ISLAMABAD: After a strong reaction from writers and poets, portraits of legendary poets Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib and Faiz Ahmad Faiz have once again been displayed in a gallery in the building of the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) in the federal capital.

The portraits of Ghalib and Faiz, which had been on display in the gallery alongside a portrait of national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal for years, were reportedly removed on the verbal directives of Ministry of National History and Literary Heritage secretary Nadeem Shafique Malik.

A PAL spokesperson, however, reje­cted such reports, claiming that the two portraits had not been removed from the gallery.

Pictures of two legendary poets were reportedly removed after secretary’s directives

According to sources, Mr Malik during a visit to the PAL building recently directed its officials to remove the portraits of Ghalib and Faiz from the gallery and said only the portrait of Allama Iqbal should be displayed in it.

The move earned severe criticism from writers and scholars who termed it “disrespect to the legendary poets”.

Criticising the step, poet Kishwar Naheed demanded removal of the secretary from his position. She said members of the country’s literary community were shocked by the move.

Ms Naheed also expressed surprise over statements issued by some leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf over the issue. The statement of Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood that the portraits had once again been put on display in the gallery could not remove the anger among literary figures over such disrespect to the great poets.

She called for all literary figures of the country to come on roads to register their protest over the issue.

In a statement former chairman of Senate and Pakistan Peoples Party leader Mian Raza Rabbani severely criticised the step and demanded initiation of an inquiry into it.

He said: “The writing and poetry of these men of letters had a deep imprint on the creation and political development of a progressive Pakistan.”

“I am writing a letter to the Chairman, Standing Committee on National Heritage, Senate of Pakistan, to take immediate suo motu notice and inform the people of Pakistan as to why they are being robbed of their cultural heritage,” Mr Rabbani’s statement said.

PAL statement

In a statement issued on Saturday, the PAL simply rejected the reports about removal of the portraits of Ghalib and Faiz from its gallery.

The PAL spokesperson claimed that it was a fake campaign that the great poets’ portraits had been removed from the gallery.

The spokesperson claimed that it was not true that the portraits were removed. The move was under consideration to display them at a better place in the academy. There was no question of removing portraits of any of the iconic scholars.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2019