I What Does Pakistan Mean? Bread, clothes and medicine A little house to live in Free education, as may right be seen A Muslim, I, too, have always been What does Pakistan mean There is no God, but God, The Rab-al-alameen For American alms do not bray Do not, the people, laugh away With the democratic struggle do not play Hold on to freedom, do not cave in What does Pakistan mean There is no God... Confiscate the fields from the landowners Take away the mills from the robbers Redeem the country from its dark hours Off with the lordly vermin What does Pakistan mean There is no God... Sind, Baluchistan and Frontier These three are to Panjab most dear And Bengal lends them splendour Anguished should not be their mien What does Pakistan mean There is no God... This, then, is the basic thing For the people, let freedom’s bell ring From the rope, let the plunderer swing Truly they speak, who the truth have seen What does Pakistan mean There is no God, but Allah... | I Pakistan Ka Matlab Kya? Roti, kapda aur dawa Ghar rehne ko chhota sa Muft mujhe talim dila Mein bhi Musalmaan hoon wallah Pakistan ka matlab kya La Ilaha Illalah… Amrika se mang na bhik Mat kar logon ki tazhik Rok na janhoori tehrik Chhod na azadi ki rah Pakistan ka matlab hai kya La Ilaha Illalah… Khet waderon se le lo Milen luteron se le lo Mulk andheron se le lo Rahe na koi Alijah Pakistan ka matlab kya La Ilaha Illalah… Sarhad, Sindh, Baluchistan Teenon hain Panjab ki jaan Aur Bangal hai sab ki aan Aai na un ke lab par aah Pakistan ka matlab kya La Ilaha Illalah… Baat yehi hai bunyadi Ghasib ki ho barbadi Haq kehte hain haq agah Pakistan ka matlab kya La Ilaha Illalah… |
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II Islam Is Not In Danger Endangered are the idle rich, bursting with cash Crumbling walls about to crash All the centuries’ mish-mash Islam is not in danger Why do a few clans all the land rights enjoy And those, who revere the Prophet, are bereft of joy Endangered are the beasts of prey Multicoloured cars which in the streets sashay And for whom the American hearts sway Islam is not in danger Due to our slogans the palaces shake and tremble The towering ornate shops cannot our hopes quell Endangered are the robbers of the highway Western traders who make hay Thieves and tricksters who waylay Islam is not in danger Holding aloft the banner of peace, loving all humans, we are on the go Loving all the world, O Jalib, is our proud credo Endangered are the palatial predators The kings and their abettors Nawabs and other such traitors Islam is not in danger. | II Khatre Mein Islam Nahin Khatra hai zar daron ko Girti hui diwaron ko Sadiyon ke bimaron ko Khatre mein Islam nahin Sari zamin ko ghere hue hain aakhir chand gharane kyon Naam nabi ka lene wale ulfat se begane kyon Khatra hai khun khwaron ko Rang birangi karon ko Amrika ke pyaron ko Khatre mein Islam nahin Aaj hamare naaron se larza hai bapa aiwanon mein Bik na sakenge hasrat-o arman unchi saji dukanon mein Khatra hai bat maron ko Maghrib ke bazaron ko Choron ko makkaron ko Khatre mein Islam nahin Amn ka parcham le kar utho har insane se piyar karo Aprna to manshoor hai Jalib, sare jahan se pyar karo Khatra hai darbaron ko Shahon ke ghamkhwaron ko Nawabon, ghaddaron ko Khatre mein Islam nahin |
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III Maulana Too long I have heard you preach and prate, Maulana But so far there has been no change in my fate, Maulana Keep to yourself your preachings of gratefulness My heart, like an arrow, they penetrate, Maulana The truth, only you know or God knows They say that Jimmy Carter is your pir* incarnate, Maulana The land to the landlords, the machine to the despoilers This, according to you, is God’s dictate, Maulana Why don’t millions fight for Palestine Prayers alone cannot from chains liberate, Maulana * Sufi saint | III Maulana Bahut mein ne suni hai aap ki taqreer Maulana Magar badli nahin ab tak meri taqdeer Maulana Khudara Shukr ki talqeen apne pass hi rakhen Yeh lagti hai mere seene pe ban kar teeer Maulana Nahin mein bol sakta jhut is darja dhitai se Yehi hai jurm mera aur yehi taqsir Maulana Haqeeqat ka kya hai, yeh to aap jaanen ya Khuda jane Suna hai Jimmi Carter hai aap ka peer Maulana Zameenen hon waderon ki, mashinen hon luteron ki Khuda ne likh ke di hai yeh tumhen terhrir Maulana Karodon kyon nahin mil kar Falastin ke liye ladte Dua hi se faqat kat-ti nahin zanjir Maulana |
