Pak poet Faiz's daughter invited to event, denied participation

New Delhi: Noted poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s daughter Moneeza Hashmi, who is a well-known media personality in Pakistan, was reportedly not allowed to participate in a seminar held last week in the national capital, which interestingly was organised by the Union information and broadcasting ministry.

According to media reports, Ms Hashmi was listed as a speaker in the 15th Asia Media Summit, which was held in New Delhi between May 10 and 12. However, she was allegedly not allowed to participate in the event, and no official explanation was apparently given to her either, reports which appeared in a section of the media said.

The information & broadcasting ministry and Prasar Bharati are learnt to have claimed ignorance about the event, the reports claimed.

Quoting sources in Faiz Foundation Trust, media reports said that when Ms Hashmi reached the hotel where she was supposed to put up, she was told that there was no booking in her name. A shocked Ms Hashmi was later informed by the director of AIBD (Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development) that she wouldn’t be allowed to speak, reports claimed.

Ms Hashmi, reports added, was supposed to speak on May 10 at the 4 pm session on ‘Should all good stories be commercially successful?’ along with three other speakers.

The incident has evoked strong reactions, with Ms Hashmi’s son Ali Hashmi tagging the Prime Minister’s Office and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, tweeting, “This is your Shining India? My 72 year-old mother, daughter of Faiz, denied permission to participate in the conference after being officially invited. Shame.”

Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan also tweeted, “Shame on the Modi government for deporting daughter of Faiz Ahmed Faiz from India and stopping her from participating in the Asia media summit in Delhi. Faiz was not only an outstanding Urdu poet but also a staunch opponent of the military rule in Pakistan.”