It was somewhere in the middle of the last year that the Progressive Writers' Association, Pakistan decided to celebrate the year 2011 as Faiz Ahmad Faiz's centennial year. The response world over was much beyond expectations. Apart from references, seminars, mushairas, musical evenings and festivals there was a galore of printed material about various aspects of Faiz's life.
Books by literates, special numbers by magazines or sections devoted to Faiz. Even daily newspapers brought out supplements. These publications were mostly in Urdu.
The book/compilation 'Faiz: A poet of peace from Pakistan' is perhaps the only publication in English language which presents Faiz comprehensively. Dr Jaffar Ahmed, in the preface informs the readers that these articles were scattered in various journals and publications, while some of them remained unpublished; the two worthy editors, Khalid Sohail and Ashfaq Hussain - both nurtured and cultivated in literary and cultural atmosphere of Karachi - have taken great pains to present it in this form.
In all there are 40 writings under separate headings. There are two articles by Faiz himself: 'Faiz on Faiz' - 'Problems of cultural planning in Asia with Special Reference to Pakistan' - there is review of Ashfaq Hussains' Biography of Faiz by Baidar Bukht - two articles by Mohammad Fayyaz - three by Khalid Hussain. An article by Salima Hashim concerning Faiz and new idiom for the people - Hassan Goardezi has dealt with 'Faiz's Tradition in literature and politics'. Other names of the writers or there subject matters are in way less important, but in a short space they cannot be dealt separately or individually.
This compilation would definitely help, those, who were not fully conversant with Urdu, in understanding Faiz's thinking and approach towards the solution of problems facing mankind. Khalid and Ashfaq must be congratulated for accomplishing such an arduous task.
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Book : 'Faiz a Poet of Peace from Pakistan'
Edited by : Khalid Sohail and Ashfaq Hussain
Publisher : Pakistan Study Centre, University of Karachi.
Price: : Rs 500/=
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