pakistan

Faiz Ahmad Faiz – songs of a brave heart

Published

10 months ago

February 13, 2023

admin

Feb 13, 2023 marks the 112th birth anniversary of celebrated poet and writer Faiz Ahmad Faiz. Much has been written about various aspects of the luminary’s life and traditional stock of superlatives can’t do an adequate justice to his contributions in several spheres. The best tribute one can pay to him is by recalling his own words of wisdom and literary bouquets offered to him by acclaimed figures.

In ‘The Voice of a Courageous Heart’ penned in Jan 13, 1949, I.A. Rehman paid a glowing tribute to Faiz Ahmad Faiz while highlighting his days in incarceration.

Mr Rehman writes: “… But the heart of the poet, alive, vigorously pulsating could not be stilled by the prison walls, radiating a dark night of dampness. The day’s quiet, stifling stillness placed no seal of silence on the songs of his lips. Through the thick walls of the prison, passionately, and vehemently sounded the rousing song of his brave heart, laden with love for people, for life and for his native land.

“And the rustling of the wings of his song was heard across the lands of Pakistan and India and millions of human hearts responded, in the struggle between the darkness of reaction and the light of the fighting revolutionary poetry – poetry won.”

The late Zafar Iqbal Mirza, in his famous Lahori column, remembered Faiz. Aptly titled ‘He wanted to throw all weapons into sea’, the column shares an incident in these words.

“Daman, in hospital after a stroke, insisted that he should be taken to the Faiz residence, when told that his friend had died. And he cried like a baby. A baby born on Jan 1, 1900. The last I heard, it was touch and go and a doctor asked me to pray for Daman. How this ungrateful city has treated Ustad, it loves mausoleums, not men.”

Faiz was interviewed on his 65th birthday by Tahir Mirza for Viewpoint in 1976. When Tahir Mirza asked about the most creative period of his life, Faiz replied: “I think the period in Amritsar and during the two incarcerations. But one cannot forget the period with the Pakistan Times… everyday’s paper was a new creation, as good as a poem.”

Faiz was not only a great poet, he was also a prolific prose writer and the best examples of his literary craft can be found in the editorials he penned for The Pakistan Times in the fledgling years of the country. His patriotism, respect for the Quaid-i-Azam and wish to see freedom and other ideals for the people in the new homeland are best articulated in some of the editorials.

Paying tribute to the founder of the nation, he penned an editorial ‘To God we return’ on Sept 13, 1948.

“The Quaid-i-Azam has passed away, after long years of toil and sacrifice and service in the cause of his people, his frail body has at last been gathered undo rest and his soul called back to the abode of the eternally blessed. No name in the history of Indian Muslims has been loved and acclaimed as the name Muhammad Ali Jinnah. No man in living memory evoked such unquestioned loyalty, such unqualified devotion, such unbounded faith, for the one-time oppressed, rejected and broken Muslim nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was much more than a political leader.

“He was the father, the brother, the friend and the counsellor, the guide and confidant, the comrade and leader all combined into one. Millions hopefully whispered his name in hours of anguish and blessed him silently in moments of joy.”

In ‘Progress of a dream’ (March 23, 1949), he deplored: “The dream is as yet unfulfilled. The division has come but neither half is as yet completely at peace, whether with itself or with its neighbour. Internal harmony was made impossible because neither side chalked out or planned a pattern of free and secure existence for the minorities left in its care, a pattern similar to the one that each majority has managed to obtain for itself. The fair visage of freedom, therefore, was daubed and besmeared with blood and bitter tears.”

Post Views: 45

pakistan

Zardari promises PPP will empower people of Balochistan

Published

17 hours ago

November 30, 2023

admin

Zardari promises PPP will empower people of Balochistan

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari stated Thursday his party would empower the people of Balochistan as the true owners of their land.

