THIS is with reference to the column `Literature and politics` (April 27). I would like to offer a few reflections. While the writer speaks from a position of conviction, the piece seems to lean more towards generalities than substantive engagement with the deeper interplay between literature and politics.

Literature, as I see it, has always been inherently political though not necessarily in the partisan sense. When understood through a much broader lens, literature engages with society`s struggles, aspirations and values.

Across its various genres, literature has consistently reflected and challenged the socio-political dynamics of its time.

Great works of literature do not simply mirror reality; they interrogate it, urging readers to rethink the prevailing norms, and question entrenched systems.

While I understand the writer`s concern about reducing literature to mere propaganda, this statement risks overlooking the fact that many literary works subtly or otherwise have historically been agents of change.

New aesthetic expressions often bring with them new political and social insights, challenging outdated paradigms and offering fresh perspectives.

Literature, after all, does not operate in a vacuum. Instead, it draws from lived experience, reflects collective social consciousness, and pretty often envisions a better future. Come to think of it, this, too, is a kind of politics one that shapes minds and, eventually, societies.

Muhammad Saeed Akhter Islamabad