QUETTA, MAY 08 (DNA) – The two-day Quetta Literary Festival (QLF) came to an end with over 5000 thousand including students, academics and literati that attended various sessions.

Serena Hotels supported the wonderful initiative of The Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) for the bright local citizens.

Mr. Aziz Boolani, CEO Serena Hotels, said, “Our presence in Quetta has over the years become the centre of activities and events, that bring together the audiences from diverse backgrounds. Serena Hotels is delighted to have played its role in supporting BUITEMS for organising the first Quetta Literary Festival.”

Over the course of the festival, renowned speakers, academics, writers and performers such as Musharraf Ali Farooqi, Amjad Islam Amjad, Zeba Bakhtiar, Hashim Nadeem, Mahim Maher, Junaid Akram, Zarrar Khuhro, Jamal Shah, Salman Rashid, Wusat Ullah Khan, Dr. Nida Kirmani, Dr. Ali Madeeh Hashmi, Ayub Khoso, Mubashir Zaidi, Ali Arqam, Hafeez Jamali, Iftikhar Firdous, Rafiullah Kakar, Dr. Kaiser Bengali, Khumariyaan and Faiz Ullah Khan, came together to remind Quetta of the rich literary heritage of the region.

Mr. Rashid Uddin, General Manager Quetta Serena Hotel, said, “Literary festivals are a wonderful way to encourage people to engage with books, authors and thinking. While these festivals are a relatively new phenomenon in Pakistan, and an entirely new one for Quetta, remind us that literature, arts and culture are the soul of a country.

Serena Hotels has been supporting the Lahore Literary Festival for the last three years and shall continue to excel in its community initiative programme.