Page 11 - Pakistan Link - March 26, 2021

OPINION MARCH 26, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P11

n By Dr Lisette Poole Faiz and Abid Hassan Minto intellectual contributions that have sustained
San Francisco, CA generations in hopeful pursuit of the “Real
Dawn”—Sub-e-Sadiq.

he year was 1949. A young student Minto, soft spoken, yet firm in his con-
leader in Pakistan was asked to drive victions, remained active in the political life
Tan underground intellectual to an of Pakistan since late 1940s when he, Faiz
unpublicized meeting with individuals and a core of committed progressives and
whose identity he did not nationalists sought independence from Brit-
know. Two years later both ish colonial rule. He was one of the most ar-
were arrested. The under- ticulate voices of his generation to champion

ground intellectual was none the rights of the underprivileged demanding
other than South Asia’s poet higher wages for the working class, land re-
laureate, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, form and benefits for the farmers and an end

and the youth was Abid Has- to the feudalism and comprador capitalism
san Minto, a rising star in the progressive which concentrates wealth in the hands of a
movement. few.

The two, along with a number of other In 1974, Minto boldly stood down the
progressive intellectuals, writers and think- growing dictatorship of Zulfikar Ali Bhuto

ers, and 13 military officers, including Ma- when he represented Khan Abdul Wali Khan,

jor General Akbar Khan and his activist wife leader of the combined opposition in the na-
Naseem Akbar, were arrested in March 1951 tional parliament, during the infamous Hy-
on charges of conspiring to overthrow the derabad conspiracy case. In addition to Khan
government and bring about a socialist revo- Abdul Wali Khan, the case also implicated

lution. The government was unable to prove two governors, two chief ministers, scores
these charges in a court of law. All accused of national and provincial parliamentarians,

were set free after a few years in prison. The revolutionary poet Habib Jalib and even some
case is popularly known as the Rawalpindi of Bhutto’s former colleagues, many of whom
Conspiracy Case and Faiz was among the last This is yet no relief in the darkness of the Come, I have clawed through the snare were later re-elected and became federal or

to be released in September 1955. night of helplessness provincial ministers. Most of the accused
While they were all still in prison, Faiz’s No liberation yet of our souls and minds Come Africa. (Translation by Victor Ki- were leaders of minority provinces.
new book of poems entitled Dust-e-Saba was So let us keep marching, my tiring friends ernan) At stake were constitutional rights, rule
published. Commenting on the book, Syed We have yet to find our elusive dawn Faiz dedicated one of his last books of law, provincial autonomy, institution build-

Sajjad Zaheer, a leading Marxist intellectual (Translation by Mahbul Haq) Me’rai Dil, Me’rai Musafir to the late Palestin- ing, the democratic right to dissent, and the

of South Asia, perceptively predicted that “in Faiz understood the inherent flaws of ian leader Yasser Arafat, whom he considered freedom of speech and association. It was a

the fullness of time, when people will forget the newly decolonized countries of the Third one of the major freedom fighters of the 20th decisive moment in the history of the coun-
about the Rawalpindi conspiracy case, the World. Noted political scientist Dr Eqbal century. The poems are replete with his un- try as Bhutto, who having presided over the

historian will evaluate the important events of Ahmed astutely observed that Faiz was the bounded love for the Palestinian: adoption of a consensus constitution had sus-
1952 and most likely this short book of poems first intellectual in the Third World to capture Your enemies have destroyed one Pales- pended it within 48 hours and ruled the coun-

will be judged as the most important histori- the incipient “mood of disillusionment” with tine try under emergency laws for the duration of
cal event of the year.” the post-colonial states and their incipient My wounds have blossomed into many his tenure till his overthrow by Zia ul-Haq in
That this came to pass is self-evident. elites. Faiz’s poems, published exactly a de- Palestines. July 1977.

Faiz and Minto remained life-long col- cade and a half before Frantz Fanon’s Wretch- Palestine blossomed in Faiz’s imagi- During the presidency of Zia ul-Haq,

leagues working together to uplift the masses ed of the Earth, highlighted the frustrating nation during the last years of his life, and Minto was elected to chair the All-Pakistan
and resist the martial law, feudalism and im- incompletion of the newly- won freedoms— Lawyers’ Association against Martial Law
perialism in the whole region. Despite his in- thus the metaphor ‘Elusive Dawn.’ Minto and Faiz continued to to lead the national struggle against yet an-
carceration Faiz had become the most revered In July 2005, roughly 54 years since Faiz other dictatorship. Of course, he had to pay
poet of his time. His poem, Sub’hai Azadi and Minto walked together down the diffi- work together in one forum a heavy price for his courage of conviction.

(“Elusive Dawn”) became the unofficial an- cult path, the Pakistan American Democratic or the other till Faiz’s death in Imprisoned by Gen. Zia, he was adopted as a
them of Pakistan for those who were unwill- Forum (PADF) conferred its prestigious Faiz prisoner of conscience by the Amnesty Inter-
ing to settle for a corrupt society. He wrote: Ahmed Faiz award on Minto, then 74, to 1984. Minto was twice blessed national. In 1990, when Mr Nelson Mandela
This trembling light, this night-bitten honor him for his life-long work on behalf of by his close friendship with was elected President International Lawyers’

dawn, human rights, equality and social justice in Association, Mr Abid Minto was elected as

This is not the dawn, we have waited for Pakistan. It read: Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Habib Vice President of the same organization. They

so long “Presented to Mr Abid Hassan Minto in Jalib, the two most gifted worked as a team from 1990 to 1995.

