This refers to the Newsmaker on December 31, about the passing away of Munir Niazi. After being touched by Munir Sahib's Bahut dair kar daita hoon, I was compelled to talk to the person who wrote such simple, yet powerful poetry. Without contacts in Pakistani literary circle, I used the internet to find Munir Sahib's home phone number. I called and Munir Sahib answered.

I just wanted to know if he was doing alright. I asked questions, and listened. He wanted to talk. I remember we spoke for over half-an-hour. I remember feeling sad, very sad after the conversation. He was unhappy with his publishers, he was upset with many people, including those who showed him respect only in the presence of others. I called him from Chicago many times and he was gracious enough to let me.

During a visit to Pakistan in 2000, I called on him at his home. I spent a good hour with him. I listened. Again I found a bitter man. More bitter than before. He told me about his illness, and asked me not to mention it to anyone. This time he took names. He was not happy with many in his circle. These same people are now being quoted in newspapers on his sad departure. These conversations always made me sad. He deeply felt that he was not given the respect that he deserved. That shouldn't surprise us. We called the Quaid names, prosecuted and exiled Faraz, and have now put Dr Khan under house-arrest.

Munir Sahib made the most touching personal gesture during my visit to his place. A friend had asked me to find the book of Munir Sahib's Punjabi poetry. I mentioned it to the poet. By now he had asked Mrs Niazi to join us. He asked her to see if there was an extra copy lying around. There was, but just one copy, the one he used at the mushairas to read from. He insisted, as I objected, that I take that the book for her as she lived in Canada and it would be hard for her to find it there. Then he signed it.

I will miss hearing Munir Bhai’s voice. He had a beautiful voice.

Lahore lost a son. I lost much more. Urdu lost even more.

Jawaid Shaikh
Illinois, USA

The real contents

The article by Justice (retd) Muhammad Taqi Usmani on December 24, titled The real contents, was highly enlightening as it helped clear many confusions which have been created by the media. This article provides indeed the most authentic information since Mr Usmani himself has been a judge of the Federal Court of Shariah and Shariah Appellate Bench for 17 years and all Hudood Ordinance cases were brought to this court.

It is surprising how people are voicing their opinions in favour of Women Protection Bill without first acquiring correct information. Here I would request Ms Andleeb Abbas and Ms Anjum Niaz to read again their own articles and compare it with the facts provided by the honourable (retd) judge.

In the end I would like to thank Dawn for having provided us ‘the real contents’.

Faisal Siddiqui
Via email

Their rise and fall

Ms Anjum Niaz in her weekly column titled Their rise and fall in power – I, on December 24, said, “It is ironical that Benazir Bhutto failed to repeal the Hudood Ordinance during her two term as prime minister. But she aided Pervez Musharraf in amending the laws recently in the shape of the Woman’s Protection Law.”

There are others also who hold the same opinion. But they forget the fact that during her two stints in power, Benazir Bhutto had not even a simple majority in the House and had to form the government with the help of other groups. So how could she get the Hadood Laws repealed?

Nawaz Sharif, in power having two third majority in the House, had never thought of repealing these draconian laws. I am sure if he had initiated a move, Benazir Bhutto, despite being his arch political rival at that time, would have supported him as she did when he moved the repealing of the infamous 58-2B clause of the constitution. But, conversely, if Benazir Bhutto had initiated the repealing of Hadood Laws, Nawaz Sharif would have called the people on the streets in connivance with the mullahs and called her a non-Muslim. She had already been called a security risk, corrupt and what not!

Javed Ahmad Malik
Lahore