Moneeza Hashmi, daughter of the renowned poet late Faiz Ahmed Faiz, launched her book here on Friday at Orange Hall of Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences.
The book titled “Conversation with my father” authored by Moneeza Hashmi contains conversations and letters of Faiz Ahmed Faiz addressed to her daughter.
The book launching event was attended by Vice Chancellor BUITEMS Ahmed Farooq Bazai (Sitara e Imtiaz), Chief Consultant of Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN) Brig Agha Ahmad Gul (R), and members of the departments for literature of different universities and organizations of Balochistan as well as poets, artists and students.
While addressing the gathering Balochistan’s famous screen writer and poet Mohsin Shakeel said that Faiz was not only a poet of beauty and love but also significantly highlighted the political and social issues of the country in his poetry.
His poetry is unique in a sense that it is still relevant today because of the depiction of collective societal issues and his projection of a sense of ‘rising above individuality’.
Afzal Murad, who is a Brahui and Balochi poet and has translated Faiz’s poetry in Brahui, also expressed his views on Faiz and relevance of his poetic vision for current times.
Former Senator Roshan Khursheed Barucha on the occasion said that it was a book about the bond of love that a daughter shared with her father.
With reference to Faiz’s philosophy and the book written by his daughter, Mrs. Baruch said that the book had mentioned women empowerment in more than one way hence it was now about time that women of the 21st Century got vocal for their rights and took control of their lives as Faiz had always encouraged people to speak about the injustices.
Speaking on he occasion, Moneeza Hashmi’s college friend Mahzareen Gul said that there was a lot in the book that she could relate to as she read out a few lines from the book: “but it is a journey of love and a tribute to the one human being who I know loved me unconditionally, hugged me, held my hand, gave me a smile in those times when I felt lost alone and abandoned.”
While expressing her views Moneeza Hashmi said that Faiz Ahmed Faiz was a universal poet and his poetry was still relevant today as it was decades ago.
She mentioned that the book was more about Faiz, the father, and less about Faiz, the poet. In an interactive session, she mentioned how she learnt a lot of lessons from both of his parents.
She learnt that it was important to speak against injustice which she did by standing her ground. She then encouraged the women to be financially independent and seek companionship based on mutual respect and care.