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IV Ghazal Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan belongs to me Both of these, however, are under American hegemony American aid gave us wheat, as also their deceit Do not ask me how long we’ve suffered their conceit And yet the bayonets are all around this flowering valley Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan belongs to me Khan Bahadur, do not follow the English, from them better keep away Once again they are holding you by the collar, you are still their prey Macmillan was never thine, Kennedy can never be Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan belongs to me This land in fact, my dear, belongs to peasants and workers Here will not run the writ of a few clannish marauders The dawn of freedom is heralding the end of tyranny Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan belongs to me. | IV Ghazal Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera hai Lekin in donon mulkon mein Amrika dera hai Aid ki gandam kha kar ham ne kitney dhokey khai hain Poochh na hamne Amrika ke kitne naaz uthai hain Phir bhi ab tak wadi-e gul ko sangeenon ne ghera hai Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera hai Khan Bahadur chhodna hoga ab to saath Angrezon ka Ta bah gareban aa pahuncha hai phir se hath Angrezon ka Macmilan tera na hua to Kenedy kab tera hai Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera hai Yeh dharti hai asal mein, pyare, mazdooron dahqanon ki Is dharti par chal na sakegi marzi chand gharanon ki Zulm ki rat rahegi kab tak ab nazdik savera hai Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera hai |
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V The Mother The children were shot dead The mother, in fury, said These pieces of my heart Should cry and I stand apart Looking on from afar This I cannot do I should look on from afar As the tyrants, night and day With the blood of my children Holi* play Besmirched in red As the children were shot dead The mother, in fury, said These pieces of my heart Should cry and I stand apart Looking on from afar This, I cannot do * Spring festival played with coloured water She walked came down to the ground Like lightening flashing around The tyrant’s hand trembled Full of fear the gun frowned Everywhere her echo did resound I am hereby bound, I am coming for this round I am hereby bound, I am coming for this round Then oppression became evil Panic-stricken were those who kill When she thundered As our children were murdered She said, you vampires Gold is the be all of your desires This land belongs to us all This land, you Dunces Esquires Lackeys, still, to your British Sires The sahib’s beneficence Has not made you landlords: squires Desist from this tyranny Back to your barracks, flee You, who rove ahead With a gang of plunderers you have bred As our children were shot dead | V Maan Bachchon pe chali goli Maan dekh ke yeh boli Yeh dil ke mere tukde Yun royen mere hote Mein dur khadi dekhoon Yeh mujh se nahin hoga Mein Dur khadi dekhun Aur ahl-e sitam khelen Khun se mere bachchon ke Din-raat yahan holi Bachchon pe chali goli Maan dekh ke yeh boli Yeh dil ke mere tukde Yun royen mere hote Mein dur khadi dekhun Yeh mujh se nahin hoga Meidan mein nikal aayi Ek barq si lehrai Har dast-e sitam kanpa Bandooq bhi tharrai Har simt sada gunji Mein aati hun, mein aayee Mein aati hun, mein aayee Har zulm hua batil Aur seham gaye qatil Jab us ne zaban kholi Bachchon pe chali goli Us ne kaha khun-khwaro! Daulat ke parastaro Dharti hai yeh ham sab ki Is dharti ko naa-dano! Angrezon ke darbano! Sahab ki ata-kardah Jagir na tum jano Is zulm se baaz aao Bairak mein chale jao Kyon chand luteron ki Phirte ho liye toli Bachchon pe chali goli |
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VI The Garden Is A Bloody Mess This poem is about the oppression in East Pakistan in 1971 Our eyes yearn for greenery The garden is a bloody mess For whom should I sing my songs of love The cities are all a wilderness The garden is a bloody mess The rays of the sun, they sting Moonbeams are a killing field, no less Deep shadows of death hover at every step Life wears a skull and bone dress All around the air is on prowl With bows and arrows, in full harness The garden is a bloody mess The battered buds are like a sieve The leaves drenched in blood smears Who knows, for how long We’ll have this rain of tears People how long do we have to bear These days and nights of sorrow and distress This oppressor’s blood bath is a frolicsome play For the mighty of the world, a mark of their prowess The garden is a bloody mess | VI Bagiya Lahoo Luhan Haryali ko aankhen tarsen bagiya lahoo luhan Pyar ke geet sunaoon kis ko shehar hue weeran Bagiya lahoo luhan Dasti hain suraj ki kirnen chand jalaye jaan Pag pag maut ke gehre saye jeewan maut saman Charon ore hawa phirti hai le kar teer Kaman Bagiya lahoo luhan Chhalni hain kaliyon ke seeney khoon mein lat paat Aur nahjaney kab tak hogi ashkon ki barsaat Dunya walon kab beeteinge dukh ke yeh din raat Khoon se holi khel rahe hain dharti ke balwan Bagiya lahoo luhan |
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VII God Is Ours Addressed to religious hucksters of any denomination and the system they defend – translator’s note God is not yours, to Him we have access He does not look kindly on those who oppress How long, you men of pelf, will you bleed us white Get off our backs, you who in filthy lucre take delight You satans it is dust that you will soon bite We believe that He treats mankind with loving tenderness He does not look kindly on those who oppress Light of new wisdom we are going to see A fire flares up, seeing our agony In this new magical dawn will burst forth the blossoming tree He brings hopes to those who are mired in distress God is not yours, to Him we have access He does not look kindly on those who oppress We’ll break the shadowy