Dr. Khalida Naseem from Canada Attends Lift Inauguration Ceremony at Pakistan Academy of Letters

A graceful and meaningful ceremony was held on May 19, 2026, at Pakistan Academy of Letters to mark the inauguration of a newly installed lift in the Academy building, completed through the generous support of Qaisra Mukhtar Alvi and the family of the late Abdul Hameed Alvi. The project was undertaken on the occasion of the Academy’s 50th anniversary.

The inauguration ceremony began with a ribbon-cutting followed by prayers for the departed soul of Abdul Hameed Alvi. Family members, including Dr. Saira Alvi, Mudassar Alvi, Adnan Alvi, and granddaughter Iman Alvi, attended the event alongside leading writers, poets, journalists, and intellectuals from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Prominent literary personalities including Hameed Shahid, Dr. Inam-ul-Haq Javed, Iftikhar Arif, Fateh Muhammad Malik, and Kishwar Naheed paid tribute to Abdul Hameed Alvi’s lifelong services to literature, journalism, and intellectual culture. Speakers noted that the Academy’s offices, conference halls, and committee rooms are located on upper floors, creating serious difficulties for elderly and differently-abled writers and visitors. They praised the Alvi family for addressing a long-standing need that will greatly benefit members of the literary community.

Chairperson of the Academy, Dr. Najeeba Arif, welcomed the guests and said the installation of a lift had remained an important but unfulfilled requirement for many years due to financial constraints. She revealed that the project cost approximately 4.8 million rupees, entirely funded by the Alvi family in their personal capacity.

Speaking at the ceremony, Qaisra Alvi shared that her late husband Abdul Hameed Alvi had approved the idea during his lifetime, but personal responsibilities delayed its execution. She said a recent discussion during one of Dr. Najeeba Arif’s programs renewed her attention toward the project, which was ultimately completed successfully.

The event was also attended by noted Urdu poet and fiction writer Dr. Khalida Naseem, who is currently visiting Pakistan from Canada and resides in Toronto. Dr. Khalida Naseem, known for translating the poetry of Ghani Khan into English, presented copies of her books to Iftikhar Arif, Dr. Najeeba Arif, Farhatullah Babar, Asim Butt and other distinguished guests. Participants appreciated her literary services and contribution to promoting Pakistani and Pashto literature internationally.

Celebrated poet and novelist Akhtar Raza Saleemi also presented his new novel “Shehar Tamsaal Daar,” while writer Iqbal Hussain Afkar presented his latest book “Tahqeeq o Tanqeed” to Dr. Khalida Naseem.

The ceremony reflected not only a tribute to the literary and journalistic legacy of Abdul Hameed Alvi but also highlighted the importance of private support for cultural and literary institutions in Pakistan.