Addressing a PPP Foundation Day ceremony in Quetta, the former president emphasised that his party possessed effective solutions for the issues facing the country.Zardari invited the Pakistani nation, especially the youth, to join him, Bilawal and Aseefa Bhutto, in a united effort to build and elevate Pakistan, positioning it prominently on the world stage.He expressed confidence that the world would recognise Pakistan as a great country.Zardari referred to Balochistan as the heart of Pakistan, expressing regret that Islamabad and other provinces failed to recognise this fact.He pledged that the PPP would empower the people of Balochistan as the true owners of their land.

Emphasising that his party possessed effective solutions for the country’s issues, the former president asserted that Pakistan could only become an exporting nation when Balochistan received adequate water.

Zardari affirmed that the PPP was committed to providing water to Balochistan, citing their formulated plans for achieving this.

Zardari also commended Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, highlighting his achievement as the youngest foreign minister to proudly raise the Pakistani flag.

He urged support for Bilawal Bhutto’s leadership, emphasising the need to cultivate him as a leader for the youth and the nation’s future.

Zardari also reiterated the PPP’s historical commitment to serving the farmers and labourers of Balochistan.

Post Views: 6

pakistan

Admiral Ashraf confident in navy’s operational preparedness to meet maritime challenges

Published

17 hours ago

November 30, 2023

admin

Admiral Ashraf confident in navy's operational preparedness to meet maritime challenges

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf has emphasised maintaining perpetual combat readiness to effectively thwart any aggression against Pakistan.

According to a press release issued here, Admiral Naveed Ashraf was chairing the Command and Staff Conference of the Pakistan Navy which concluded in Islamabad on Thursday.

The naval chief lauded the initiatives undertaken towards capability development through acquisition of state-of-the-art platforms and emerging technologies.

He expressed confidence in the Pakistan Navy’s high state of operational preparedness to meet maritime challenges and safeguard maritime frontiers of the country.

The conference discussed matters related to national security, geo strategic affairs, combat readiness and training of troops. It also assessed the evolving maritime situation in the region due to the ongoing conflict in Middle East.

Under the prevailing maritime situation in the Middle East, the deployment of a Pakistan Navy ship for the protection of Pakistan’s merchant ships was also discussed.

Progress on Pakistan Navy’s projects, including future plans, was also reviewed and a way forward was deliberated.

The Command and Staff Conference is the apex decision making body of the Pakistan Navy in which the navy chief along with all principal staff officers and field commanders review the policies and plans of the Pakistan Navy.

Post Views: 5

pakistan

President for enhanced partnership with WHO to overcome health challenges

Published

17 hours ago

November 30, 2023

admin

President for enhanced partnership with WHO to overcome health challenges

President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday called for further enhancing the partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and health authorities in Pakistan to effectively overcome various health challenges being faced by the country.

The president, while talking to the outgoing WHO Country Director Dr Palitha Mahipala, who called on him, appreciated the role of the WHO in strengthening Pakistan’s primary healthcare system, besides providing support to various government initiatives.

During the meeting, Dr Mahipala highlighted the role of the WHO in improving Pakistan’s healthcare system and supporting efforts to revitalise healthcare facilities in the country, especially during last year’s floods.

He said the WHO would continue to support Pakistan for improving the health of its people.

President Alvi emphasised the need for creating awareness about the importance of mental health and early counselling at the household level.

He remarked that the availability of a mental health toolkit to deal with mental stress in the families needed to be ensured.

He maintained that establishing mental health support systems and enhancing people’s accessibility to quality mental health services in the country required the input of multiple stakeholders.

The president expressed satisfaction over the fact that Pakistan’s society had witnessed a positive change in its attitude towards the rights of persons with disabilities, adding that concerted efforts were needed to ensure their rights.

Dr Mahipala lauded the commendable role played by President Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi in raising awareness about various health issues, including breast cancer, mental health and the rights of persons with disabilities.

The president appreciated the role and commitment of Dr Mahipala for strengthening the health sector of Pakistan and wished him success for his future endeavours.

Post Views: 6