By Khawaja Hamza
ISLAMABAD, The Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL), under the National Heritage & Culture Division, Government of Pakistan, organized a ceremony in Islamabad to launch the Urdu translation of Prison Diary, the renowned poetic work of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese revolutionary leader, poet, and founder of modern Vietnam.
The ceremony was held at the Sheikh Ayaz Conference Hall of the Pakistan Academy of Letters and was attended by diplomatic representatives from several ASEAN countries, as well as writers, intellectuals, and literary figures.
Among the distinguished participants were Ambassador of Thailand Rong Vudhī Virabutr, High Commissioner of Malaysia Dato’ Muhammad Azhar Mazlan, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam Colonel (Retd.) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah Pengiran Haji Ahmad, Ambassador of Cuba Damian Cordero Torres, Chargé d’Affaires of Indonesia Rahmat Hindiarta, and Chargé d’Affaires of Myanmar Maung Maung Thon. The event was moderated by Dr. Hamza Hassan Sheikh.
Chairperson of the Pakistan Academy of Letters, Prof. Dr. Najiba Arif, welcomed the guests and diplomatic representatives. She said Prison Diary was not only an account of a revolutionary leader’s imprisonment but also a poetic expression of freedom, hope, courage, determination, and the human spirit.
She said the Urdu translation had been completed under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Pakistan Academy of Letters and Vietnam, calling it an important milestone in strengthening literary and cultural cooperation between the two countries. She also expressed her commitment to further promoting literary relations with ASEAN countries.
During the ceremony, Dr. Najiba Arif led a Fatiha for renowned writer, poet, and intellectual Haleem Qureshi, who passed away during a ceremony at the Pakistan Academy of Letters a day earlier, and paid tribute to his valuable literary services.
Prof. Munir Fayyaz and former Ambassador Salahuddin Chaudhry highlighted various aspects of Prison Diary, Ho Chi Minh’s personality, poetry, and struggle, and recited selected verses from the book.
Presiding over the session, Imdad Akash described Ho Chi Minh as a symbol of courage, resistance, and freedom for oppressed nations and also presented selected verses from Prison Diary.
Vietnamese diplomatic representative Phan Anh Toan thanked Prof. Dr. Najiba Arif and the Pakistan Academy of Letters for organizing the event. He said Ho Chi Minh’s poetry reflected Vietnamese national thought, freedom, and sovereignty. He added that the Urdu and English translations of Prison Diary represented an important step toward strengthening literary relations between Pakistan and Vietnam.
Regarded as one of the significant literary works of the twentieth century, Prison Diary poetically portrays imprisonment, loneliness, and human suffering while emphasizing freedom, hope, courage, and steadfast determination. The Urdu translation was rendered by Ms. Kausar Khanum, while Ms. Najma Saqib undertook its revision.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Phan Anh Toan presented commemorative gifts to the Chairperson, speakers, and organizers. Dr. Najiba Arif, in turn, presented distinguished guests with gift packages containing publications of the Pakistan Academy of Letters.
The guests subsequently visited a book exhibition and cultural stall arranged by the Embassy of Vietnam at the Pakistan Academy of Letters. They were introduced to books showcasing Vietnam’s rich literary and cultural heritage, along with various cultural artifacts.
The ceremony underscored the commitment to strengthening literary and cultural cooperation, promoting mutual understanding, and developing closer ties between Pakistan, Vietnam, and ASEAN countries through literature and cultural exchange.
