KARACHI, Feb 11: Scholars, trade union leaders and artistes spoke about the art and personality of Faiz Ahmed Faiz at an event held as part of the poet’s centenary celebrations.

Presided over by Dr Mazhar Haider, the programme was organised by the Communist Party of Pakistan at the PMA House on Friday.

Literary critic Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui in his keynote speech started off by suggesting that Faiz centenary was being celebrated with more fervour than Ghalib or Iqbal’s, because programmes in no fewer than 109 cities of the world were simultaneously taking place to commemorate his birth.

Talking about the Communist Party, he said Faiz himself was a member of the party’s working committee, which proved, contrary to what Jamil Yousuf had stated, he was a progressive writer. He said since nothing worthwhile was happening in the country, it’s good that Faiz celebrations were going on. Touching upon Faiz’s poetry, he said that among other influences the poet’s work was akin to English Victorian poets (Browning and Swinburne) because of the mellowness or softness of style.

He argued in propriety and decorum the Victorians were even a notch ahead of Lucknow’s denizens. To support his argument, he quoted a line from Faiz’s poem, Aaj ki raat saaz-i-dard na chher. He claimed that Faiz was also influenced by Urdu poet Akhtar Shirani, and said it was important to read Faiz’s first collection Naqsh-i-Faryadi, a phrase taken from a Ghalib couplet, which meant he had become the voice of all the underprivileged of the world. He said in order to understand Faiz, going through only Naqsh-i-Faryadi would suffice.

Dr Siddiqui told the discerning audience Faiz admired Bhagat Singh, and even someone like Gandhi had forgiven the British for executing Singh. He said those ghazals of Faiz which carried suffering and pain were appreciated more.

Rahat Saeed talked about the political aspect of Faiz’s life and said it could be comprehended through five points. (1) He loved humanity – Raat yun dil mein teri khoi hui yaad aee (2) He didn’t like those who were oppressors or tyrants – Sheeshon ka maseeha (3) He loved his soil and was a patriot – Subh-i-azadi (4) He believed in a practical struggle for the things he loved – Nisar main teri galion ke ay watan (5) He believed in a collective, organised struggle – Hum dekheinge.

Wahid Bashir said Faiz’s poetry was tranquil in nature, and people expected more of individuals like him.

Poet Muslim Shamim said Faiz was still alive, just as Socrates, Homer, Pushkin, Shakespeare, Goethe, Amir Khusrau, Mir and Ghalib hadn’t passed away. He said the poet had a magical diction and style and with the passage of time his message had spread far and wide.

He pointed out that Faiz had assumed the position of a legend in his lifetime, and even his detractors were all praise for him. He said Faiz had a ‘Gautami smile’ and was a paragon of sincerity. He said Faiz was in love with the progressive ideals. The poet, he added, struggled all through his life and in 1947 had already become a member of the Pakistan Trade Union Federation.

Artiste Sheema Kermani recited Faiz’s nazm Jab dukh ki nadia mein hum ne and Pablu Neruda’s poem Yahan kia hua translated into Urdu by Fahmida Riaz.

Dr Mazhar Haider said a lot of people tried to copy Faiz as a poet as well as a political thinker but failed miserably. He claimed there were areas of Faiz’s political life that had not yet been discovered.

In the end Sheema Kermani was to perform a dance to one of Faiz’s poem, but because of the bad sound system she politely refused to do so.

Dr Nisar Shah, Habibullah, Manzoor Razi, Shaikh Abdul Majeed (who later read out a resolution in relation to the rough treatment meted out to the protesting PIA workers on Friday) and Farid Awan also spoke. Najmul Hasan Ata, Noor Shama Noor and Rashid Husain Rashid paid their homage to Faiz in verse, while Moosa Khan read out a Faiz poem.

One of the four sketches of the poet made by Aziz Mirza was also unveiled on the occasion.