LIKE the years before, Habib Jalib’s death anniversary went by unnoticed. No one, not even his great admirers did anything to commemorate the sacrifices of this spokesman of the deprived class. Keeping in view such attributes of our society Jalib Sahab has rightly noted:
Ab rahen chen sey be dard zamaney waley
So gaey khuab sey logon ko jaganey waley
Jalib Sahab was one of those rare few who fought selflessly for the rights of the awam and mazdoor. It was due to these untiring actions that he was unanimously declared Shair-e-Awam.
It’s a pitiful tradition, on part of us Pakistanis that we forget the services of our benefactors. We only remember and pay tributes to those whose services are rewarded by state authorities or the establishment. And this is only because we are not aware of the price paid by those not in Islamabad’s good books.
Jalib Sahab was always the one who was persecuted by governments due to his boldness, righteousness and courage. He faced many detentions and hardships but he could not be deviated from his uprightness. It was his firm adherence, which didn’t allow him to compromise on his principles and ideologies, and compelled him to say that
Logon pey hi hum ney jaan wari, ki hum ney unhi ki ghumkhwari
Hotey hain to hon haath qalam, shaair na banaingey darbari
Habib Jalib staunchly believed in his ideologies. He had dedicated everything including his family in the struggle against social and economical injustices, oppression, despotism and exploitation.
He always perceived a system of peace and justice for the people. A system that did not deny basic human rights to all of its citizens. He in caped his entire philosophy of life in these verse:
Khet waderon se le lo
Milain luteron se le lo
Mulk andheron se le lo
Rahey na koi a’ali jah
Pakistan ka matlab kia laa ilaha illalah
An ardent believer of truth, Habib Jalib was the proponent of complete honesty and expressed truth when state functionaries considered it a sin. While following the attribute of truthfulness he was faced with several types of mental and physical punishments, including expulsion and imprisonment. However, instead of doing any harm to him, these excesses played a vital role in the reinforcement of his thoughts and ideologies.
Such keh kay kisi daur main pachtaye nahin hum
Kirdar pey apnay kabhi sharmaye nahin hum
Zindan ke dar-o-boam hain derina shanasa
Pohnchey train sir-e-dar to ghabraey nahin hum
In 1962, when Field Marshal Ayub Khan formulated the new constitution and was playing the flute of his administrative capabilities, Jalib called it faulty. He called it a tool of exploitation and wrote his most memorable poem Dastoor which shattered the manipulated intentions of the government.
Deep jiska mehlaat hi main jaley
Chund logon ki khusion ko le kar chaley
Wo jo saey main har maslehat ke palay
Aisey dastoor ko subh-e-benoor ko
Main nahin maanta, main nahin manta
Even during the black days of General Zia’s dictatorship, when all opposition was banned. Journalists, political workers, intellectuals and opponents were subjected to severe victimization by state authorities and only loyal courtiers were allowed to flourish. Habib Jalib as a symbol of courage and determination took a firm stand against the General. He strongly and boldly condemned the misguided designs of Zia’s rule.
Zulmat ko Zia, sar sar ko saba, banday ko khuda kia likhna
Patthar ko gohar, deewar ko dar, kurgus ko huma kia likhna
Ik hashr bapa hai ghar ghar main, dum ghut’ta hai gumbad-e-bedar main
Ik shakhs ke hathon muddat se ruswa hai watan dunya bhar main
Aye deedawaro is zillat ko qismat ka likha kia likhna
Zulmat ko Zia, sar sar ko saba, banday ko khuda kia likhna
Since Habib Jalib’s poetry was the voice of a common man, he always tried to do it in the language of the common people. That’s why he was not only praised by the deprived and destitute, but a large number of politicians, intellectuals, bureaucrats and poets also admired and eulogised him.
However, his long tiring and painful journey, came to an end on the midnight of 12 and 13 March, 1993. During his whole life this great person didn’t accept any help or remuneration from anyone or government, although he was tempted many times. In recognition of his services, the governments of Iraq, Iran and Libya had offered financial support during his illness. But Jalib Sahab, after acknowledging their sentiments, declined any type of remuneration either by governments or individuals.
In his last days, when he was admitted in a hospital in Lahore, he was again offered financial assistance by the then government. He refused straight away and breathed his last as a representative of the poor and destitute.
On the sad demise of Habib Jalib, famous poet Qateel Shifai expressed his sorrow and grief in these words
Apney sarey dard bhula kar auron ke dukh sehta tha
Hum jub ghazlain kehtey thay wo aksar jail main rehta tha
LIKE the years before, Habib Jalib’s death anniversary went by unnoticed. No one, not even his great admirers did anything to commemorate the sacrifices of this spokesman of the deprived class. Keeping in view such attributes of our society Jalib Sahab has rightly noted:
