KARACHI: The role of literature, with particular reference to Pakistani writers, in a situation where a war was imposed on Iraq, was discussed at the Sadequain Institute of Art (Gulshan-i-Iqbal). The occasion was co-hosted by Daira-e-Adab-o-Saqafat and Dhaka Group of Institutions.
Dr Aslam Farrukhi, who was in the chair, said the terms ‘war’ and ‘literature’ were opposed to each other; while the later meant love, truth, peace and tranquillity, war was opposed to all these qualities and inimical to culture, rather very existence of life.
Referring to world literature and its master pieces, he said, those were written only to expose the agony and malaise of war.
The learned doctor quoted old masters (like Persian poets Khawaja Fareeduddin Attar, Saadi, Amir Khusro, and Nemat Khan-e-Aali who lamented the fratricidal war between Mughal King Aurangzeb’s two sons) who enriched literature with their message of peace while lamenting the killings and destruction during the war of independence in the sub-continent (1857). one hundred thousand Muslims were butchered and as many houses in Delhi were pulled down, Dr Farrukhi recalled quoting the accounts recorded by Nizamul Mulk. He also recalled the barbaric conduct of Nadir Shah’s army in Delhi, the massive killings, unprecedented in those times. And the bloodshed was stopped only when a couplet was recited addressing the blood-thirsty Nadir that no living soul had been spared and further killing was only possible when you bring them to life.
So, literature had a major role to play, he said and named poets and writers of post- and pre-independence period, Maulana Hali and Daagh, in later period Josh, Makhdoom Faiz and many others. He also remembered the poets who made their poetic contribution during the two Indo-Pakistan conflicts, the ultimate lesson coming from their literary feat was peace. Similarly, Dr Farrukhi said, a lot of good writings in prose and poetry, lamenting the destructive war on Iraq, had been written and writers continued to write: “Our protest may appear feeble.”
“But it shall be carried on and their writers will always be remembered in history,” he said.
Earlier, Zafer Mohyuddin, Ibn-Aas, Aasif Farrukhi and Mansoor Multani presented their papers.
While Ibn-Aas was highly critical at the ‘dubious’ role of Pakistani writers, to the extent of being insulting, Aasif Farrukhi briefly surveyed the literary pieces written in and outside the country.
Iqbal Majeedi, Naqqash Kazmi and Mohsin Shakeel read out their verses. Javed Manzer did the comparing.—Hasan Abidi
