The Leader of the Shia in Pakistan, Allama Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi, met in Islamabad with a delegation from the Islamic Revolution Publishers Union of Iran, headed by Dr. Meysam Neili, President of the Union and head of the International Palestine Literary Award.
The delegation also included renowned researcher and author Dr. Javad Kallar, Tehran University professor Dr. Fazli, Palestinian cultural activist Ms. Samaneh Afshari, and the representative of the International Palestine Literary Award in Pakistan, Dr. Syed Hassan Raza Naqvi.
The delegation introduced 57 award-winning books out of 362 published works on the theme of Palestine and resistance literature. These works come from 13 countries and are written in seven different languages. They informed that the International Palestine Literary Award is held every two years and includes categories such as novels, poetry, short stories, plays, and children’s literature.
Speaking on the occasion, Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi said that the statements of Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (RA), and Allama Muhammad Iqbal (RA) in support of Palestine were very clear. He expressed regret that, despite the Quaid-e-Azam’s firm stance against the usurping Israeli state, some government figures in Pakistan today hesitate to openly discuss even the two-state solution for Palestine.
He highlighted the sacrifices made by the Pakistani nation for the Palestinian cause and paid tribute to the courageous and wise leadership of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, in supporting resistance and the movement for the liberation of Palestine against global imperialism, the United States, and Israel.
In conclusion, the Iranian delegation requested the Leader of the Shia in Pakistan to encourage Pakistani authors, poets, and researchers to submit Urdu-language works for the third International Palestine Literary Award scheduled for September 2026.
The delegation stated that the first stage of the award was held in 2022 in Lebanon under the hosting of the late Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, while the second stage was held in 2024 in Iraq under the hosting of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The third stage of the award is expected to be held in Pakistan in September 2026.
