‘Faiz a symbol of resistance’

ISLAMABAD:

The freedom of speech and the liberty to criticise the government people enjoy today in Pakistan is due to people like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Faraz, and Habib Jalib who fearlessly stood in the face of tyranny, said the federal education minister.

Although Faiz is not physically present with us today, his poetry and ideology live on, Federal Minister for Information, Literary Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mahmood said on Monday.

He was addressing the seminar held to mark the 110th birth anniversary of Faiz, an active member of the Communist Party, recipient of the Lenin Award, an ideologue, soldier, trade unionist, journalist, and the list goes on. Even the protesting farmers in India are singing resistance songs inspired by Faiz’s poetry.

Faiz spent his entire life in struggle and truly expressed the aspirations of his people, Mehmood said acknowledging the poet who remained unblemished from prison terms on such dubious cases like the Rawalpindi Conspiracy.

He said that Faiz Ahmed Faiz has always stood firm against oppression be it the colonial rule of the British or the dictatorial martial laws in the country. He not only raised his voice against injustice through his poetry but also took part in protests with the people in practice.

"If today we are freely expressing our views in a democratic society, the poetry of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ahmad Faraz, Habib Jalib and other poets like them has a big hand in this. In my opinion, if we want to be aware of the real history of this country, we have to make use of the works of writers and poets like Faiz,” the minister for national heritage said.

“Today we face problems such as religious fundamentalism, linguistic bigotry, terrorism, and intolerance," he said. “Intolerance is a termite that is eating away our society from inside. A lasting solution to these problems will be possible only when we seek guidance from poets like Iqbal and Faiz,” Mehmood said.

The presidium consisted of Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik and Iftikhar Arif. Muneeza Hashmi was the guest of honour. PAL Chairman Dr Yousuf Khushk gave the introductory speech. Ahmed Saleem, Naeem Bukhari, Khawaja Najam Al Hassan, Haris Khaliq, Dr Sofia Yousuf, Hassan Abbas Raza and Dr Humaira Ashfaq expressed their views. Mehboob Zafar was the moderator.

Dr Khushk said the peculiarity of Faiz's poetry is that in his resistance poetry, he touched the hearts of the people with beautiful similes, allusions and lyricism on the level of thought, art and aesthetics.

Professor Fateh Mohammad Malik said that Faiz is the greatest poet after Iqbal. He spoke of oppressed people through his poetry.

Iftikhar Arif said Faiz is known all over the world for his literary status and great progressive poet. His poetry and his life were spent in the struggle for the liberation of deprived classes, oppressed nations and oppressed people.

Muneeza Hashmi said: “Faiz Sahib was a great poet, a good man and my kind father. We celebrate his birthday every year, but today the 110th anniversary by PAL will be memorable.” She recounted the moments she spent with his father.

Khawaja Najam Al-Hassan refreshed his memories of recording Faiz's beautiful songs.

Hassan Abbas Raza said that the element of lyricism along with romance is also prominent in Faiz's poems and ghazals.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2021.