The Citizens Archive of Pakistan [CAP], a not-for-profit organization dedicated to cultural and historic preservation, concluded its unique 3 day series of storytelling sessions commemorating the legacy of Qissa Khwani Bazaar, the fabled Peshwari marketer owned for its acclaimed story-tellers of yore.
The event was undertaken simultaneously at Kuch Khaas, Islamabad and Faiz Ghar, Lahore and was based on the themes of Partition and Migration, the early years of PTV and Radio Pakistan and the Evolution of Cities. The sessions featured prominent Pakistanis who shared anecdotes and milestones from their lives and careers, deeply intertwined with Pakistan’s own rich past and traditions.
Day 2 of the event also drew sizeable crowds as individuals gathered at both venues to listen to first generation Pakistanis speak of their experiences and personal accounts of the early years of PTV and Radio Pakistan. In Lahore, Navid Shahzad, Ayub Khawar, Salman Shahid, Begum Khurshid Shahid and Simi Raheal spoke of the novelty of the medium of television and how it had evolved over the ages. In Islamabad, Agha Nasir, Kanwal Naseer, Ahmed Salim and Muhammad Zubair led the discussion at Kuch Khaas.Renowned filmmaker Adeel Hashmi and TV journalist Farrukh Khan Pitafi were the moderators of the sessions in Lahore and Islamabad respectively.
The final day of the event chartered the transformation of cities over the years and featured the personal stories and accounts of Dr. Ajaz Anwar, Nusrat Jamil, Nayyar Ali Dada, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Salman Rashid and Imrana Tiwana in Lahore, while Ishrat Hyatt, Javaid Kazi, Fauzia Minallah and Shafiq Siddiqui generated discussion on the topic in Islamabad. Lawyer and CAP Board member Rafay Alam moderated the discussion in Lahore where panellists spoke of the history of the city which could be traced back to almost 4,000 years in the past. In Islamabad, educator Parveen Malik guided the discussion which touched upon the preservation of cultural heritage and the need for environmental and pollution control.
With an aim to keep the tradition of storytelling alive, CAP endeavoured to recreate the essence of the historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar, which translates literally from Persian to ‘Storytelling Market’. The market, which unfortunately now solely exists as a physical structure in Peshawar, used to be a commercial hub that attracted travelling merchants of all ethnicities. They would come to this market to trade their wares, frequent local tea houses and exchange stories and experiences over a hot cup of qehwa. This practice elevated Qissa Khwani Bazaar from a simple marketplace into a living, breathing celebration of the tradition of storytelling itself.
“Pakistan is a land of rich culture and significant history. We feel that there is no better way to learn more about the nation than through the stories and personal accounts of the individuals who have experienced the troubles, tribulations and joys of a nation being created first-hand,” says Swaleha Alam Shahzada, Executive Director of CAP. “By organising these storytelling sessions, we hope to breathe life into the art of storytelling and share the stories of our nation’s momentous history with the next generation of Pakistanis.”
The Qissa Khwani Bazaar project is part of CAP’s Oral History Project, the first-of-its-kind initiative that has developed a fascinating archive of over 45,000 photograph and 1,200 hours of audio stories documenting Pakistan’s history, culture and heritage from the perspective of a citizen. Through diligent care and effort, the project has successfully archived and digitized newspapers, letters, official correspondences, refugee cards, passports, advertisements and other material, each providing a unique snapshot of Pakistan preserved for all time. The project is currently running in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, recording the voices and stories of Pakistanis who have seen the partition of 1947 and the early years of Pakistan.
Indeed, CAP serves as the first ever private Pakistani initiative to collect, archive, study, disseminate and exhibit all aspects of Pakistan’s history – both before and after partition. CAP aspires to become the foremost museum of Pakistani history, art, photography, culture, literature and historical documentation, demonstrating the strength and spirit of Pakistan from the citizen’s perspective.
The Express Tribune collaborated on the project as official print media partners, Radio 1 FM 91 participated as official radio partners and Lotus PR were the publications relations partners for the event.
