ISLAMABAD: Every person has different kinds of talents but they remain unaware of them.

However, sometimes circumstances and changes in society work as the driving force to exploit the talents.

This was stated by poet Anwar Masood at the second day of the National Book Day Festival organised by the National Book Foundation on Thursday.

He said during the tenure of Ayub Khan the issue of Ruet-iHilal became controversial. `The government saw the moon but the religious clerics could not. So I wrote some verses which were liked by the people.

He said his first book, MelaAkhian Da, was published in 1974.

`Humour is in my blood but sometimes I also become sad.

He believed that a poet should have the art of saying, writing and reading verses.

Anwar Masood said once he wrote a few lines on the buffalo of his neighbour but the next day the neighbour along with other people carrying hockey sticks reached his college. In the end, it was decided to tear the poem and the event was named `poem tearing ceremony.` He said God had given him a good memory and he never forgets good verses.

`My language and subject is for the common people so they love my poetry,` he said.

Narrating an incident of his life, Mr Masood said once the deputy commissioner of Islamabad called him at Sehri time in Ramzan for holding negotiations with the hostage takers of schoolchildren in a bus in the federal capital. The hostage takers were Afghan nationals.

`The deputy commissioner sent me into a room where threearmed Afghan nationals were present. I initially asked them abouttheweatherinAfghanistan.

Then I told them that I am a professor of Persian. One of the armed men said they respected teachers,` he said.

`I spent lots of time with them and then came out of the room.

As soon as I stepped out, all the three armed men were shot dead.` He said he later came to know that sending him for the parleys with the armed men was to gain time before launching an operation torelease the children.

Poet Amjad Islam Amjad said only great personalities can bring smiles to the faces of the people.

That is why people love Anwar Masood. Writer Ataul Haq Qasmi said he was a good friend of Anwar Masood and also believed that the latter did something extraordinary.

Speaking to the literary ñgures, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said currently the world had a negative impression about Pakistan.`Literary figures can improve the image of the country by their writings because people listen to them worldwide,` he said.

An Uncle Sargam show was also held in which different characters talked in humorous style with their focus on books.

An English book-reading ses-sion was also held for children in which educationists and other personalities read books.

NBF Managing Director Dr Inamul Haq Javeid said they would continue celebrating such functions. He said the publications of the NBF had become famous across the country.