Brussels: Khalid Farooqi Memorial Freedom Festival was held in Brussels, speakers paid tribute to the late journalist Khalid Farooqi
The Pakistan Press Club Belgium and Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU) jointly organized the program, which included a condolence reference and poetry and music events. The festival was patronized by Kashmir Council EU Chairman Ali Raza Syed while Afzal Butt, President of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), was the chief guest of the program. Imran Saqib, President of Pakistan Press Club Belgium moderated the whole program.
On the occasion of third death anniversary of renowned journalist and intellectual and former Bureau Chief for Geo-news in Europe, Khalid Hameed Farooqi, the Khalid Farooqi Memorial Freedom Festival was held yesterday at the European Headquarters in Brussels.
During this, the condolence reference was presided over by intellectual Rao Mustajab Ahmed and the poetry recitation was presided over by Sagheer Anwar Watto. The welcome note of the program was presented by Nadeem Butt, General Secretary of Pakistan Press Club Belgium.
The speakers included Ali Raza Syed, Khalid Farooqi’s wife Ela Farooqi, daughter Maya Farooqi and son Kamil Farooqi, and Dr. Aslam Syed’s wife Kishwar Mustafa and daughter Banafsha Sakina Syed, other prominent figures Tahira Rabab, Shiraz Raj, Akram Qaimkhani, Syed Ijaz Saifi and Sardar Suleman. They praised the journalistic and social services of the late Khalid Hameed Farooqi in strong words and paid tribute to him.
During this program, thoughts were also expressed about other deceased Professor Dr. Aslam Syed, Syed Arif Naqvi, Khalid Ahmed and Khawaja Zafar and their services were appreciated.
Chairman Kashmir Council EU Ali Raza Syed, who also presided over the festival, during his speech paid tribute to Khalid Farooqi and Professor Aslam Syed and other deceased and termed their services as admirable.
He said that people like Khalid Farooqi and Prof. Dr. Aslam Syed in particular are very rare who stand with the oppressed people and raise their voice against the oppressor. The Chairman Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU) further said that Khalid Farooqi did honest, clean and truthful journalism and especially highlighted the rights of the oppressed people of Kashmir through his fearless journalism.
During the poetry session, which was chaired by Sagheer Anwar Wattoo, Shahbaz Khawaja, Tahira Rabab, Adeel Shakir, Hurr Hasnain, Shiraz Raj, Imran Saqib and Nasir Wisal presented their poems. Ustad Asad Raza Qazilbash displayed his talent in the musical session of the festival.
Kashmir Council EU Secretariat,
Brussels, Belgium