spell of fear and dread Onwards we will march, chains of despair we will shred We’ll not betray the hopes of the people, our dear kindred And long we will remember this time of duress He does not look kindly on those who oppress | VII Khuda Hamara Hai Khuda tumhara nahi hai khuda hamara hai Use zamin pe yeh zulm kab gawara hai Lahoo piyoge kahan tak hamara dhanwano Badhao apni dukan seem-o zar ke deewano Nishan kahin na rahega tumhara shaitano Hamein yaqeen hai ke insaan usko pyara hai Khuda tumhara nahin hai khuda hamara hai Use zameen pe yeh zulm kab gaawara hai Nai shaoor ki hai roshni nigahon mein Ek aag si bhi hai ab apni sard aahon mein Khilenge phool nazar ke sahar ki bahon mein Dukhe dilon ko isi aas ka sahara hai Khuda tumhara nahin hai khuda hamara hai Use zameen pe yeh zulm kab gawara hai Tilism-e sayah-e khauf-o hiras todenge Qadam bandhayenge zanjeere-e yaas todenge Kabhi kisi ke na ham dil ki aas todenge Rahega yaad jo ehd-e sitam guzara hai Use zamin pe yeh zulm kab gawara hai |
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VIII To Rakhshinda Zoya 13 April 1981, during a jail visit She cannot say it, but then My little one manages to say Father, come home Father, come home She cannot comprehend Why, in prison, I continue to stay And not return with her, hand in hand How should I explain to her That home, too, is like a prison Kot Lakhpat Jail | VIII Rakhshinda Zoya Se Keh nahin sakti par kehti hai Mujh se meri nanhi bachchi Abbu ghar chal Abbu ghar chal Us ki samajh mein kuchh nahin aata Kyon zindan mein reh jaata hun Kyon nahin saath mein uske chalta Kaise nanhi samjhaoon Ghar bhi to zindan ki tarah hai |
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IX On Iqbal Centenary When we arise to wake the poor, the have nots A beeline to the police station they make, these wealthy sots They say that God this wealth to them allots Oh these trite excuses, oh these dusty plots Night and day the working men’s blood they suck, o poet of the East These congenital liars, with the vileness of a beast | IX Yaum-E Iqbal Par Log uthte hain jab tere ghareebon ko jagane Sab shehar ke zardar pahunch jaate hain thane Kehte hain yeh daulat hamein bakhshi hai khuda ne Farsudah bahane wahi afsaane purane Ai shair-e mashriq! Yehi jhute yehi bad zaat Peete hain laoo banda-e mazdoor ka din raat |
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X The Government of Jack Boots If the dacoit had not had The village guard as his ally Our feet would not be in chains Our victory would not defeat imply Mourn with turbans round your necks Crawling on your bellies, comply Once the jack boot government is up It’s hard, to make it bid good-bye | X Bootan Di Sarkar (Panjabi) Dakuan da je saath na dinda pind da pehredar Aj paireen zanjeer na hund jit na hundi har Paggan apne gal wich pa lo turo pet de bhar Chadh jaye te mushkil lehndi bootan di sarkar |
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Habib Jalib (Urdu: حبیب جالب) (1928 – March 12, 1993) was one of the renowned Pakistani Urdu poets of 20th century.
Contents [show]
His Life Style
He was a Marxist-Leninist and aspired to the ideals of Communism. He was a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan; later when the Communist Party was banned and started working under the banner of the National Awami Party, Jalib joined the NAP. He expressed his beliefs openly and paid heavily for them. Habib Jalib spent most of his life in Jail and the rest on the streets.
His Accounts of Imprisonments
Ayub Khan's Martial Law
Habib Jalib was first imprisoned during the martial law regime of Ayub Khan due to his defiant views on Ayub Khan's capitalistic policies. He wrote his legendary poem "Dastoor" (System) during those days.
Criticising those who supported Ayub Khan's regime he said:
Kahin gas ka dhuan hae
kahin golion ki baarish
Shab-e-ehd-e-kum nigahi
tujhay kis tarah sarahein
(There is smoke of teargas in the air and the bullets are raining all around. How can I praise thee, the night of the period of shortsightedness) [1] A humble man with limited means of livelihood, Jalib's character was above board. He could never reconcile with the dictatorship of Ayub Khan. So when Ayub enforced his tailor-made constitution in the country in 1962, which a former prime minister Chaudhry Muhammad Ali likened to the Clock Tower of Lyallpur, Jalib wrote his famous poem:
Whose light shines only in palaces
And carries the joys of only a few people
That derives its strength from others' weaknesses
That system, like a dawn without light
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept
Due to his daring revolt against the order of the day, Jalib was banned from official media but he remained undeterred. He rather started a tirade against the tyranny with more resolution. It reached its zenith when Fatima Jinnah decided to contest elections against Ayub Khan. All democratic forces rallied around her and at her election meetings, Jalib used to recite his fiery poems in front of an emotionally-charged crowd. His most popular poem at that time was:
Maan kay paon talay jannat hai idhar aa jao
(The paradise is under the feet of the mother. So come into her fold).
