packed auditorium of Pakistan International School, Jeddah (PISJ) – Al-Azizia on Thursday was witness to the subcontinent's expatriates' love for literature and their yearning for a poetic connection with homes they left behind. The ‘Aalami Urdu Markaz' (AUM), in collaboration with the Pakistani consulate, celebrated Pakistan's National Day and the ‘Golden Jubilee year' of PISJ with prominent poets from Pakistan, namely, Anwar Masood, Iftikhar Arif, Pirzada Qasim, Rasa Chughtai, Izahar Ulhaq, Saleem Kausar and Zahoor Ul Islam Javed. Local poets, Anwar Ansari, Habib Siddiqui, Mukhtar Ali, Tahir Jameel, Qamar Haidar Qamar, Naeem Bazedpuri and Athar Abbasi, added to the overall literary experience. The program began with a welcome address by Yaseen Haider Rizwie, executive member of AUM, recitation from the Holy Qur'an by Uzaifa Rafiq, Naat by Nawaz Khan Janjua, and presentation of AUM goals and achievements by its general secretary, Hamid Islam, and finance secretary, Mehtab Ahmed. “As with the previous year and this one, we will continue with the tradition of Mushaira the next year as well,” said Islam. Ashfaq Memhood, PISJ principal, said he was proud of the completion of 50 years of the school's functioning. “Our institution's aim is to promote the Pakistani identity and we will continue this task with our heart and soul,” he said. Chief guest Consul General of Pakistan, Zaigham Uddin Azam, underscored the significance of their national language. “Our national language is Urdu and our identity is Pakistani. We should be proud of our national recognition and endeavor to teach Urdu to the new generations that are being brought up away from our homeland,” he said. Athar Abbasi, president of AUM, presented shields to the special guest and poets. Amir Khursheed, AUM information secretary, conducted the Mushaira. Anwar Ansari, touted as the poet of passions, through his verses, described the ‘eye' as a focal of all emotions: Husn ke paykar ka mehwar aankh hoti hai Aur muhabbat ki payambar aankh hoti hai (The axis of an embodiment of beauty is the eye; moreover; the messenger of love is the eye) Habib Siddiqui's poetry, ‘Global Village', had political overtones: Jo uski cheera-dasti ka tamasha bangayi hai Meri duniya simat ker ek qariya ban gayi hai (Having become an object of amusement to his oppressive tearing, My world has shrunk to a village) Mukhtar Ali's young voice talked about the reality of life with great maturity: Mian yeh chadar-e-shuhrat tum apnay paas rakho Ke is se paoun jo dhanpain to sar nikalta hay (My dear, keep this sheet of fame with you, as we wear it to cover the feet, it exposes the head). The immense sensitivity in Tahir Jameel's poetry apparently made the audience feel different: Sirf ek ashk-e-nadamat mere samaan main tha Aur doran-e-safar hashr mere dhyaan main tha (Only a tear of repentance was my baggage; And the journey toward doomsday) Qamar Haider Qamar presented his couplets in a simple, but an effective manner: Koi bada kaam na ker paye, magar bas itna ke sher keh kar Muhabbaton ka amar tarana hawa ke chehre pay likh diya hai (Agreed that I contributed nothing great but at least in poesy have penned and ever-lasting song of love with sublimity) Classical poet Naeem Bazedpuri presented his expressive and highly valued couplets: Ahsaas-e-taqaza zameen ka nahi rakha Phir kya kay zamanay nay kahi ka nahi rakha (I never concerned myself with earthly desire. And the world discarded me and knew not my worth.) Local poet Athar Abbasi echoed the established notion of freedom and independence: Mera beta jo kaghaz par kabhi ek ghar banata hai Parinde hon agar un main to pehle par banata hai (My son, when he draws a house on a piece of paper, and if it has birds, draws the wings first symbolising flight.) Most men and women living away from their ancestral homes perhaps share these thoughts expressed by Zahoor Islam Javed, who had come from Emirates (Abu-Dhabi): Hume jo rizq diya us may wusatain likh din Magar husool may sehra ki shidattain likh din (God attributed us immense subsistence, but it is also tough to tolerate the difficulties of life which are akin to this desert's heat) Salim Kauser, who is credited with creating novel ideas in the genre of ghazal, won hearts with his evergreen couplets: ‘Tu khayal hai kisi aur ka, tujhe chaahta koi aur hai' (You are someone else's thought, and somebody else wants you). Kuch bhi tha sach ke tarafdaar hua karte the Tum kabhi sahaib-e-kirdar hua karte the (You were the defender of truth and a person with good regardless of circumstances.) Muhammad Izhar-ul-Haq won applauses for his verses spanning around chronology, romance and satire: Khareed laata hoon pehle tere visaal kay khuwaab Phir un se apne liye ratjagay banata hoon (Dreams do I buy of our confederacy and love, and then I weave sleepless nights) Rasa Chughtai, as stated by late Joan Elia, presents in a succinct manner a cornucopia carrying great weight. Romance, as well as the sad background of the law and order situation in his city of Karachi, reflected in his poetry: Khuwaab aisa ke dekhte rahiay Yaad aisi kay hafza le jayay (Dream so beautiful that you keep viewing. Remembrance that shatters memory) The auditorium echoed with applause when the much awaited poet, Dr. Pirzada Qasim's turn came. With his sober personality, he began with the nazm, ‘Waqt' (time), and touched the audience's pulses with his tender ‘Tarannum' oriented style: Ek naye khuwaab ki sarshari thi, jab aankh khuli Huwa maloom kay baydaari thi jab, aankh khuli (There was shimmering of a new dream when I woke up, and I came to know that it was time to open my eyes) Through his verses, Iftikhar Arif lamented about the law and order situation in his hometown, Karachi. His poetry, tinged with criticism and sorrow for Pakistan's uncertain political scenario, was well-received, showing that his is the voice of the masses as well: Muqaddar ho gaya hay bay dar-o-deewar rehna Kahin tay pa chukka hay shehar ka masmaar rehna (Somebody has already decided that our city will remain in a catastrophe and that has become the fate of our city) Anwar Masood mesmerized the audience through his presentation, which had a dash of the integral part of Urdu literature: humor and satire. He also presented some of his famous hilarious Punjabi verses: Doston English bhi zaroori hai hamare waaste Fail hone ko bhi ek mazmoon hona chahiye (Dear friends, English is important for us as well, because we need a subject in which we can fail).
