• Calls for end to hyper-polarisation in country
• Wants every province to own its culture and history

HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that hyper-polarisation in the country must end. He also called for owning cultural diversity, history and different languages spoken in the country, saying that no country could progress as long as its poets, artists and culture were not given ownership.

He was delivering his inaugural speech at the 9th Sheikh Ayaz Melo that began at Sindh Museum here under the aegis of the Khanabadosh Writers Cafe in collaboration with the provincial culture department.

The festival also marks 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Ayaz, known as the poet of resistance.

Bilawal cut the ribbon along with hosts, Amar Sindhu, Dr Arfana Mallah and others.

The PPP chairman told the audience that we have to collectively fight all challenges facing the country. “If we want to get along the world, then we will have to own our history and culture,” he said, observing that people of the country witnessed plenty of tyranny here. “We killed our own leaders with our own hands and what we have suppressed, are language, culture and history,” he said.

“Politics of hate is at its peak. we need to subside this fever of hyper-polarisation. If all political parties keep branding each other ‘traitor’ and ‘infidel’, then how can Pakistan be managed,” he argued. He said that people should be considered patriotic, irrespective of their opinions.

He noted that some people wanted this hate to persist. “These forces want to keep cutting our society like a cake but people must know that they could defeat these forces with their unity …,” he said.

The PPP chairman said he wanted to create ‘cultural spaces’ in Sindh and other parts of the country where youths, including artists, poets and musicians, could excel in their respective area to take Pakistan to a new direction.

Education and knowledge

Bilawal said every child should be aware of Mohenjo Daro; people of Kashmir and Punjab should know Sheikh Ayaz the way people of Sindh know Allama Iqbal.

As long as we were not successful, our other issues would remain unresolved, he added. He said it was indeed difficult, but not impossible.

“Pakistan needs renaissance while entering 2024. We should own every culture, history and language,” he said.

Languages issue

He said that there was no harm if we didn’t own all languages in the country. These languages should be made part of curriculum and it should be left to parents for the choice of language for their children. And, he said, opportunity should be provided to children to learn languages of their liking.

“Urdu is national language but other languages are also the national ones. “A revolution can be brought about if all provinces, including Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, own their culture and history,” he said. He called for countering extremism. “We can fight extremism with slogans of Dama dam mast Qalandar and Ho jamalo”, he said while alluding Dhamal at Qalandar’s shrine and Sindhi folk songs.

Climate change

The PPP chairman said climate change was a boring topic. “But I have included it in my manifesto as it remains a serious threat to 250m people of the country,” he said. He pointed out that climate change experts were emphasising the need for saving polar bear and penguins in north and south poles.

“What would happen if Himalayas start melting. We will be drowning first and then dying of thirst,” he said.

He also stressed restructuring of irrigation and water bodies failing which, he said, floods would keep coming in.

Amar Sindhu said it was centennial celebrations of Sheikh Ayaz’s birth anniversary. She said that Ayaz knew he would become a celebrated poet in future. He knew his poetry would influence people for centuries, she added.

Dr Arfana Mallah thanked Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for accepting invitation for the 9th Ayaz Melo.

Noted playwright Asghar Nadeem Syed also read his paper.

Prof Sahar Imdad presented her paper and also read her poem on Benazir Bhutto. Tears were rolling down on Bilawal’s cheeks as she read the poetry. She also presented her framed poetry to the PPP leader.

Book launched

PPP chairman also launched a book ‘Face to Face with Benazir’– a compilation of interviews of Benazir Bhutto by noted journalist, Zahid Hussain.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2023