Pakistani film star Hamza Abbasi inspires Sharjah book fair

Hundreds of expatriates from Pakistan and India attended an event headlined by renowned Pakistani actor Hamza Ali Abbasi on the last day of the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Hamza Ali Abbasi attended the event as an author and shared his thoughts about his journey that helped him write his maiden book, ‘My Discovery of God.’ He captivated audiences with his reflections on faith, self-discovery, and the transformative power of literature.

Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority in collaboration with Bazm-e-Urdu Dubai, the event featured Abbasi’s insights into his book during Mehfil-e-Urdu 2024.

Abbasi stressed on the measures to promote Urdu language especially among the young generation. “We should support wholeheartedly to all those who are working to promote Urdu among the masses through various activities like poetry session, interactive sessions with literary figures and others,” he added.

He also appreciated Sharjah Book Authority for organising the successful book fair with scores of literary activities.

“I realised that understanding Islam deeply made me more humble, responsible, and mindful of my actions. I became aware of my flaws and acknowledged that I have so much more to learn,” said Abbasi. His candid reflections on his faith journey resonated deeply with the audience.

It was also attended by Wasi Shah, known for his deep understanding of literature and mastery over words, who guided the conversation with insightful and thought-provoking questions. One question that stood out was when Shah asked Hamza what change he experienced in his personal life after delving deeper into Islam. Abbasi responded with humility, explaining that his faith journey made him more responsible and helped him understand the significance of humility and kindness in his life.

The audience applauded as Shah hosted the evening with Hamza Ali and Naimal Khawar. On demand Shah recited a couple of pieces from his own poetry before initiating the conversation with Abbasi and Khawar.

Earlier, Ahmed Bin Rakkad, CEO of Sharjah Book Authority, visited the event and engaged in an insightful conversation with the team.

As part of the Bazm-e-Urdu Dubai’s event, awards were handed over to Jogiraj Sikidar from Malhar Centre for Performing Arts, the recipient of Alamdaar e Urdu Award was Ranjeet Chauhan of Jashn-e-Adab and the prestigious Josh-e-Urdu Award recipient was Ata-ul-Haq.

Abbasi signed copies for guests and clicked photos with his fans.

Ahead of the SIBF event, Bazm-e-Urdu organised a press conference attended by Hamza Ali Abbasi and Naimal Khawar held at Coral Beach Resort Sharjah.

Shakeel Ahmad, President of Bazm-e-Urdu Dubai, Syed Farhan and Iftikhar Hamdani also attended the media gathering.