Basant ke Rung: From Festivity to Controversy
Join us for a conversation with Agha Iqrar Haroon, a Pakistani research journalist and political analyst, as he discusses the Basant Festival in Lahore and its transition from the old days until it’s banned. The conversation will explore the cultural significance of Basant, the controversy surrounding the festival, and potential ways to revive or modify the celebration.
The session will be moderated by Sohail Ahmad.
About the Speaker
Haroon has worked with several media houses, including Nawa-i-Waqt Group, Al-Jazeera Television Channel in Pakistan, Abu Dhabi TV, Waqt TV, GEO News, and Abb Takk. Currently, he is a Foreign Affairs expert at the state-run television PTV News and the Chief Editor of the English and Russian News Agency Dispatch News Desk. In addition, he has been teaching in Central Asia and South Asia. For his journalistic work in Central Asia, Haroon won an International Award, and he has also received the Award of Excellence from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Kazakhstan.
He was a petitioner in the Lahore High Court against the government decision to prohibit the Basant Festival.