Description

A Return to Language, Literary Heritage, and the Pleasures of Poetry
Salon Camden | July 5, 2026 | Lahore, Pakistan

For a poet, returning to Lahore is more than a journey home. It is a return to a city where language, memory, and literary tradition are woven into everyday life. For Azmi Haq, founder of Salon Camden, the occasion offered an opportunity to share his Punjabi poetry with an audience deeply connected to the language in which he writes.

Salon Camden, in collaboration with the Masud Khaddarposh Punjabi Baithak, presented an evening of poetry and conversation at the Baithak's third gathering. Visiting from Rome, Azmi was the featured poet, reading selections from his forthcoming two-volume Punjabi poetry collection, اونترا نکھترا ویہڑا.

The gathering celebrated the richness of Punjabi as a literary language, with its distinctive rhythms, expressive vocabulary, humour, and remarkable capacity to capture the subtleties of human experience. Through his readings, Azmi shared verses shaped by personal observation and the enduring influence of his linguistic and cultural roots.

The evening unfolded as an interactive exchange, with poetry opening the way for conversation about language, literary expression, and the continuing relevance of Punjabi writing. It was an occasion that brought the pleasures of listening to poetry together with the equally important tradition of discussing it.

Graciously hosted by Shafaq Lashari at her residence, the gathering continued over dinner, bringing together admirers of Punjabi literature in an atmosphere of warmth and shared appreciation.

Produced by Mahnoor Haq, with Shereen Masoud as guest producer, the event marked a meaningful collaboration between Salon Camden and the Masud Khaddarposh Punjabi Baithak, bringing Azmi's poetry to an audience in Lahore, the city so closely connected to his literary identity.