In another incident which has become a part of the resistance folklore of the country, the Governor of West Pakistan, the Nawab of Kalabagh, invited filmstar Neelo to dance in front of a foreign dignitary. As she refused, the police was sent to bring her, which led to a suicide attempt on her part. This incident inspired a poem by Jalib, which was later included by Neelo's husband Riaz Shahid in film the film Zarqa. The song was:
Tu bay nawaqif-e-aadab-e-ghulami hae abhi
Raqs zanjeer pehan kar bhi kiya jata hai.
(You are not aware of the protocol of a king's court. Sometimes one has to dance with the fetters on.)
]Bhutto's People's Government
In 1972 when the Peoples Government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came, many of his colleagues were able to hit fortunes. He, on the other hand, kept his integrity and stuck to ideology. As a result, he was imprisoned again along with other leftist thinkers like Mukhtar Rana and Meraj Muhammad Khan.
General Zia's Military Rule
During General Zia-ul-Haq's dictatorship, Jalib joined movement for democracy. He wrote the famous poem on Zia, where he asked how he could write darkness as "Zia". Note that Zia means light in Urdu.
Darkness as light, Hot desert wind as a morning breeze
How can I write a human as God?
Benazir's Democratic Government
In 1988, General Zia-ul-Haq died in air crash and general elections were held. Benazir Bhutto came into power and released Habib Jalib. Fortunes were distributed to those who supported the government rather than those who supported democracy. Disappointed at the state of the nation, when asked if he felt any change after democracy, he said,
"Haal ab tak wahi hain ghareeboan kay
Din phiray hain faqat waziroan kay
her Bilawal hai dase ka maqrooz
paoon nangay hain Benazeeroan kay"
(The status of the poor is still the same
the days of the ministers have indeed changed
every Bilawal of the country is under debt
while Benazirs (literally the poor) of the country walk without shoes)
Benazir lost power in 1990 to Nawaz Sharif, in 1993 Habib Jalib died. His family refused a government offer to pay for his funeral expenses.
After his passing, Qateel Shifai expressed his sorrow and grief in these words:
Apney sarey dard bhula kar auron ke dukh sehta tha
Hum jub ghazlain kehtey thay wo aksar jail main rehta tha
Aakhir kar chala hi gya wo rooth kar hum farzanon se
Wo deewana jisko zamana Jalib Jalib kehta tha[2]
His Political Career
Habib Jalib was a progressive thinker and politician in the National Awami Party, who supported the restoration of democracy during the period of Military Rule in Pakistan and had been imprisoned for his views.
One of the most popular Awami (people’s) Poet, known for the melody in his ghazals and the loud voice of dissent against despotism and the established order in Pakistan. He was always at the forefront of the struggle for democracy.
His poetry can be divided into two parts; the first comprises ghazals composed during the period when Jalib has chosen to keep a somewhat low profile. The pitch of his protest became gradually louder in his ghazals and nazams, but the melody remained untouched.
He bravely challenged the first martial law of Ayub Khan. He wrote his famous poem “Dastoor” which even today stands as a landmark in the history of Pakistan’s political struggle and became a glowing symbol of protest literature.
That was a turning point for Habib Jalib, who then took up political activism also; a role he tried to fulfill till the end. He did not affiliate himself with any party, preferring to be freelance. He was an active participant of the trade union struggle and the rallies for democracy. He also emerged as a champion of women rights, leading protest marches by women against discriminatory laws.
Poetry
Jalib’s poetry reflected his vision and approach to life. He never deviated from his chosen path. His love for humankind, his sympathy for the underdog and his passion for the fellow-beings were reflected in his verses. What is quite significant and somewhat rare in a poet who is also charged with political ideology is his capacity to suppress his anger against the injustices and tyrannies that he witnesses in life.
Jalib himself remained a victim of a cruel social order. He was imprisoned for some time after being wrongly implicated in various crimes.
With no regular source of income he had a rootless existence but he never considered compromising with his tormentors and coming to terms with established order. And yet Jalib’s poetry only reflects his anguish. It is not an expression of his anger or frustration. At times it is pensive, couched in sarcasm but his typical soft melodious tone is always there.
Jalib was a product of the progressive movement in the Pakistan but later he became a movement all by himself.
Recent tributes
Till the end of his life in 1993, Jalib remained a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan. In 1994, the Communist Party of Pakistan merged with the Mazdoor Kissan Party to form the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party -- which is the continuation of both the Parties in Pakistan.
Recently, two members of the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party --- Shahram Azhar and Taimur "Timmy" Rahman--- launched a music video reciting Jalib's famous poem "Musheer Se" under the band title Laal (Red), symbolizing Jalib's struggle for the workers and peasants.
September 2008: "Dastoor" another one of Habib Jalibs revolutionary pieces of work was composed in a musical track titled "Dastoor- A tribute to Jalib" by "Umair Salim".
