ISLAMABAD, March 4: Architect Naeem Pasha’s poetical collection Tulip in the sand dunes was launched at the Khaas Gallery on Sunday evening.

Director Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) I.A. Rahman presided over the function that was attended by a large number of poets, writers and intellectual.

The book’s main attraction is that it has been written in three languages - English, Punjabi and Urdu - with many shades of meanings in Pasha’s poems. The same could be said about the sketches and colour illustrations in the book.

Mr Rahman observed that the verses were composed by a reluctant poet. A number of people, including him, had to coax Naeem Pasha to publish them.

His poetry is steeped in the experiences of life and expressed some of the most poignant feelings and happenings during the dark period of former President Ziaul Haq that had caused pain to the thinking section of the society, and harm to the national life.

Mr Rahman found the book replete with specimens of resistant poetry, though it was only one aspect. The most domineering part was “the unmatched music in the poet’s work”, he said.

Salima Hashmi and her husband Shoaib Hashmi also reviewed the book. Salima borrowed an image from Jalaluddin Rumi to say that her reflection on the book would not have been possible if the reflector — Naeem Pasha — had not written such wonderful poetry.

She had watched him gather fame as a prominent architect. On returning home after receiving education in the US, Naeem Pasha also painted and organised the Rohtas Art Gallery in between his professional work.

She found Naeem’s wealth of experience condensed in the poem Sifting Through:

Sifting through these fingers of mind

I contemplate about

My country, my life, myself

We are drowning

In these vast seas of endless turmoil

Shoaib Hashmi, who acted as the moderator of the programme, wondered why Naeem Pasha had to ‘muck’ with laying bricks and stone when he was such a good painter and poet.

Naeem was tongue tied to say anything, except that he had written poetry since 1964 for pleasure and to sing it to his friends.

It was not his intention to publish his poetical works, though his daughter kept insisting that he should.