18th Aalmi Urdu Conference Opens in Karachi with National Spirit

The Writer December 19, 2025

By: Aziz Khatri

Karachi: The four-day 18th Aalmi Urdu Conference 2025 – Jashan-e-Pakistan began with great enthusiasm at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi on Thursday. Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori graced the inaugural ceremony as chief guest, while Arts Council President Muhammad Ahmed Shah welcomed scholars, writers, artists, and guests from across the country.

The opening ceremony featured recitation from the Holy Quran, the national anthem, and a special show reel on the history of the Aalmi Urdu Conference. A large number of people, including students, attended the event. Cakes were also cut to mark the birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Christmas, symbolizing unity and interfaith harmony.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Tessori described Karachi as “Mini Pakistan” and called the Arts Council its cultural soul. He praised Muhammad Ahmed Shah for strengthening the institution and said Urdu serves as a link language that unites the nation. He emphasized the role of writers, poets, and artists alongside professionals in building a living society and highlighted the conference’s contribution to promoting harmony among Pakistan’s regional languages.

In his welcome address, Muhammad Ahmed Shah said the Urdu Conference has become a global platform for literature, arts, and culture despite beginning without resources. He termed the event a tribute to Pakistan’s literary and artistic legends and recalled the collective efforts of Karachi’s citizens in making it the world’s largest Urdu literary gathering.

Renowned poet Iftikhar Arif stressed that love for one’s mother tongue should foster respect for other languages, while keynote speaker Nasir Abbas Nayyar said literature creates new intellectual spaces and connects local identities with global dialogue.

The conference, themed “Jashan-e-Pakistan,” will continue for four days with sessions, discussions, and tributes celebrating Pakistan’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage.