Very few poets become household names with their single poem or book but Ashiq Buzdar is the Seraiki poet and activist who became a household name in Pakistan back in 1986 when his poem struck the hearts of the readers of Seraik language as well as others.

The line, Asan qaidi takht Lahore de (We are the prisoners of the Lahore Raj), has revolutionised Seraiki nationalist struggle for its rights.

These days 74-year-old Ashiq Buzdar is busy with the arrangements of the 36th annual Seraiki cultural festival– formally called Khwaja Fareed Seraiki Literary Cultural Festival. It is locally known as Mehraywala Mela, held in the small town of Mehraywala near Fazilpur in Rajanpur where Buzdar was born in 1947.

“Thank God, the coronavirus has receded. We’ll be able to go ahead with the programme without any trouble,” he tells Dawn.

The festival has been catering to the literature lovers of the Seraiki region for decades and it is like the modern-day literary festivals held in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. The cultural gathering holds panel discussions on political, cultural, and local issues, poetry recitals, book launches, reading sessions, theatre, singing and dancing performances, kabaddi and so on. The festival is held on November 6 and 7.

Poet holds annual Seraiki cultural, literary festival in Rajanpur

Buzdar says the slogan Asan qaidi takht Lahore de has a universal element to it.

“I’ve no personal grudge against Lahore city or the people of Lahore. In fact, I love Lahore city and its residents. I have issues only with the mentality and the people who look down upon the local people (maqami loag), rule them and exploit them Such forces are everywhere, almost in every region and area.”

Ashiq Buzdar’s lifelong mission has been to win the rights for the wasaib (Seraiki region) and to promote Seraiki culture, literature and identity, which are often taken as a part of the Punjabi ethnicity. He started taking interest in poetry and politics in the 1960s when he was in college.

“I started writing poetry in Urdu. But when my mother died, I could not express in Urdu poetry the intensity of grief I was feeling. Then I realised that my mother tongue was the best option to say what I really wanted to say,” he explains how he started writing in Seraiki.

Initially, Ashiq Buzdar was a part of the National Students Federation (NSF). Later, he discovered that the PPP was closer to the ideology he was preaching in his poems. Since 1968, he has stood with the party.

The late Benazir Bhutto, in a meeting with him, asked him to establish the PPP Seraiki Cultural Wing. He worked for the cause and sold the hundreds of acres of land he inherited from his father in the mission. He says he never regretted whatever he spent on the promotion of Seraiki culture.

During his eventful life, Buzdar has also actively worked with Seraiki nationalist movements.

“Whatever I have been doing in my life, culture and politics have been my tools. I’ve been fighting for the Seraiki cause with jhoomar dance, festivals, poetry and books. These elements define our identity and struggle.”

Buzdar says though the people of south Punjab saw a ray of hope in Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s promise of a Seraiki province in its 2018 election campaign but whenever the dream of the province is realised the main credit should go to the PPP, which has given a voice to the people of the region.

Ashiq Buzdar is hopeful that he would see the creation of the province during his lifetime. However, age and tireless work for the festival is taking a toll on his health. He needs some rest and the best health care.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2021