The activities of Doha-based literary forum Majlis Frogh-e-Urdu Adab have been lauded by visiting scholar and renowned Urdu scholar Dr Gopi Chand Narang.In Doha to attend the 15th annual Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Awards, he was speaking at a reception hosted by Majlis chairman Mohamed Ateeq in honour of visiting scholars and poets.A winner of the Majlis award in 2002, Dr Narang, who is also a former chairman of Sahitya Academy, India, pointed out that the Urdu language continued building strong ties between the people of India and Pakistan.He congratulated Majlis award winners for 2011, renowned lyricist, poet and writer Gulzar (India) and Syed Mohamed Kazim of Pakistan.Dr Narang, author of more than 60 books, paid his tributes to Lenin award winner Faiz Ahmad Faiz, the late poet from Pakistan whose centennial is being observed this year. Dr Narang also recited a number of works by Gulzar. Ateeq spoke about the efforts of his team members in organising the activities of the Majlis and remembered the forum’s founder, the late Pakistani expatriate Museeb-Ur-Rehman.Gulzar and Kazim also appreciated the Majlis committee’s efforts for the development of Urdu. - Ashraf Siddiqui