Taseer says he will celebrate Basant festival
16 February, 2009
LAHORE: Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer has said Basant is an integral part of the Punjab’s culture and it should be celebrated as a big cultural event. Therefore, he said he would not only celebrate Basant himself but would also open the gates of the Governor’s House for the people for celebrations.
Talking to journalists at the Governor House on Sunday after the launching ceremony of two books of his father Dr MD Taseer, the renowned educationist and the frontline figure of the progressive writers’ movement, he said that we still had not come to the conclusion what kind of Pakistan we wanted.
“We can materialise the dreams of our forefathers only if we follow the thoughts and teachings of teachers like MD Taseer.” The governor said the articles written by his father long time ago were still valid.
“We need to determine our course in the light of the guidance provided by intellectuals, teachers and the leaders of the early years of Pakistan. We have the legacy of giants like MD Taseer, who had a clear vision of a progressive and great country in their minds.î
Denying reports of conspiracies being hatched at the Governor House, he said the house was open for people and everybody was welcomed there. He said many cultural events were being organised at the Governor House.
Earlier, the chairman of the Academy of Letters, which published the recent books of Dr MD Taseer, ‘Articles of MD Taseer,’ and ‘Dr MD Taseer: Shukhsiyat Aur Funn,’ said that the academy had planned many radical programmes to promote literature and it had already published the history of art from 1947 to 1995 and was publishing the works of the iconic national figures like MD Taseer. He said the Academy of Letters was established on the suggestion of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Salima Hashmi, Dr Mehdi Hassan, Hameed Akhtar, IA Rehman, Dr Anwar Ahmad and Asghar Nadeem Syed also spoke on the occasion while Shujaat Hashmi read out the poetry of Dr MD Taseer.
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