KARACHI, Dec 12: Journalists, fellows and admirers of seasoned journalist Minjah Burna on Wednesday eulogized his long struggle for press freedom in the country on the occasion of the launching of his poetry collection “Marsia Chothay Sutoon Ka” (Elegy of the Fourth Pillar).

Speaking at the ceremony, held at the Karachi Press Club under the auspices of the KPC’s literary committee, they urged Mr Barna to also bring out a collection of his rich memoirs in prose.

Dr Farman Fatehpuri presided over the ceremony where former Supreme Court judge Justice Wajeehuddin Ahmed was the chief guest.

Justice Ahmed paid tribute to Mr Barna for spearheading the decades-long struggle for the freedom of the press and rights of journalists and other press workers.

“Barna Saheb has done a lot for the cause of the rights of his fellow journalists and workers and such dedication is still direly needed to bring the country to the path of a real democracy,” said Justice Ahmed.

He said the country was still passing through a critical phase, and pointed out that for the first time in the history of the world judges of superior courts had been removed and arrested in this country. “He (Pervez Musharraf) has introduced many “firsts” during his tenure and this act has added another “first” to his credit,” he remarked.

Justice Ahmed called for a vigorous movement to be launched jointly by all pro-democracy forces against the dictatorship adding that once this happened, the tyranny would not sustain even a single push.

Dr Farman Fatehpuri recalled his decades long association with Mr Barna, and said the latter’s poetry had all aesthetic ingredients and was special in the sense that the poet had never shied away from expressing his thoughts and ideas overtly.

Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui said Mr Barna had accomplished the same cause in his poetry that late Zamir Niazi did in prose.

“He has written the history and plight of the “fourth pillar of the state” by not violating the aesthetic values and precision of poetry, which makes the book even more special,” he said.

He referred to the epics written in the ancient Greece which are in the poetic form yet they are being accepted both as poetry and prose classics. “Barna Saheb’s effort has similarity with the same classical tradition,” he said.

Zahida Hina said Mr Barna wrote about the ordeal of journalists and the profession. “He has succeeded in his effort because he has led the caravan of the professionals while they had been suffering directly during the oppression let loose by the then military ruler, Gen Ziaul Haq.

“General Zia had tried to raze the fourth pillar and Barna led the caravan of his fraternity to successfully protect it,” she said.

Prof Sehar Ansari said Barna wrote the epic of journalism with the creativity and prowess of Josh Malihabadi. He mentioned Mr Barna’s work, books, articles, translations, etc., and said all the work should be compiled and published.

Wahid Bashir said Mr Barna never needed to write a book for fame because he had already “booked a place in the history” by leading the struggle for press freedom and rights of media workers.

KPC President Sabihuddin Ghausi and Ahfaazur Rehman also spoke on the occasion.