Panelists (L to R): Sadia Rashid; Moinuddin Iqbal; Consul-General Toshikazu Isomura;Asif Farrukhi; Mohammad Ilyas; Iqbal Khursheed with family members of Shahid Ahmed Dehlvi, Mehmood Ahmed, Masroor Ahmed, Huma Kirmani and Saima Khan.

KARACHI: Through the determinations of Pakistan Japan Literature Forum (PJLF), Shahid Ahmed Dehlvi’s special issue on Japan from his magazine Saqi was brought back to life after 82 years in a launching ceremony here on Monday.

The late prominent Urdu writer Shahid Ahmed Dehlvi was paid accolades at the relaunch of his literary magazine’s special Japan issue at the consulate-general of Japan in Karachi, amongst notable literary personalities who held the publication in reverence for tying the two nations together well before time.

Talking about his experience of reproducing the literary piece, journalist and researcher, Khurram Suhail of PJLF revealed that due to scarce funds the production of the magazine was seeming to look like a colossal task until the Consul-General Toshikazu Isomura stepped in pitching in funds from his own pocket to make the publishing process possible.

Present at the occasion were the children as well as other family members of the writer who expressed their sincerest gratitude at the tribute paid to their father with daughter -Saima Khan, stating: “I flew in from Lahore and my brother flew in from New York just for this, because we love our father and I want to thank each and every one of you for the love and respect you have given him today.”

Amongst the noteworthy panelists were Sadia Rashid, President of Hamdard Publications as well as acclaimed writer and editor Asif Farrukhi who articulated their approbation for the efforts of the forum for not only digging up the literary gold from yesteryears but using it as the foundation bringing the two countries closer together.