KARACHI: Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan has said that Karachi owns a fabulous history of mushaira having the presence of great Urdu poets of their time, saying that no language except Persian owns poetic fascination like Urdu poetry.

“A complete legend or great comprehension is stated in a single line of Urdu verse. Whenever I listen to classical pieces of poetry, my interest turns to obsession,” he said.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the book launch of an Urdu poetry collection titled Bey Musafat Safar by Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui held at the Dr AQ Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE), the University of Karachi, on Saturday evening.

The ceremony, organised by KIBGE, was well attended by leading writers, poets, journalists, intellectuals, teachers, scientists, and students.

Bey Musafat Safar, third poetry collection of Pirzada Qasim, launched

Prof Pirzada Qasim, the author of the poetry collection, acting vice chancellor of the University of Karachi Prof Dr Khalid Mehmood Iraqi, poet Anwer Shaoor, KIBGE director Prof Dr Abid Azher, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan and Dr Shakil Farooqi also expressed their views on the occasion.

Dr AQ Khan mentioned that fine arts possessed a great influence that took a person out from the mundane issues and stress for a few moments.

“I am not a poet, but a great admirer of Urdu poetry. Urdu language is one of the sweetest languages of the world,” he said. Poetry of Pirzada Qasim has the same charisma that makes its reader or listeners appease and composed, he said, and congratulated Professor Pirzada for producing the third collection of poetry.

He pointed out that the metropolis had been a hub of literary activities like mushaira. He also informed the participants about a historical mushaira that was organised by the leading English newspaper, Daily Dawn, adding that the memory of this literary gathering, in which Josh Malihabadi, Jiger Muradabadi, Arzoo Lukhanavi and many other grand poets were present, was still illuminated in his mind. I have seen that era when a large number of young writers were creating quality ghazals and Nazms, he observed, adding that there was a dire need to promote Mushaira-like gatherings in the city and country so that a true literary-culture could be cultivated in the country.

Talking about his birthplace, Dr Khan told the participants that he was born in Bhopal, saying that people of Bhopal were very simple and down-to-earth.

Prof Pirzada Qasim said that Bey Musafat Safar was his third poetic collection, while an audio book and a book of selected poetry had also been released.

Without having close association with literature and fine arts no personality can be accomplished, he said, adding that our professionals like engineers, doctors, scientists, etc, are required to be familiar with their language and literature so that they could be called complete scholars.

Talking about the personality of Dr AQ Khan, the professor said that Pakistani nuclear scientist had love and interest for science and fine arts equally. After the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, no one is like Dr AQ Khan, who won the hearts of Pakistani people completely, he said.

Anwer Shaoor declared Prof Siddiqui a true gentleman, who never cross the boundaries of graciousness, and said that he was trained in a good society. The professor spent his time in the gathering of leading poets like Jaun Elia, he said.

Many Pakistani notable scientists, including Prof Dr Saleemuzzaman Siddiqui, Dr Qadeer Khan and Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim, are the great examples of strong connection between pure science and fine arts, he observed.

The university’s chief Prof Khalid Iraqi thanked the nuclear scientist for his presence in the university’s literary gathering.

He said that Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui had been an inspiration for learning not only for him, but also for all those worked under his supervision and administration. He taught us how to behave calmly under the pressure of hectic work. The former varsity’s head, who is prominent literary figure of this time, owns an impressive personality having attributed of firmness and depth of thought.

Paying tribute to the prominent poet, Prof Abid Azher said that educational and literary contributions of professor Siddiqui revealed that he was like an institution, who kept the flame of literary activities alive in the megalopolis.

Prof Siddiqui is like a bridge between the classical poetic tradition and the modern art of poetry, Dr Shakil Farooqi said, adding that there was rapid change on the globe that also caused immense transformation in the human thinking.

This is the intellectual strength of Prof Siddiqui that kept his poetic superiority up in this era of transformation, he said.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2020