Books
Sir-e-Maqtal
Zikr Behte Khoon Ka
Gumbad-e-Bedar
Kulyaat e Habib Jalib
Habeeb Jaalib (Urdu: حبیب جالب) (1928 – March 12, 1993) was one of the renowned Pakistani Urdu poets of 20th century.
{{His Life Style}}
He was a Marxist-Leninist and aspired to the ideals of Communism. He was a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan; later when the Communist Party was banned and started working under the banner of the National Awami Party, Jalib joined the NAP. He expressed his beliefs openly and paid heavily for them. Habib Jalib spent most of his life in Jail and the rest on the streets.
His Accounts of Imprisonments
Ayub Khan's Martial Law
Habib Jalib was first imprisoned during the martial law regime of Ayub Khan due to his defiant views on Ayub Khan's capitalistic policies. He wrote his legendary poem "Dastoor" (System) during those days.
Criticising those who supported Ayub Khan's regime he said:
Kahin gas ka dhuan hae
kahin golion ki baarish
Shab-e-ehd-e-kum nigahi
tujhay kis tarah sarahein
(There is smoke of teargas in the air and the bullets are raining all around. How can I praise thee, the night of the period of shortsightedness)
A humble man with limited means of livelihood, Jalib's character was above board. He could never reconcile with the dictatorship of Ayub Khan. So when Ayub enforced his tailor-made constitution in the country in 1962, which a former prime minister Chaudhry Muhammad Ali likened to the Clock Tower of Lyallpur, Jalib wrote his famous poem:
Whose light shines only in palaces
And carries the joys of only a few people
That derives its strength from others' weaknesses
That system, like a dawn without light
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept
Due to his daring revolt against the order of the day, Jalib was banned from official media but he remained undeterred. He rather started a tirade against the tyranny with more resolution. It reached its zenith when Fatima Jinnah decided to contest elections against Ayub Khan. All democratic forces rallied around her and at her election meetings, Jalib used to recite his fiery poems in front of an emotionally-charged crowd. His most popular poem at that time was:
Maan kay paon talay jannat hai idhar aa jao
(The paradise is under the feet of the mother. So come into her fold).
In another incident which has become a part of the resistance folklore of the country, the Governor of West Pakistan, the Nawab of Kalabagh, invited filmstar Neelo to dance in front of a foreign dignitary. As she refused, the police was sent to bring her, which led to a suicide attempt on her part. This incident inspired a poem by Jalib, which was later included by Neelo's husband Riaz Shahid in film the film Zarqa. The song was:
Tu bay nawaqif-e-aadab-e-ghulami hae abhi
Raqs zanjeer pehan kar bhi kiya jata hai.
(You are not aware of the protocol of a king's court. Sometimes one has to dance with the fetters on.)
Bhutto's People's Government
In 1972 when the Peoples Government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came, many of his colleagues were able to hit fortunes. He, on the other hand, kept his integrity and stuck to ideology. As a result, he was imprisoned again along with other leftist thinkers like Mukhtar Rana Afzal Bangash and Meraj Muhammad Khan.
General Zia's Military Rule
During General Zia-ul-Haq's dictatorship, Jalib joined movement for democracy. He wrote the famous poem on Zia, where he asked how he could write darkness as "Zia". Note that Zia means light in Urdu.
Darkness as light, Hot desert wind as a morning breeze
How can I write a human as God?
(Let)Benazir's Democratic Government
In 1988, General Zia-ul-Haq died in air crash and general elections were held. Benazir Bhutto came into power and released Habib Jalib. Fortunes were distributed to those who supported the government rather than those who supported democracy. Disappointed at the state of the nation, when asked if he felt any change after democracy, he said,
"Haal ab tak wahi hain ghareeboan kay
Din phiray hain faqat waziroan kay
her Bilawal hai dase ka maqrooz
paoon nangay hain Benazeeroan kay"
(The status of the poor is still the same
the days of the ministers have indeed changed
every Bilawal of the country is under debt
while Benazirs (literally the poor) of the country walk without shoes)
Benazir lost power in 1990 to Nawaz Sharif, in 1993 Habib Jalib died. His family refused a government offer to pay for his funeral expenses.
After his passing, Qateel Shifai expressed his sorrow and grief in these words:
Apney sarey dard bhula kar auron ke dukh sehta tha
Hum jub ghazlain kehtey thay wo aksar jail main rehta tha
Aakhir kar chala hi gya wo rooth kar hum farzanon se
Wo deewana jisko zamana Jalib Jalib kehta tha
{{His Political Career}}
Habib Jalib was a progressive thinker and politician in the National Awami Party, who supported the restoration of democracy during the period of Military Rule in Pakistan and had been imprisoned for his views.
One of the most popular Awami (people’s) Poet, known for the melody in his ghazals and the loud voice of dissent against despotism and the established order in Pakistan. He was always at the forefront of the struggle for democracy.
