By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The National Institute of Public Policy (NIPP) arranged a special gathering to pay tribute to the legendary author and masterful story teller of Pakistan, Bapsi Sidhwa, here on Monday.
It was attended by civil servants, academicians, intellectuals and participants in the National Management Course.
Notable speakers were Muneeza Hashmi, Perin Boga and Naveed Shahzad. National Institute of Public Policy Dean Dr Naveed Elahi welcomed the guests and eulogised Bapsi as the Pakistani novelist of worldwide acclaim.
He termed Bapsi a quintessential Lahori and said that her book ‘The Beloved City: Writings on Lahore’ is a testimony of her association with the city.
Naveed Elahi stressed that novels could have a profound impact on public policy. Bapsi’s novels encourage critical thinking on serious issues of our society, he added. Acclaimed and seasoned broadcaster and producer Mrs Muneeza Hashmi recalled her meetings and friendship with Sidhwa. She said that she visited her regularly in Houston in the last few years before Sidhwa’s death.
She said she came to know much later that Sidhwa was so close to her father Faiz Ahmed Faiz and that he had unwavering support for getting her book published in Pakistan and in Russia.
Longtime family friend and fellow Mrs Perin Boga shared the memories of her family with Bapsi and her parents.
She described Bapsi Sidhwa’s life as a child with polio and difficulties she passed through as a child and a teenager.
Naveed Shahzaad, a legendary figure in Pakistan’s entertainment and academic circles, recalled Sidhwa’s humor and wisdom, describing her as “a fearless storyteller who brought the complexities of South Asian history to life with empathy and grace.”
Perin Boga said, “Sidhwa’s legacy lives on through her books, which continue to resonate with readers worldwide.”
As a pioneering literary voice, she remains an enduring inspiration for writers and readers alike, she added.
The event also featured a brief documentary on Sidhwa’s life and writings with narrations from her novels Ice Candy Man and the American Brat.
The guests and participants praised NSPP for arranging the event to pay tribute to Bapsi.
