Conference on Peace and Harmony

Being one the largest rights based organisations in Pakistan, Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) endeavors to cultivate culture of peace and harmony through its core programme of Social Peace and Harmony. It specially encourages activities that are geared toward building a peaceful, tolerant, democratic and pluralistic society in Pakistan. Faiz Ahmed Faiz belongs to those luminaries of Pakistani literature who rejected myopic attitude of the society and gave message of justice, peace and love of humanity through his poetry and writings. The current situation in Pakistan has made Faiz Ahmed Faiz more relevant as the society realized the repercussions of inculcating distorted ideologies in the hearts and minds Pakistani society. 

Realizing the relevance of Faiz oeuvre in guiding Pakistani society to get rid of obscurantist and violent forces, SPO held a conference ‘Faiz aik simt numa’ (Faiz – lighting the way) at National Language Authority (NLA) on February 17, 2010. The objectives of conference is to explore the dimensions of Faiz’s writings that can prove conducive to peace and social harmony on the one hand, and disseminate the message of love of humanity in Faiz’s poetry to wider audience on the other. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion were poets Iftikhar Arif, Fehmida Riaz, Harris Khalique, intellectual Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, trade union leader Abdul Sattar. Aslam Azhar, who played a formative role in making the PTV a creative organ of the state, presided over the conference.

Introducing the theme of conference Zafar Zeeshan, Head of Programme SPO, said that in Pakistani society domination of emotions over rationality, weak state structure, and extremism resulted in suffering of minorities in particular and people in general. In such a state alternative solutions should be sought within the indigenous literary figures who disseminated the message of peace and harmony. Zafar said ‘a salient feature about these personalities is that they are not imported, rather they have indigenous roots.’

In his key note address Harris Khalique, writer, poet and Chief Executive SPO, highlighted three arenas where ideological struggle for peace and harmony needed be launched. “The country is on a collision course with obscurantist forces trying to win heart and minds of laymen on the streets. We have to free minds from the clutches and demagogues of the extremists and reactionaries and to show respect and love for the wretched and adopt tolerance as a way of life. These were the basic touchstones of Faiz’s poetry,”

Prominent intellectual Ashfaq Saleem Mirza shed light of the relationship between Faiz’s poetry and experience of incarceration. He placed Faiz’s writings in incarceration in the tradition of Antonio Gramci, Nehru and Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, who wrote their best writings in jail. ‘Despite hardships in jail Faiz did not become embittered rather he expressed his annoyance through his poetry.’

Poet Fahmida Riaz read out her paper ‘Faiz and Freedom of Expression’. Her paper was interspersed with poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Speaking against the misuse of Faiz’s poetry for selfish ends she said ‘it is a conspiracy by the rich as well as those in power to advance their vulgar designs. This is being done to rob the people of their favorite poet; but he would remain the people’s poet for no one could ever succeed in separating Faiz from the people.” She was of the opinion that his poetry is a weapon to defeat writers of sanguinary drama in our country.

Trade union leader, Abdul Sattar, criticised contemporary intellectuals for deviating from Faiz’s tradition of becoming part and parcel of workers’ struggle. He bought metaphor of seeing the River Tigris in a drop. ‘Intellectuals help us to see parts in totality, and combination of practice and theory are important. Unfortunately, workers are struggling without idea from intellectual because modern intellectual do not interact with the workers.’ he said. Sattar said that bridging the gap between workers and intellectual would help creating a better society.

National Language Authority Chairman Iftikhar Arif admitted the failure of the intellectuals in highlighting the issues of the downtrodden and working class. He proposed that national days for the three great minds Prof Abdul Salam, Dr Akhter Hameed Khan and Faiz Ahmed Faiz should be observed.
“We should feel ashamed of the way in which we have treated these great men who were a part of the national heritage and pride,” said Iftikhar Arif. He added that Faiz’s poetry was filled with hope for the nation and in this way; we could rekindle the hope for the ultimate betterment of the working class. ‘Faiz is a legend and once a legend is established it is difficult to dismantle it’ he reflected.

Aslam Azhar in his concluding remarks said read from Faiz’s poem Sochiye (think) and asked participants to find a solution of the present morass in this message.
In the second session of the conference Arieb Azhar, Shahram, Taimoor Rehman and Mehwish thrilled the participants with their music and songs of peace and harmony and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The conference culminated with formulation Charter of Demands for social peace and harmony, drawn from insights provided by the speakers.