Punjab Notes: Zaman's 'voices of reason' and Samina's poems
Dawn: June 22, 2020
Zaman Khan, a
well-known writer, columnist and rights activist, is the person you are
sure to bump into at every rally or public demonstration or seminar that
has something significant to do with people's welfare. His continuing
involvement with democratic and humanitarian causes is an expression of
his passion for public life. His active presence at our socio-cultural
landscape demonstrates his firm commitment to improving the quality of
socio-political culture.
'Alternative
Vision', his latest book published by Badalti Dunya Publications,
Islamabad, carries 67 interviews, some short and some long, of public
figures, scholars, intellectuals and artists who in various ways have
enriched our life. He has divided his voluminous book into segments and
placed the interviewees under three categories; art and literature,
history and rights/ peace /politics.
In his
introduction Mr. I A.Rehman who needs no introduction calls the book 'a
treasury of free voices' and writes; 'Zaman Khan does not deny the
horrible reality faced by the people across the globe but instead of
taking refuge in pessimism or stepping aside in a cynic's robe, he
discusses all human concerns with whosoever is accessible to him from
within his society or the foreign celebrities he can access'.
In the first
segment some of the prominent names we find are Amrita Pritam, Abdullah
Husein, Afzal Ahsan Randhawa, Ibrahim Joyo, Intizar Husain, Kishwar
Naheed, Shams Ur Rehman Faruqi, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Dr. Manzur
Ejaz.
The second
segment which focuses on history and related issue is really very
impressive as it carries the conversations of some of the heavy weights
of the field such as Professor RomilaThapar, K.K. Aziz, Hamza Alvi,
Harbans Mukhia, Ishtiaq Ahmed and Sucheta Mahajan.
In the last
segment that deals with rights, peace and politics we come across Mirza
Muhammad Ibrahim, Asma Jahagir, Sher Muhammad Mari, Namboodripad, Latif
Afridi, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Begum NasimWali
Khan, and Tariq Ali.
Most of the men
and women interviewed are left of the centre and stand for people's
rights in the globalised contemporary society beset with myriad problems
which seem intractable in the face of inequitable politico- economic and
socio-cultural structures inherited from the past which hangs around our
neck like an albatross. They have diagnoses of our present ills and a
blueprint for a future which could be less oppressive and repressive.
They in a way represent an alternative vision of society premised on the
notions of freedom, creativity and equity. They remind us of our current
wretchedness and future potential, and create hope that we are capable
of creating conditions which would ensure the freedom and growth not for
few but for all irrespective of gender, race, class and creed.
Zaman Khan has
done a commendable job by bringing within our hearing what he calls the
'voices of reasons'. The book is a must for your library. Go through it
at a leisurely pace and discover what afflicts our world and make your
own prognosis.
Samina Asma is
no longer a new comer on our poetic scene. She has slowly but steadily
emerged as a poet who has something worthwhile to share. Disadvantage of
being a woman in our society is known to all which thrives on patriarchy
and male privilege. You will have to make an extra effort to be
articulate and heard if you are a female because the cacophony of male
noise is overpowering. She already has two collections of poetry to her
credit. 'Aatan Phera Paae' is her latest book of poems published by
Kitab Trinjan, Lahore. Novtej Bharati, a reputable poet, in the blurb
says that this book contains 'poems which are not specimens of typically
formal poetry as they aren't decked with meter, rhyming, similes and
flight of imagination. It is bare poetry, no cosmetics, no heaviness of
content. It is difficult to compose such poetry. Spices can make even
grass a savoury dish'. He is spot on. Making poetry out of what is
mundane and ordinary is always a challenging task. It forces you to
discover meanings in what appears meaningless for being worn. Apparent
repetition of experience that surrounds everyday life creates continuity
of life. As 'you cannot step into the same river twice' so you cannot
experience the same things twice similarly. Perhaps that's why small
things matter for Samina Asma. She can pause and ponder over voices in
the streets, sleeping child, swings, trees, parks and other such
phenomena. Her poetic voice is as soft and unpretentious as are her
experiences which are not gusts of wind but are rather like a light
breeze. Her language is close to speech but she perhaps needs to be a
little more careful because at times her causal use of words may look
odd. Her simple unassuming tone laced with subdued emotions makes her
expression meaningfully pleasant.'Every one wears a disguise/ if it
comes off they stand naked/ But one sees the child naked and the sight
offends no one / he wears no disguise'. ' soofi01@hotmail.com