Tributes paid to Faiz

Islamabad

Glowing tributes to Faiz Ahmed Faiz, especially his contribution in the promotion of art and culture, were paid at the launching of book ‘Faiz: Lok Visa aur saqafat ke masail’ written by renowned intellectual Ahmed Saleem.

The ceremony was organised here by Lok Virsa. Nasreen Azhar from HRCP performed the launching. Ahmed Saleem said that Faiz’s report on cultural heritage was produced during Ayub era but it kept getting dust until Zulfikar Ali Bhutto somehow got hold of the report and asked Faiz Ahmad Faiz to work on it. The outcome was Pakistan National Council of the Arts with Folklore Research Institute as its part.

Ahmed Saleem recalled how warmly Faiz embraced Pathanay Khan who after founding Rs5,000 in his pocket after his recording of ‘kafis’ commented that “Faiz chalaki kar giya hay.” I told Pathanay that it is Faiz’s love.

Ahmed Saleem said that Dada Haider was worried because of problems in building a school Dada was constructing at his donated land in Kalian Sihalian near Kallar Sayyidan for the poor. When Faiz gave him a cheque, Dada angrily left the venue (IFH) saying “Phajjay! Ay kee kar rehan ayn.” Dada later told Saleem that “Faiz is my son. I would have been happy if he had given me Rs200 for lunch, but what Faiz did it to me.”

Saleem said that Dada one day told him that “Phajja” came and put his head on his feet in apology. He is like my son and I embraced him. Dr Fouzia Saeed, head of Lok Virsa, said that Faiz had a diverse personality, a roller-coaster one, a poet, a union leader and a culturist who served in Army also. She said that icons are in skies but he was an icon living in hearts.

She said that to Faiz, civilisation is horizontal as well as vertical as he used to say that our tehzeeb does not start with Bing Qasim but starts from Mohenjodaro to Harrapa and Texila which is our origin. Cultural development is a social progress, a self-created plant and evolves in centuries. She said that sometimes you need institutions to document research and culture. She said that cultural report of 1968 was implemented in the form of creating PNCA by ZAB. 

Dr Humera Ashfaq whom Ahmed Saleem referred to as a co-author said that music experts were looked down upon in society and singers and musicians were dubbed as “mirasies.” But Faiz sent teams to villages and remote areas to explore and find local artistes, write on them and record their music and renditions.

Sajida Jafer said that Faiz and Ahmed Saleem made reports on folklore and arts. She emotionally appreciated Faiz family especially Alice Faiz for her contribution.

Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, said that Faiz’s “Rabba Sahniya” aptly describes sustainable development which seeks social and economic justice. He said that youth were kept structurally confused also because of identity crisis. He said that lopsided emphasis on Constitution, civilisation, Objective Resolution, extra-constitutionalism etc create Pakistani-born confused Pakistanis. He appreciated Dr Fouzia for making Lok Virsa a vibrant institution. Tajdar Zaidi presented poetic rendition of Faiz’s ‘kalam’ in the form of ‘Dastan-Goi’ with instrumental music.