The Multan Literary Festival is a two- to three-day programme of book launches, panel talks, poetry and music, held at the Multan Arts Council on MDA Road in recent years. It does not have a fixed date. The fifth edition ran over two days in early March 2024, and the sixth, organised by Gird-o-Pesh Publications, ran over three days in mid-October 2025. We could not find dates for a 2026 or 2027 edition, so check the organisers' announcements before you plan a trip around it.
This guide covers what the festival is, how its timing has moved, what the sessions are like, and how to spend the rest of a short trip seeing Multan.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Where | Multan Arts Council, MDA Road (recent editions) |
| Length | Two to three days |
| Recent editions | 5th: early March 2024 (two days). 6th: mid-October 2025 (three days) |
| 2026 and 2027 | Not announced at the time of writing |
| Organisers | Gird-o-Pesh Publications; Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi in 2024 |
| Languages | Urdu and Seraiki mostly, with some English |
| Best for | Readers, students, anyone curious about Seraiki poetry and music |
When is the Multan Literary Festival?
The festival has moved around the calendar. The third edition was held over two days, 13 and 14 November 2021, at the Multan Tea House (Dawn). A smaller literary festival was held at the Tea House in March 2022 by the Multan Arts Forum. The fifth edition, under the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, ran over two days at the Multan Arts Council and closed on 4 March 2024. The sixth season, curated by Gird-o-Pesh Publications, ran for three days at the Multan Arts Council and closed around 19 October 2025 (Minute Mirror).
So if you have read that it is a March festival, that was true of some years but not all. Since it is a secular cultural event, moon sighting does not affect it, but the organisers set the dates each year, and announcements tend to come only a few weeks ahead. The best places to check are the Gird-o-Pesh and Multan Arts Council social media pages, and the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi website if it is involved again.
As of early October 2026 we found no announcement of a seventh edition. If one follows the 2025 pattern, it would fall in October or November; if it returns to the 2024 pattern, March. Treat both as possibilities, not dates.
What the festival is like
This is a regional festival, not a large international one. The audience is mostly students, local writers and readers from Multan and the towns around it, and the sessions are in Urdu and Seraiki more than English. That gives it a different feel from the big Lahore and Karachi festivals, with more poetry and much more of South Punjab's own literature.
Recent programmes give a good idea of the mix:
- Book launches. The 2025 edition reported 100 new titles launched and a book fair with around 300 books received, run by the poet Raziuddin Razi. Authors spoke about their own books, which is often the most engaging part of a regional festival.
- Panel discussions. The 2025 programme had 33 sessions, with speakers including the physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy and the writer Wajahat Masood. Earlier editions covered politics, journalism, history and contemporary Pakistan.
- Seraiki poetry. The 2024 edition opened an evening with Shakir Shujabadi, one of the best-known Seraiki poets, and youth poetry has been a regular theme.
- Music. The 2024 festival closed with Sufi singer Saieen Zahoor and Balochi singer Wahab Bugti, along with bands including Acma the Band, Gizri and Sounds of Kolachi. Seraiki folk music and classical ghazal sessions featured in 2021.
- Art and craft displays were part of the 2025 edition, alongside the book fair.
The 2025 edition also saw the opening of the Sehr Siddiqui Auditorium at the Multan Arts Council.
Getting there and getting in
The Multan Arts Council is on MDA Road in central Multan, run by the Punjab Council of the Arts. It has a hall, an art gallery, an open-air stage and a garden, and it hosts plays, exhibitions and festivals through the year. Any rickshaw or ride-hailing driver will know it.
We could not confirm entry arrangements for recent editions. Literary festivals at public arts councils in Pakistan are usually open to the public, but some sessions may need registration or have limited seats, so check the programme when it is published. Arrive early for the evening music, which tends to draw the largest crowd.
If you are coming from outside the city, Multan has an international airport and is on the main railway line and the M4 motorway. Our guide to where to stay in Multan covers the main areas and hotels.
Fitting in Multan's sights
In 2021 the first session started at noon, and the music runs into the evening, so early mornings and any gaps in the programme are free for the city. A sensible plan for a two- or three-day visit:
- Early morning: the shrines on the old fort mound. The tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam and the shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya are side by side on the Qasim Bagh mound, and they are quietest soon after sunrise. Our guide to Multan's shrines covers them and the shrine of Shah Shams Sabzwari.
- Late morning or a free afternoon: the old city. Walk from Hussain Agahi bazaar through the lanes inside the old gates, and look for blue pottery and the city's known sohan halwa shops. Our places to visit in Multan guide has the full list.
- Evenings: the festival. Keep the closing night free, since that is usually when the biggest music performance happens.
Don't try to cram everything into the festival days. If Multan's monuments are your main reason for coming, add a day before or after.
Weather in March and October
Both months the festival has used are comfortable by Multan standards. Wikipedia's climate figures give an average high of about 29°C in March and 34°C in October, with nights around 15°C and 20°C respectively. March is the gentler of the two; October afternoons can still feel hot when you are walking around the shrines, so do outdoor sightseeing early. Our best time to visit Multan guide covers the year in more detail.
Is it worth travelling for?
Go if you read Urdu or Seraiki, if you are a student or writer in South Punjab, or if you want to hear Seraiki poetry and folk music in a small setting. It also works well as the anchor for a long weekend in Multan in the cooler months.
Don't travel across the country just for this festival if your Urdu is limited or you are looking for big-name international authors. The Lahore Literary Festival and the Karachi Literature Festival are larger, have more English sessions and run on more predictable dates. The Faisalabad Literary Festival is another regional option in Punjab. Our experiences page lists other cultural events across Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Multan Literary Festival in 2026?
No 2026 dates had been announced as of early October 2026. Recent editions were held in early March 2024 and mid-October 2025, so check the organisers' pages for an announcement.
Where is the Multan Literary Festival held?
Recent editions have been held at the Multan Arts Council on MDA Road. Earlier editions were held at the Multan Tea House, and the first at Bahauddin Zakariya University.
Who organises the Multan Literary Festival?
The sixth season in 2025 was organised by Gird-o-Pesh Publications. The 2024 edition was held under the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi.
What language are the sessions in?
Mostly Urdu and Seraiki, with some English. The music and poetry sessions are the easiest to enjoy if your Urdu is limited.
Is the Multan Literary Festival free?
We could not confirm entry arrangements for recent editions. Check the published programme for any registration or ticket requirement before you go.