This is not the dawn whose birth was recognition of his lifelong struggle against Shortly after, in 1997, he was elected
sired militarism, feudalism, neocolonialism and and conscientious poets of President of the Pakistan Supreme Court

By so many lives, so much blood imperialism. Pakistan. Often confused with Bar Association. As documented in the

Generations ago, we started our confi- “Cognizant of the fact that you have spent press, “declining many offers of judgeship

dent march fifty years, half a century, leading nationwide the legendary fiction writer in the higher courts and ministries in various

Our hopes were young, our goals within movements for poverty alleviation, rule of Sadat Hassan Manto, his uncle, governments, he has spent fifty years, half a
reach law, due process and equal justice in Pakistan, century, leading nationwide movements for
After all, there must be some limit we salute you for your continued struggle for Abid Hassan Minto along poverty alleviation, rule of law, due process

To the confusing constellation of stars human rights, women’s rights, minority rights with C. R. Aslam and others, and equal justice in Pakistan. His principled
In a vast forest of the sky and rights of the working classes.” gave the best years of his life stand and struggle against militarism, feudal-
Even the lazy languid waves San Francisco, California ism, nepotism and malfeasance has been in-
Must reach at last their appointed shore July 12, 2005 to build foundations on the ternationally applauded. He has spent his life
And so we wistfully prayed Ostensibly, PADF named the award for ground to sustain the visions of struggling for human rights, women’s rights,
For a consummate end to our painful Faiz because he has come to symbolize the minority rights and rights of the working

search quest for freedom and equality, fraternity with his poet friends. This praxis – classes in Pakistan.”

Many a temptation crossed our forbid- the Third World, opposition to oppression translating ideas into material Minto and Faiz continued to work to-
den path and a thirst for peace. Moreover, Faiz is seen gether in one forum or the other till Faiz’s
Many inviting bodies, many longing as the poet who felt that the pursuit of free- reality – is his contribution. death in 1984. Minto was twice blessed by his

arms dom was incomplete despite the end of Brit- The revolutionary poet Habib close friendship with Faiz Ahmed Faiz and
Many seductive pleasures beckoned on ish rule. It was he who wrote “Cha’lai cha’lo Habib Jalib, the two most gifted and conscien-

our way keh voh munzil aabhi nahin ay’ ee (“Keep go- Jalib called C. R. Aslam and tious poets of Pakistan. Often confused with

But we stayed faithful to our distant ing, the destiny is still far away”). Abid Minto ‘the two most the legendary fiction writer Sadat Hassan
dream In his essay “Faiz: A Poet of Mansur and Manto, his uncle, Abid Hassan Minto along

We kept marching to a different drum Qais”, Dr Agha Saeed writes: civil and dignified people’ in with C. R. Aslam and others, gave the best

We kept searching for our lost freedom Faiz thinks through the mind of a revolu- Pakistani politics years of his life to build foundations on the
We kept looking for our elusive dawn tionary, feels with the heart of a lover, speaks ground to sustain the visions of his poet

We are told: our new Dawn is already the language of a poet and is in constant brought a new, somewhat sadder, shade to his friends. This praxis – translating ideas into
here; consultation with a Sufi’s conscience…. The poetry. Between Palestine and Pakistan the material reality – is his contribution.

Your tired feet need journey no more uncharted journeys of struggle, which came poetic journey was concluded. The revolutionary poet Habib Jalib called

Our rulers whisper seductively after he had been harassed, maligned and im- In the concluding years of his life, Faiz C. R. Aslam and Abid Minto ‘the two most

Why this constant struggle? Why, this prisoned, took him to foreign lands and new- had gained such a universal recognition that civil and dignified people’ in Pakistani politics.
perpetual search er destinies. His concerns became global and at that stage, as Ahmed Faraz puts it, “Neither “It is wonderful that a handful of people
Come, join us, enjoy this new-found his passion universal. A world map emerged his friends could add to his stature nor his de- like Minto – the cream of intelligentsia – con-
wealth in his poetry. He looked at Africa and called tractors could lessen it.” tinued the struggle for human rights in Paki-
Built by the toil of our “liberated” poor out: Too humble and shy to tell the audience stan. I think the struggle must continue. We
And yet, even today Come, Africa! Come, I have heard the about his personal friendship with Faiz, Min- must change the existing mindset,” veteran

Our hearts are aflame ecstasy of your drum Come, the beating of my to thanked the group saying, “It is a great hon- community leader Dr Shabbir Safdar said.
Our desires unquenched blood has become mad or to receive this award. Faiz was a great poet “You cannot have human rights for yourself if
Our goals unmet Come, Africa! Come, I have lifted my and I am gratified.” Yet, those who know Min- you do not honor the same for other people.”

Was there a streak of light? forehead from the dust Come, I have scrapped to well could see how deeply he was moved (Lisette B. Poole, a freelance writer in
Where did it go? from my eyes the skin of grief largely because of his profound understand- the San Francisco Bay area, also lectures at

The wayside lamp just blinked unawares Come, I have released my arm from pain ing and appreciation for Faiz’s prodigious CSUEB, Hayward)
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