ISLAMABAD, Sept 1: It was not a ceremonial reference or a ritual condolence meeting that lamented the passing of a very popular and widely loved and admired poet of our time but a gathering of the friends and fans of Ahmad Faraz who were meeting to discuss his loss that they knew and could feel was truly irreparable.

The event was national literary condolence reference for Ahmad Faraz at the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) where people had already started pouring in well before the time announced. The hall was full to capacity when the proceedings began.

What seemed to find unanimity in the observations of the speakers was Faraz’s standing for the cause of the people, resisting the forces of oppression and the courage to speak the truth when most thought it expedient to keep quiet.

I. A Rehman in his presidential address said Ahmed Faraz had woven the aspirations of the common people in his poetry in a simple yet distinct fashion.

Iftikhar Arif, Chairman Pakistan Academy of Letters, Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik, Masood Mufti, Munno Bhai, Agha Nasir, Shabnam Shakeel, Sarwat Mohiyuddin and Shameem Ikramul Haq expressed their views on the life and works of Ahmed Faraz. Kishwar Naheed read a poem for Ahmed Faraz. Prof Sajjad Sheikh read the English translation of Ahmed Faraz's poetry. Harris Khaleeq conducted the proceedings.

I.A Rehman said that Ahmed Faraz was not only the representative poet of the aspirations, struggle and perseverance of Pakistani people but his poetry was a call to people to fight for freedom and their rights

Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik said that Faraz always wrote the truth and raised his voice against tyranny. He was a true and fearless intellectual.

Iftikhar Arif said that the death of one of the most popular poets of the present time was a great loss for the whole Urdu World. Iftikhar Arif declared that the Ahmed Faraz number of the quarterly Urdu literary journal Adbiyat would be published under the editorship of Kishwar Naheed.

Ahmed Faraz's brother Barrister Masood Kausar who along with the sons of the poet, Sarmad, Shibli and Saadi was the chief guest, thanked the participants. His sons said that Faraz was not only a great poet but a great father too. They vowed to carry forward the mission of their father, which was the people’s deliverance from tyranny.

Masood Mufti said that Ahmed Faraz was considered as a resistance poet and was a representative of Urdu literature in the world. He said his death has deprived Pakistan of a fine and enchanting poet and Pakistani people of a powerful resistance voice. He said the socio political system of the country was such that required a strong voice of resistance.

He said Faraz not only opposed the wrong policies of those in power but was also against the unconditional submission of the oppressed and their silence over injustices. He said he has also challenged the silence of his contemporary poets in difficult times when they were required to set aside expediencies.

He pointed out that Faraz raised a strong voice against military operation in Balochistan in 2005 when the then uniformed president Pervez Musharraf had a strong hold over the affairs.

Munno Bhai highlighted similarities between Ahmad Faraz and the great Palestinian poet Mehmood Darwish. He said both of them had identical views; both of them achieved fame early and died in the same year. He said that Faraz would always remain alive due to his beautiful poetry. “We should respect people like Faraz and should keep his poetry alive in our hearts”, he remarked.

Agha Nasir said that his friendship with Ahmed Faraz spanned over the last 50 years. He remained very close to him and was impressed by his poetry and personality. He said Ahmad Faraz was not only a great poet, but also a good conversationalist. He recited a short poem written by Ahmad Faraz after the defeat in 1971 war.

Shabnam Shakeel said that Ahmed Faraz was like those poets whose popularity remained ever-increasing. His popularity made him a living legend. He never compromised on the expression of truth and what he considered to be right.

Sarwat Mohiyuddin while reminiscing her memories with Faraz said that she got opportunity to participate in many poetry recital sessions with Ahmed Faraz. He was a dedicated personality and sincere with his friends. He was a patriotic poet who always raised his voice against injustice.

Shamim Ikramul Haq said that Faraz was a lucky person as he got unparalleled popularity at the very the beginning of his poetic career. He was a brave and true person.

Prof Sajjad Sheikh presented English version of Ahmad Faraz’s poem ‘Khawab martay nahin’.

She said he was a passionate person and she saw him filling forms of illiterate labourers during a visit to Iraq. She said some quarters tried to dub Ahmad Faraz as an anti-Pakistan personality, but in fact it was otherwise. She said during his days in exile in India, he never tried to give an impression that he was living in exile. He often used to say that birds keep on flying here and there, but go back to their homes in the evening. She became tearful when she said his last flight to Pakistan took him to such a place from where he cannot send any message to the people of his country.

Pakistan Academy of Letters had placed the visitor's book in the Hall where the audience penned down their sentiments about Ahmed Faraz.