in her talk at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) here on Friday.

“So it is their duty to lessen the distraught circumstances, and imbibe the lessons by the writers of international stature, such as Bertrand Russell, Mirza Ghalib, Meer Anees and Allama Iqbal,” Dr Imam said.

Quoting Allama Iqbal’s verse – Uthoo meray duniya ke gharibon ko jaga do, she said: “Intense feeling and sincere regard for the ignominy that the poor classes go through is a precious heritage.”

Dr Imam said people felt depressed after experiencing and witnessing a number of instances of injustice every passing day, stressing that members of the civil society had an obligation to set the things right.

A number of artists, including playwright and dramatist Sarmad Sehbai, Pakistan’s first woman cartoonist Dr Nigar Nazar, and columnist Ayesha Malik, present in the audience, gave her a standing ovation for bringing the reality to the fore.

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