LAHORE: A large number of people thronged the 6th Faiz Festival at Alhamra Art Centre that the City saw after two years. Lahorites seem to have a huge appetite for both fun and intellectual activity. Around 26 sessions were held on the 3rd and last day of the festival. The four halls were all full with people.
Four events were held outdoor. Chairs laid in the ground in Alhamra remained all occupied by Adeel Hashmi’s fans in the afternoon and of Lata Mangeshkar’s in the evening whose songs were vocalised to celebrate the great singer.
In the session “Gulshan-e-Yaad, I.A Rehman: The voice of human rights in Pakistan”, Hussain Naqi, Salima Hashmi and Asha’ar Rehman were the participants while Haris Khalique was the moderator. Among the many strengths of I.A Rehman what everyone spoke of, was his amazing sense of humour. Asha’ar Rehman, his son, was the first to talk. “Abba was a very strong man. There are 24 hours in a day. He worked 25 hours. Weeks would pass we couldn’t meet but he knew what we needed. We were all very proud of our father. He was witty. Abba had great presence in our lives. He was my teacher. Inspired by my father I came into journalism early – started with Naqi Sahab,” Asha’ar said.
“As a journalist, he was anti-establishment. He would say, “Do all it takes. Promote people’s causes”. He would cry while watching a film; otherwise, he was very strong. Salima Hashmi talked about the association of Faiz Ahmad Faiz and I.A Rehman, of how Alys Faiz had great trust in Rehman Sahab’s judgement. She recalled how Rehman Sahab wore the same shirt for months in prison and never complained. He had great patience.
“Once someone asked Rehman Sahab, when will the situation improve? He said, “do your part”. Similarly, someone asked Faiz, when will there be revolution? He said, “What is the hurry”.
I.A Rehman solemnised the Nikah of Yasser Hashmi, Salima Hashmi’s son. At the end of the Dua he said, “May the groom and bride work for human rights.
Hussain Naqi, his close friend who had a long association with I.A Rehman, said there wasn’t a more authentic voice than Rehman Sahab’s in Pakistan. “Rehman Sahab told me we were neighbours in Haryana.
I met him in 1962-63 in Karachi. I asked Rehman Sahab to guide me as I had just entered journalism. He said, “Excel in whatever you choose to do”. We were together in HRCP since 1992 and retired together in 2016.
He was one of the two people who were warmly welcomed in Bangladesh. He would say, “We are Marxist and would remain that. David Page said, is there another cultured communist like him?’” “I.A Rehman wrote on every article on the rights of child. NCRC came later. I.A Rehman has great contribution,” concluded Hussain Naqi.
A session on “Adab Ka Howsla” in which the speakers were Zehra Nigah, Dr Arfa Syeda and Asghar Nadeem Syed was very much appreciated by the audience. The language all three of the speakers spoke, was poetry and received much applause.