14th August has been celebrated annually with pride and fervor by Pakistanis around the globe since the year 1947 to mark the country's birth and freedom from British rule. Today marks the 68th Independence Day of Pakistan, a time when once again its countrymen are rising in patriotism, this time to free themselves from the corrupt politicians who have been slandering the country's interests. I believe this is a time for celebration and hope because it means the Pakistani people will no longer submit to slavery or accept their basic rights being abused. I am obviously a supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, under the leadership of Imran Khan, because I am tired of the shameless, blatant corruption of the previous politicians. How people can sleep peacefully in the warm beds of their huge mansions after eating up money of the poor, suffering, starving masses is beyond my comprehension, and beyond the dignity of humanity. Yet this very thing is happening, and is in fact shamefully prevalent. So far only Imran Khan has had the courage to stand up to these powerful evil politicians and such leaders are rare so they should be supported. I wish their Azadi March today success and the best of luck.
To make the 68th Independence Day of Pakistan, I would like to share a poem by the great Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984). I have previously blogged about this national hero on my blog post Behind the Magic in his Words and have also mentioned him in my blog post Poetry. His poems are great works of art, and I believe his poem 'Hum Bhi Dekenge' is aptly appropriate for today. I will share his poem in Urdu, and then provide an English translation by Mustansir Dalvi that I found on the internet. The original poem in Urdu is:
Laazim hai ki hum bhi dekhenge
Woh din jiskaa ke waada hai,
Jo lau-e-azl mein likha hai
Jab zulm-o-sitam ke koh-e-garaan
Rooi ki tarah udd jaayenge,
Hum mehkoomon ke paaon tale
jab dharti dhad dhad dhadkegi,
Aur ahl-e-hukam ke sar oopar
Jab bijli kad kad kadkegi,
Jab arz-e-khudaa ke kaabe se
Sab but uthwaaey jaayenge,
Hum ahl-e-safaa mardood-e-haram
Masnad pe bithaaey jaayenge.
Sab taaj uchaaley jaayenge.
Sab takht giraaey jayyenge.
Bas naam rahega Allah kaa,
Jo ghaayab bhi hai, haazir bhi,
Jo manzar bhi hai, naazir bhi.
Utthegaa ‘An-al-haq’ kaa naara
Jo main bhi hoon, aur tum bhi ho,
Aur raaj karegi Khalq-e-Khuda
Jo mai bhi hoon, aur tum bhi ho.
-Faiz Ahmed Faiz
A translation of the above poem is given below. I got this off the internet and the credits go to Mustansir Dalvi.
Inevitably, we shall also see the day
that was promised to us, decreed
on the tablet of eternity.
When dark peaks of torment and tyranny
will be blown away like cotton fluff;
When the earth’s beating, beating heart
will pulsate beneath our broken feet;
When crackling, crashing lightning
will smite the heads of our tormentors;
When, from the seat of the Almighty
every pedestal will lie displaced;
Then, the dispossessed we; we,
who kept the faith will be installed
to our inalienable legacy.
Every crown will be flung.
Each throne brought down.
Only His name will remain; He,
who is both unseen, and ubiquitous; He,
who is both the vision and the beholder.
When the clarion call of ‘I am Truth’
(the truth that is me and the truth that is you)
will ring out, all God’s creatures will rule,
those like me and those like you.
Personally I can't wait to see the dawn of such a day. Hopefully that day will come soon and so I end this post with a heartfelt Pakistan Zindabad.
To make the 68th Independence Day of Pakistan, I would like to share a poem by the great Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984). I have previously blogged about this national hero on my blog post Behind the Magic in his Words and have also mentioned him in my blog post Poetry. His poems are great works of art, and I believe his poem 'Hum Bhi Dekenge' is aptly appropriate for today. I will share his poem in Urdu, and then provide an English translation by Mustansir Dalvi that I found on the internet. The original poem in Urdu is:
Laazim hai ki hum bhi dekhenge
Woh din jiskaa ke waada hai,
Jo lau-e-azl mein likha hai
Jab zulm-o-sitam ke koh-e-garaan
Rooi ki tarah udd jaayenge,
Hum mehkoomon ke paaon tale
jab dharti dhad dhad dhadkegi,
Aur ahl-e-hukam ke sar oopar
Jab bijli kad kad kadkegi,
Jab arz-e-khudaa ke kaabe se
Sab but uthwaaey jaayenge,
Hum ahl-e-safaa mardood-e-haram
Masnad pe bithaaey jaayenge.
Sab taaj uchaaley jaayenge.
Sab takht giraaey jayyenge.
Bas naam rahega Allah kaa,
Jo ghaayab bhi hai, haazir bhi,
Jo manzar bhi hai, naazir bhi.
Utthegaa ‘An-al-haq’ kaa naara
Jo main bhi hoon, aur tum bhi ho,
Aur raaj karegi Khalq-e-Khuda
Jo mai bhi hoon, aur tum bhi ho.
-Faiz Ahmed Faiz
A translation of the above poem is given below. I got this off the internet and the credits go to Mustansir Dalvi.
Inevitably, we shall also see the day
that was promised to us, decreed
on the tablet of eternity.
When dark peaks of torment and tyranny
will be blown away like cotton fluff;
When the earth’s beating, beating heart
will pulsate beneath our broken feet;
When crackling, crashing lightning
will smite the heads of our tormentors;
When, from the seat of the Almighty
every pedestal will lie displaced;
Then, the dispossessed we; we,
who kept the faith will be installed
to our inalienable legacy.
Every crown will be flung.
Each throne brought down.
Only His name will remain; He,
who is both unseen, and ubiquitous; He,
who is both the vision and the beholder.
When the clarion call of ‘I am Truth’
(the truth that is me and the truth that is you)
will ring out, all God’s creatures will rule,
those like me and those like you.
Personally I can't wait to see the dawn of such a day. Hopefully that day will come soon and so I end this post with a heartfelt Pakistan Zindabad.