His poetry can be divided into two parts; the first comprises ghazals composed during the period when Jalib has chosen to keep a somewhat low profile. The pitch of his protest became gradually louder in his ghazals and nazams, but the melody remained untouched.
He bravely challenged the first martial law of Ayub Khan. He wrote his famous poem “Dastoor” which even today stands as a landmark in the history of Pakistan’s political struggle and became a glowing symbol of protest literature.
That was a turning point for Habib Jalib, who then took up political activism also; a role he tried to fulfill till the end. He did not affiliate himself with any party, preferring to be freelance. He was an active participant of the trade union struggle and the rallies for democracy. He also emerged as a champion of women rights, leading protest marches by women against discriminatory laws.
{{Poetry}}
Jalib’s poetry reflected his vision and approach to life. He never deviated from his chosen path. His love for humankind, his sympathy for the underdog and his passion for the fellow-beings were reflected in his verses. What is quite significant and somewhat rare in a poet who is also charged with political ideology is his capacity to suppress his anger against the injustices and tyrannies that he witnesses in life.
Jalib himself remained a victim of a cruel social order. He was imprisoned for some time after being wrongly implicated in various crimes.
With no regular source of income he had a rootless existence but he never considered compromising with his tormentors and coming to terms with established order. And yet Jalib’s poetry only reflects his anguish. It is not an expression of his anger or frustration. At times it is pensive, couched in sarcasm but his typical soft melodious tone is always there.
Jalib was a product of the progressive movement in the Pakistan but later he became a movement all by himself.
Recent tributes
Till the end of his life in 1993, Jalib remained a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan. In 1994, the Communist Party of Pakistan merged with the Mazdoor Kissan Party to form the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party -- which is the continuation of both the Parties in Pakistan.
Recently, two members of the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party --- Shahram Azhar and Taimur "Timmy" Rahman--- launched a music video reciting Jalib's famous poem "Musheer Se" under the band title Laal (Red), symbolizing Jalib's struggle for the workers and peasants.
September 2008: "Dastoor" another one of Habib Jalibs revolutionary pieces of work was composed in a musical track titled "Dastoor- A tribute to Jalib" by "Umair Salim".
Habeeb Jaalib (Urdu: حبیب جالب) (1928 – March 12, 1993) was one of the renowned Pakistani Urdu poets of 20th century.
{{His Life Style}}
He was a Marxist-Leninist and aspired to the ideals of Communism. He was a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan; later when the Communist Party was banned and started working under the banner of the National Awami Party, Jalib joined the NAP. He expressed his beliefs openly and paid heavily for them. Habib Jalib spent most of his life in Jail and the rest on the streets.
His Accounts of Imprisonments
Ayub Khan's Martial Law
Habib Jalib was first imprisoned during the martial law regime of Ayub Khan due to his defiant views on Ayub Khan's capitalistic policies. He wrote his legendary poem "Dastoor" (System) during those days.
Criticising those who supported Ayub Khan's regime he said:
Kahin gas ka dhuan hae
kahin golion ki baarish
Shab-e-ehd-e-kum nigahi
tujhay kis tarah sarahein
(There is smoke of teargas in the air and the bullets are raining all around. How can I praise thee, the night of the period of shortsightedness)
A humble man with limited means of livelihood, Jalib's character was above board. He could never reconcile with the dictatorship of Ayub Khan. So when Ayub enforced his tailor-made constitution in the country in 1962, which a former prime minister Chaudhry Muhammad Ali likened to the Clock Tower of Lyallpur, Jalib wrote his famous poem:
Whose light shines only in palaces
And carries the joys of only a few people
That derives its strength from others' weaknesses
That system, like a dawn without light
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept
Due to his daring revolt against the order of the day, Jalib was banned from official media but he remained undeterred. He rather started a tirade against the tyranny with more resolution. It reached its zenith when Fatima Jinnah decided to contest elections against Ayub Khan. All democratic forces rallied around her and at her election meetings, Jalib used to recite his fiery poems in front of an emotionally-charged crowd. His most popular poem at that time was:
Maan kay paon talay jannat hai idhar aa jao
(The paradise is under the feet of the mother. So come into her fold).
In another incident which has become a part of the resistance folklore of the country, the Governor of West Pakistan, the Nawab of Kalabagh, invited filmstar Neelo to dance in front of a foreign dignitary. As she refused, the police was sent to bring her, which led to a suicide attempt on her part. This incident inspired a poem by Jalib, which was later included by Neelo's husband Riaz Shahid in film the film Zarqa. The song was:
Tu bay nawaqif-e-aadab-e-ghulami hae abhi
Raqs zanjeer pehan kar bhi kiya jata hai.
(You are not aware of the protocol of a king's court. Sometimes one has to dance with the fetters on.)
Bhutto's People's Government
In 1972 when the Peoples Government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came, many of his colleagues were able to hit fortunes. He, on the other hand, kept his integrity and stuck to ideology. As a result, he was imprisoned again along with other leftist thinkers like Mukhtar Rana Afzal Bangash and Meraj Muhammad Khan.
