Until last year, literature festivals were among the few public events in Karachi that provided locals with a physical space in which to observe and engage in literary, artistic and intellectual discussion. In Karachi, such conversations are usually limited to the print and digital realms, including social media, which brings with it the baggage of toxicity. Litfests provided a respite from this.
With the pandemic, however, things changed. Riding on Covid-19’s coattails, the cyber realm increased its sway over our lives and reclaimed the communal experience of attending a literary gathering. The 12th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), held from March 26 to March 28, was, therefore, a virtual event. With the third, and arguably deadliest, wave of the virus tightening its grip on the country, we had no alternative but to stay at home and face the computer.
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