Arts Council Karachi Pays Tribute to Saadat Hasan Manto on His Death Anniversary

  By: Aziz Khatri

 Karachi: The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi commemorated the death anniversary of legendary writer Saadat Hasan Manto by organizing a special session titled “Manto Aur Aaj ki Dunya” at Haseena Moin Hall on Thursday.

The session featured a thought-provoking lecture by writer, human rights activist and Urdu, Punjabi, and English poet Harris Khalique, with well-known journalist and anchor Absa Komal moderating the discussion.

President Arts Council Muhammad Ahmed Shah, senior journalist Ghazi Salahuddin, acclaimed writer Noor-ul-Huda Shah, Ayub Sheikh, Dr. Qaiser Sajjad, Sadiqa Salahuddin, and a large audience of literary, academic and social figures were present.

President Ahmed Shah presented bouquets to the guest speakers on behalf of the Arts Council.

The discussion opened with reflections on Manto’s letters written between 1951 and 1954.

Speaking on the enduring relevance of Manto’s works, Harris Khalique said that Manto refused to classify people as Hindu or Muslim and instead saw them first as human beings. He added that Manto’s writings differed from his contemporaries because he broke away from rigid literary and ideological divisions.

Khalique noted that even progressive writers of Manto’s time criticized him, despite his courageous documentation of suppressed truths. He said Manto viewed Pakistan and India as human societies rather than ideological territories, and articulated the voice of a marginalized population.

He observed that the global political and economic narratives of the 1950s and 1960s continue today in new forms. While technology has evolved, human nature and power structures remain fundamentally unchanged.

“The violent and chaotic transition of 1947 did not end with Partition – it began there,” he remarked, pointing out that many voices—like Manto’s—were sidelined from mainstream accounts of history.

Khalique emphasized that oversimplifying “the West” as a monolithic worldview is misleading, as dissenting and critical voices have always existed alongside centers of power. Similarly, within Pakistan and India, vibrant communities of writers challenge dominant state narratives.

He stressed that the weakening relationship between the working class, writers and journalists needs to be repaired on a global scale.

“Great literature continues to be written,” he said, “but like Manto, writers still face pressures and restrictions.” He quoted Manto: “Neither am I the country, nor the government, nor the treasury; I am only one who speaks the truth.”

Moderating the session, Absa Komal recalled Manto’s powerful statement: “I am poor because my country is poor,” calling it a testament to modern socio-economic challenges. She said rapid development, widening housing projects and consumerism cannot overshadow population pressures and shrinking opportunities.

“A writer like Manto is still needed today to portray the contradictions, hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness of society,” she concluded.