KARACHI, May 1: The common feelings of humanity that were truncated on either side of the divide since the partition of the subcontinent were echoed during the 18th Aalmi Mushaira, organized by the Sakinan Shehr-i-Quaid on Wednesday night at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology here.

The Mushaira brought people with a common history together, but the absence of leading poets from India must have disappointed many in the audience, who were expecting the event to be truly international in character. Nevertheless, the venue was decorated with banners reminding the audience of the common bonds between Pakistan and India. A large number of Muttahida Qaumi Movement supporters were present at the Mushaira.

Though not many poets had come from India, it was refreshing to listen to the poetry of the ones that did make it, as their verses were not too different from ours in substance. Karachi Naib Nazim Nasreen Jaleel, the MQM’s deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Haider Abbas Rizvi and the party’s deputy parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Faisal Sabzwari were among those who attended the Mushaira, which was presided over by eminent poet Sehar Ansari.

Poet Mansoor Usmani, Waseem Barelvi and Behzad Bechain from India recited some refreshing and thought-provoking verses, with Behzad Bechain’s Maan particularly standing out.

Those who enthralled the audience until dawn on Thursday included Anwar Shaoor, Naqash Kazmi, Maqsood Rana, Zakia Ghazal, Wasi Shah, Raghib Muradabadi, Amjad Islam Amjad and Athar Shah Khan Jedi, among others. Rizwan Siddiqui, Mansoor Usmani and Mazhar Hani conducted the show.

The poetry was of a mixed nature as some chose to touch upon social issues, while most of the poets presented traditional poetry. Some of them, like Sehar Ansari, presented Naatia verses.