Event Brief:
Dates: 20th – 22nd June 2013
Timings: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Lahore venue: Faiz Ghar, 126 F, Model Town, Lahore
Islamabad venue: Kuch Khaas, House 1, Street 1, F-6/3, Islamabad
Lahore – Day 1 – Thursday, 20th June 2013
Theme: Partition and Migration
Moderator: Dr. Farrukh Khan
Dr. Farrukh Khan is an Associate Professor at Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr. Khan completed his PhD in Postcolonial Studies from the University of Kent in 2002. He has also produced “Stories of a Broken Self”, a documentary on women’s narratives of the partition of 1947.
Panelists:
1. Brig (R) Salim Zia
2. Ms. Azra Haq
3. Dr. Mehdi Hasan
4. Ms. Jameela Zaidi
5. Ms. Zahida Mushtaq
Lahore – Day 2 – Friday, 21st June 2013
Theme: PTV and Radio Pakistan
Moderator: Mr. Adeel Hashmi
Mr. Adeel Hashmi, a Masters in Filmmaking from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, comes from a family of creative giants in the field of poetry, painting, writing, drama, theatre and documentary filmmaking. Mr. Hashmi has been writing, acting, anchoring and directing for and on television for the past 10 years and has worked with Pakistan Television closely. Mr. Hashmi is also the CEO of Lightstorm Communications.
Panelists:
1. Ms. Navid Shahzad
2. Mr. Ayub Khawar
3. Mr. Salman Shahid
4. Begum Khurshid Shahid
5. Ms. Simi Raheal
Lahore – Day 3 – Saturday, 22nd June 2013
Theme: Evolution of Cities
Moderator: Mr. Rafay Alam
As a lawyer, Mr. Rafay Alam focuses on environmental law and regulation with a specialization in energy, water and cities. Mr. Alam has been actively advocating environmental and development issues, particularly concerning Lahore. He also teaches at Lahore University of Management Sciences and contributes to various academic papers. Mr. Alam also serves on the CAP Board of Governors.
Panelists:
1. Dr. Ajaz Anwar
2. Ms. Nusrat Jamil
3. Mr. Nayyar Ali Dada
4. Mr. Kamil Khan Mumtaz
5. Mr. Salman Rashid
6. Ms. Imrana Tiwana
Islamabad – Day 1 – Thursday, 20th June 2013
Theme: Partition and Migration
Moderator: Dr. Ravish Nadeem
Dr. Ravish Nadeem is currently serving as Assistant Professor of Urdu at International Islamic University, Islamabad. His poetry, literary criticism and analyses of socio-political issues have been included in different publications. Dr. Ravish is also a regular contributor at academic forums and conferences.
Panelists:
1. Ms. Kishwar Naheed
2. Mr. Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam
3. Ms. Nasreen Chima
4. Ms. Khajista Farhat Ghazi
5. Mr. Hameed Alvi
Islamabad – Day 2 – Friday, 21st June 2013
Theme: PTV and Radio Pakistan
Moderator: Mr. Farrukh Khan Pitafi
Mr. Farrukh Khan Pitafi is a renowned Pakistani columnist, blogger and talk show host. His columns on national and international affairs have been appearing regularly in various news dailies for over a decade. He currently hosts a talk show, Capital Circuit, for NewsOne TV.
Panelists:
1. Mr. Agha Nasir
2. Ms. Kanwal Naseer
3. Mr. Ahmed Salim
4. Mr. Muhammad Zubair
Islamabad – Day 3 – Saturday, 22nd June 2013
Theme: Evolution of Cities
Moderator: Mrs. Perveen Malik
Mrs. Perveen Malik is currently serving as President of the Asian Study Group, Islamabad. She has been associated with causes of social and cultural development in Pakistan, and has chaired various organisations working on these issues. A lifelong educator, she currently sits on the Board of Directors of the international charity, Developments in Literacy. She has been a resident of Islamabad since 1966.
Panelists:
1. Ms. Ishrat Hyatt
2. Mr. Javaid Kazi
3. Ms. Fauzia Minallah
4. Mr. Shafiq Siddiqui