General Zia's Military Rule
During General Zia-ul-Haq's dictatorship, Jalib joined movement for democracy. He wrote the famous poem on Zia, where he asked how he could write darkness as "Zia". Note that Zia means light in Urdu.
Darkness as light, Hot desert wind as a morning breeze
How can I write a human as God?
(Let)Benazir's Democratic Government
In 1988, General Zia-ul-Haq died in air crash and general elections were held. Benazir Bhutto came into power and released Habib Jalib. Fortunes were distributed to those who supported the government rather than those who supported democracy. Disappointed at the state of the nation, when asked if he felt any change after democracy, he said,
"Haal ab tak wahi hain ghareeboan kay
Din phiray hain faqat waziroan kay
her Bilawal hai dase ka maqrooz
paoon nangay hain Benazeeroan kay"
(The status of the poor is still the same
the days of the ministers have indeed changed
every Bilawal of the country is under debt
while Benazirs (literally the poor) of the country walk without shoes)
Benazir lost power in 1990 to Nawaz Sharif, in 1993 Habib Jalib died. His family refused a government offer to pay for his funeral expenses.
After his passing, Qateel Shifai expressed his sorrow and grief in these words:
Apney sarey dard bhula kar auron ke dukh sehta tha
Hum jub ghazlain kehtey thay wo aksar jail main rehta tha
Aakhir kar chala hi gya wo rooth kar hum farzanon se
Wo deewana jisko zamana Jalib Jalib kehta tha
{{His Political Career}}
Habib Jalib was a progressive thinker and politician in the National Awami Party, who supported the restoration of democracy during the period of Military Rule in Pakistan and had been imprisoned for his views.
One of the most popular Awami (people’s) Poet, known for the melody in his ghazals and the loud voice of dissent against despotism and the established order in Pakistan. He was always at the forefront of the struggle for democracy.
His poetry can be divided into two parts; the first comprises ghazals composed during the period when Jalib has chosen to keep a somewhat low profile. The pitch of his protest became gradually louder in his ghazals and nazams, but the melody remained untouched.
He bravely challenged the first martial law of Ayub Khan. He wrote his famous poem “Dastoor” which even today stands as a landmark in the history of Pakistan’s political struggle and became a glowing symbol of protest literature.
That was a turning point for Habib Jalib, who then took up political activism also; a role he tried to fulfill till the end. He did not affiliate himself with any party, preferring to be freelance. He was an active participant of the trade union struggle and the rallies for democracy. He also emerged as a champion of women rights, leading protest marches by women against discriminatory laws.
{{Poetry}}
Jalib’s poetry reflected his vision and approach to life. He never deviated from his chosen path. His love for humankind, his sympathy for the underdog and his passion for the fellow-beings were reflected in his verses. What is quite significant and somewhat rare in a poet who is also charged with political ideology is his capacity to suppress his anger against the injustices and tyrannies that he witnesses in life.
Jalib himself remained a victim of a cruel social order. He was imprisoned for some time after being wrongly implicated in various crimes.
With no regular source of income he had a rootless existence but he never considered compromising with his tormentors and coming to terms with established order. And yet Jalib’s poetry only reflects his anguish. It is not an expression of his anger or frustration. At times it is pensive, couched in sarcasm but his typical soft melodious tone is always there.
Jalib was a product of the progressive movement in the Pakistan but later he became a movement all by himself.
Recent tributes
Till the end of his life in 1993, Jalib remained a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan. In 1994, the Communist Party of Pakistan merged with the Mazdoor Kissan Party to form the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party -- which is the continuation of both the Parties in Pakistan.
Recently, two members of the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party --- Shahram Azhar and Taimur "Timmy" Rahman--- launched a music video reciting Jalib's famous poem "Musheer Se" under the band title Laal (Red), symbolizing Jalib's struggle for the workers and peasants.
September 2008: "Dastoor" another one of Habib Jalibs revolutionary pieces of work was composed in a musical track titled "Dastoor- A tribute to Jalib" by "Umair Salim".
