The Hyderabad Literature Festival is a free, two-day festival of books, talks, poetry and music held in Hyderabad, Sindh, usually in January. It is organised by the Academy for Promotion of Art, Literature and Literacy (APAL). The 11th edition ran on 18 and 19 January 2026 at Global Palace in Hyderabad; the 10th, in January 2025, was held at the Sindh Museum in Qasimabad, which hosted several earlier editions too. Dates for 2027 had not been announced when we checked.
This is the Pakistani festival, not the Hyderabad Literary Festival in India, which has its own website and runs in Telangana each January. This guide covers when it happens, what is on, and whether it is worth a trip from Karachi.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Organiser | Academy for Promotion of Art, Literature and Literacy (APAL) |
| First held | April 2016 |
| Length | Two days |
| Latest edition | 11th, 18 and 19 January 2026, Global Palace, Hyderabad |
| Previous edition | 10th, January 2025, Sindh Museum, Qasimabad |
| Entry | Free (2026 festival website) |
| 2027 | Not yet announced; January is the usual month |
When is the Hyderabad Literature Festival held?
Most editions have been in January. According to Wikipedia, the first was in April 2016, and the next three ran in January 2017, 2018 and 2019. The 10th edition was in January 2025, when the state news agency APP photographed visitors at its art exhibition on 11 January, and the 11th was on 18 and 19 January 2026, according to the festival's website.
Nothing we found announces the 12th edition. If you want to go in 2027, watch the festival's website and social media from November or December, and don't book travel until the dates and venue are confirmed.
Where is it held?
The venue has changed over the years:
- 2016: Hyderabad Sports Club, near Niaz Stadium
- 2018 and 2019: Sindh Museum, Qasimabad
- 2025: Sindh Museum, Qasimabad
- 2026: Global Palace, Hyderabad
The Sindh Museum suits the festival well, with space for book stalls and an art exhibition alongside the sessions, and you can see the museum's galleries on the same visit. Our Sindh Museum guide covers what is inside. Check the announced venue each year, because the 2026 move shows it is not fixed.
What happens at the festival
The programme mixes literature with entertainment. Based on reports of recent editions:
- Panel discussions and talks. The Express Tribune reported 45 sessions scheduled over the two days in 2025. In 2026, The Friday Times reported panels on linguistic diversity and on the challenges facing journalism.
- Poetry. The 2025 festival opened with the poet Akash Ansari reciting Shah Abdul Latif's verse, and 2026 had a multilingual mushaira with poets in Sindhi, Saraiki, Urdu, Punjabi and other languages.
- Book launches. Eight books were launched in 2026, including one by Farhatullah Babar.
- Music and performance. The 2026 line-up included Ahmed Jahanzeb, Humaira Channa and Anu Solangi, and a stage play of the folk tale Umar Marvi.
- Awards. Six lifetime achievement awards were given in 2026, to figures including the broadcaster Naseer Mirza and the journalist Wusatullah Khan.
- Book stalls and an art exhibition, which drew large crowds at the Sindh Museum in 2025.
The 2026 theme was "Beauty in Diversity". Expect a lot of the programme in Sindhi and Urdu, with some English. If you don't speak Sindhi, the music, the exhibition, the book stalls and the Urdu sessions still make a full day.
Entry and timings
The festival's website listed the 2026 edition as free for all, and gave no sign of a registration process. It listed the hours as 3 pm until late each day. Check both points for the next edition, since organisers can change them.
Getting there and staying over
The M9 motorway from Karachi to Hyderabad is 136 km, and the drive usually takes two to two and a half hours depending on traffic, so the festival works as a day trip. If you want to stay for the late sessions, it is easier to spend a night. Our guides to driving from Karachi to Hyderabad and hotels in Hyderabad cover both.
January is a good month to be in lower Sindh: the days are mild and the evenings cool, so take a light jacket for the late sessions. If you have a spare day, our Hyderabad itinerary suggests what else to see in the city.
Is it worth going?
Yes, if you are interested in Sindhi literature and music, live in Karachi or Hyderabad, or want a reason to spend a winter weekend in Hyderabad. It is free, and the music is a draw in itself.
It is less suited to someone wanting a mostly English programme, or a fixed date to plan around months in advance. For those, the Karachi Literature Festival is the better bet. Our guides to the Sindh Literature Festival and the Karachi Literature Festival compare well, and the experiences page lists other festivals across Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Hyderabad Literature Festival in 2027?
The dates had not been announced when we checked. Most editions have been held in January, and the 2026 festival ran on 18 and 19 January.
Where is the Hyderabad Literature Festival held?
In Hyderabad, Sindh. The 2026 edition was at Global Palace, and the 2025 edition and several earlier ones were at the Sindh Museum in Qasimabad.
Is the Hyderabad Literature Festival free?
Yes. The festival's website listed the 2026 edition as free for all.
Who organises the Hyderabad Literature Festival?
The Academy for Promotion of Art, Literature and Literacy (APAL), which has run it since 2016.
Is it the same as the Hyderabad Literary Festival in India?
No. That is a separate festival in Hyderabad, Telangana. The Pakistani festival is in Hyderabad, Sindh, and is run by APAL.
