ISLAMABAD: Renowned poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz was one of the founders of progressive movement. He wanted to uplift the common people of the world.

This was stated by Senator Aitzaz Ahsan while speaking at the Faiz Ahmad Faiz literary seminar at the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) on Thursday.

Senator Ahsan said a number of writers and literary personalities came to Pakistan with the aim to change the society through their writings but they went back because there was no freedom in the country.

“Faiz spent two decades in exile but he always wanted to come back to Pakistan because he was a son of the soil. He also did poetry in local languages. Faiz spent lots of time in jail and wrote poems on different national issues.”

Senator Ahsan said when police went to Faiz’s house to shift him to the Sahiwal jail, Faiz had only Rs235. He gave Rs200 to his wife (Alys Faiz) and kept the remaining Rs35.

“In the jail, Faiz was handed the income tax return form on which he mentioned the Rs235 and also penned down a poem about the condition of the citizens. The poem became very popular,” he said.

“Faiz wanted to see a classless society. He believed that religious clerics always supported the rulers and the feudal. Unfortunately, after the arrival of Ziaul Haq, the Mulla-military alliance became very strong,” he said.

“Elements, created because of that alliance, want to destroy our culture. They are killing our children and are against women’s rights,” he said.

Senator Ahsan said just four days before his death, Faiz came to Pakistan. He spent three days in his native village of Kala Qadir and then came to Lahore.

“The very next day, Faiz died. It showed that he had come to Pakistan only because he wanted to be buried in his own country,” he said.

Professor Dr Samina Yasmeen said throughout his life Faiz struggled for a change. He wanted a change not only in Pakistan but also in the Middle East and Palestine.

“Faiz had patience and he used to speak politely. He gave new ideas to the society,” she said.

PAL chairman Dr Qasim Boggio said literature always created hurdles in the way of destruction. He said the construction of the Faiz Ahmad Faiz Auditorium at PAL would be completed by July. The counsellor for public affairs at the US embassy, Thomas Leary, said Faiz would always be remembered as an ambassador of love and peace.

Dr Ghazanfar Mehdi, who moderated the seminar, said Faiz showed us the way to love our country.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2015

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