KARACHI: The auditorium situated on the premises of the National Museum Pakistan played host to a mushaira organised by the Pakistan Media Club in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts to commemorate Defence Day on Thursday evening.

Abdur Rehman Momin was the first poet on the list. He recited a patriotic poem and followed it up with a ghazal.

Mansoor Sahir began his stint on stage with the four lines highlighting the economic condition of the country and then read out the following verse:

Amn, muhabbat aur taraqqi, sapna tha aur sapna hai

Allah janey Pak watan ko kitna aur tadapna hai

[Peace, affection and progress are still unfulfilled dreams

God knows till when my country will suffer]

Ambreen Haseeb Amber read a nice little poem in relation to Defence Day, the first few lines of which were:

Ay Shaheed-i-watan

Tum se hai ye chaman

Tum ne jaan de ke bakhshi hain shadaabian

Hai tumharey lahu se zameen kahkashan

[O martyrs!

This garden exists because of you

You sacrificed your lives to make it green

Your blood has made our soil shine like a galaxy]

Khalid Moin recited his couplets and verses in his distinct style starting with:

Hamarey khwaab zara se bhi mu’atbar thehrey

To ay nigar-i-watan, terey naam per thehrey

Khizan ka ahd-i-guzishta samaet lein aankhein

Bahar itna theherti nahin, magar thehrey

[If our dreams are treated trustworthy in the smallest of manner

Then my country, it should happen in your name

Eyes must gather all autumnal seasons of the past

Spring doesn’t stay for that long, but it should]

Jawaid Saba also impressed the audience with his poignant poetry. For example:

Hamari kiya, ke zamaney ki khush bayani ga’i

Magar wo husn ke jis ki na sargarani ga’i

Zabaan poochi ga’i aur ilaqa poocha gaya

Lahu mein doob ke phir khu-i-mezbani ga’i

[Not just us, the entire world lost its articulateness

But the charm of that beauty’s displeasure remains!

They asked about mother tongue and place of origin

After which the tradition of hospitality got drenched in blood]

Khalid Irfan presided over the event which was moderated by Agha Shirazi.

Mr Irfan talked about how at the last moment he was asked to preside. It prompted him to read out lines on that subject, two of which were:

Anjaam-i-sadr-i-mulk se waqif hun is liyey

Main khud utar gaya tha utara nahin gaya

[I know what happened to the president of the country

So I decided to get off the stage as president of my own volition]

Wajih Sani, Masroor Pirzada and Akhtar Saeedi also recited their kalaam.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2024