aur sab bhuul gaye harf-e-sadaaqat likhanaa
aur sab bhuul gaye harf-e-sadaaqat likhanaa
rah gayaa kaam hamaaraa hii baGaavat likhanaa
laakh kahate rahe.n zulmat ko na zulmat likhanaa
ham ne siikhaa hii nahii.n pyaare baa_ijaazat likhanaa
na sile kii na sitaa_ish kii tamannaa ham ko
haq me.n logo.n ke hamaarii to hai aadat likhanaa
ham ne jo bhuul ke bhii shaah kaa qasiidaa na likhaa
shaayad aayaa isii Khuubii kii badaulat likhanaa
us se ba.Dh kar merii tahasiin bhalaa kyaa hogii
pa.Dh ke naaKhush hai.n meraa saahab-e-sarvat likhanaa
dahar ke Gam se huaa rabt to ham bhuul gaye
sarv qaamat kii javaanii ko qayaamat likhanaa
kuchh bhii kahate hai.n kahe.n shaah ke masaahib 'Jalib'
rang rakhanaa yahii apanaa isii suurat likhanaa
Is shahar-e-Kharaabii me.n Gam-e-ishq ke maare
is shahar-e-Kharaabii me.n Gam-e-ishq ke maare
zindaa hai.n yahii baat ba.Dii baat hai pyaare
ye ha.Nsataa huaa chaa.Nd ye pur_nuur sitaare
taabindaa-o-paa_indaa hai.n zarro.n ke sahaare
[taabindaa-o-paa_indaa = burning bright and eternally]
hasarat hai ko_ii Gunchaa hame.n pyaar se dekhe
aramaa.N hai ko_ii phuul hame.n dil se pukaare
har subah merii subah pe rotii rahii shabanam
har raat merii raat pe ha.Nsate rahe taare
kuchh aur bhii hai.n kaam hame.n ai Gam-e-jaanaa.N
kab tak ko_ii ulajhii hu_ii zulfo.n ko sa.Nvaare
Habib Jalib
“No poet since Wali Dakkani has been able to capture greater audience than Habib Jalib. He is truly the poet of the masses..” [Faiz Ahmed Faiz]
The history of Pakistan is flooded with compromises, plaguing every segment of society including politicians, judges, bureaucrats, scholars etc. We as a people have managed to secure an ultrastrong “digestive system” for tyranny, injustice, and other social excesses. Our sociocultural decay thus is not by accident but rather a consequence of this indifference, among many other factors.
A few personalities in history however have shied away from this common disposition, showing zero tolerance for the above mentioned ills. Habib Jalib, a renowned Urdu poet and political activist, is among those exceptions who stand out from the rest.
Habib Jalib was born in 1928 in Hoshiarpur, East Punjab. He migrated to Pakistan after partition and worked as a proof reader in Daily Imroze, Karachi. He enjoyed a very simple and humble life. He was a progressive writer and soon started to grab the audience with his enthusiastic recitation of poetry. He wrote in plain language, adopted a simple style and addressed common people and issues. But the conviction behind his words, the music of his voice and his emotional energy coupled with the sensitivity of the sociopolitical context is what stirred the audience.
Jalib's poetry entered another phase as Pakistan drifted away from democracy with the imposition of Martial Law by General Ayub Khan, the first military dictator of Pakistan. He vigorously opposed military rule, denied the convenient “law of necessity”, and challenged the dictatorial policies both through his poetry and political activism. In “recognition” of his sociopolitical services he was rewarded with imprisonment by the Ayub Khan’s regime. He continued to receive this treat throughout his life at the hands of various governments, both military and civil. He was not a “darbari” poet and seemed like an “opposition leader” to all governments.
The popularity of Habib Jalib surged up tremendously after his poem “Dastoor” (the Constitution) which he wrote in response to the imposition of a “new” constitution by General Ayub Khan, in June 1962. The constitution was a turning point in our history which derailed Pakistan from parliamentary democracy towards a dictatorial and autocratic “presidential rule” of Field Marshal Ayub Khan.
Deep jiska Mahallaat hi main jale
Chand logon ki khushiyon ko le kar chale
Wo jo saaye mian har maslehat ke pale
Aise Dastoor ko , Subhe benoor ko,
main nahin manta main nahin maanta
In 1964, Jalib actively supported Ms. Fatima Jinnah in her presidential campaign against Ayub and wrote another famous poem on Ms. Jinnah.
When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power, it was assumed that Jalib would enjoy some peace because of similarities between his sociopolitical views (anti-capitalism) and the PPP manifesto. This was however not to be. As Bhutto grew more powerful in the wake of the weakened military after the surrender of Dhaka, the gap between the PPP manifesto and the government policies grew wider. Jalib turned his voice against the Bhutto government and was jailed as before.
When Bhutto was hanged by another military dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, Jalib wrote a poem against the “justice” of the military ruler, thereby initiating another thread of confrontation against the new military rule. He actively participated in the movement for the restoration of democracy and faced hardships from the Zia regime, and was once again sent to jail.
Habib Jalib was not a spectator, but an active player. His poetry reflects the pulse of the masses. He was a true “representative” of the people of Pakistan, especially the oppressed masses. He wrote on diverse topics, personalities, events, and ills of the society. He used his poetry as a tool to fight against social injustice, opression and abuse of power etc.. His poetic works when viewed collectively, seem like the sociopolitical timeline of Pakistan.
Despite his meager and irregular income, Jalib never compromised on principles and values and continued his struggle for freedom, justice and humanity till his death on March 12, 1993.
See also: Zulm Rahay Aur Amn Bhi Ho - A Poem by Habib Jalib
For more information on Habib Jalib, see:
Jalib Nama: Habib Jalib ki Siyasi Shairi, Jang Publishers
Remembering Habib Jalib
Habib Jalib, Wikipedia
Habib Jalib, Opentopia
In India once again communist party defeated with fascist forces only because of its own mistakes.
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