It was some 125 years ago that the workers at Chicago stood up and demanded the right to live like human being. They stood firm and demonstrated the will to make sacrifices in the fight for rights. The workers world over celebrate the glorious occasion. In Pakistan we also join them and pledge to uphold the banner of this struggle.
The conscience of society, writer, poets and artists have felt for the down trodden and expressed their feelings through their creativity.This factor was not properly emphasised.
This year Dr Jaffar took up the issue and targeted the Urdu poetry making the workers its subject. It was difficult rather tough job, one can imagine the efforts, concentration and time required to go through volume of poetry available from Wali Dakni to present poet, Dr Jaffar has rightly said it is just an attempt - you may say just a drop from immense sea of Urdu poetry.
In his comprehensive foreword Professor Sahar Ansari has particularly praised open minded approach in selection of poetry. The subject matter has remained focused not the outlook of the poets. The book contains the poetry of about 80 poets - contributing 112 pieces.
One may not find any justification for including more than one piece from a poet, but one cannot dictate the selector what to do and what not to do. What is important here is the collection brings out the human concerns of the intelligentsia poets. The book must be regarded as a first drop of rain. It calls upon researchers to carry it further and raise the standard of such collection. In short it is a welcome step in a proper manner to pay tribute to the heroes and mass of the workers who laid the tradition of offering sacrifies for common good.
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Book : "Mehnat Kashon Kay Nam Shaeri"
Compiled by : Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed
Publisher : Pakistan Study Centre, University
of Karachi
Pages : 258
Price : Rs 300
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