Pak poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz's daughter denied participation at I&B meet

New Delhi: Noted poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s daughter Moneeza Hashmi, who is a well  known media personality in Pakistan, was reportedly not allowed to  participate in a seminar held last week in the national capital, which interestingly was organised by the Union information and broadcasting ministry.

According to reports, Ms Hashmi was listed as a speaker in the 15th Asia Media Summit, which was held in New Delhi between May 10 and 12. 

However she was allegedly not allowed to participate in the event, and no official explanation was apparently given to her.

The I&B ministry and Prasar Bharati are learnt to have claimed ignorance about the entire event, the reports claimed.

Quoting sources in the Faiz Foundation Trust, media reports said when Ms Hashmi reached the hotel where she was supposed to put up, she was told that there was no booking in her name. A shocked Ms Hashmi was later informed by the director of AIBD (Asia Pacific Institute for Broad-casting  Development) that she would not be allowed to speak, reports claimed.

Ms Hashmi, reports added, was supposed to speak on ‘Should all good stories be commercially successful?’  along with three other speakers.

The incident has evoked strong reactions, with Ms Hashmi’s son Ali Hashmi tagging the PMO and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, tweeting, “this is your Shining India? My 72 year-old mother,  daughter of Faiz, denied permission to participate in the conference after being officially invited. Shame.”