This poem by Alamgir Hashmi is divided into three sections. The first part deals with the bloody partition of the Sub-continent. Some horrible and terrifying pictures of the migration are drawn. The second part discusses the advent of Islam in this region of the world and the glory of the Muslim conquerors and empire. There is also a reference to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and their desires to reach the warm waters of the Arabian Sea. And in the end the poet deals with the future of Pakistan and the hopes of the nation.
Pakistan Movement is undoubtedly a moment that resulted in a wholesale migration of millions of people from their home-lands. A number of horrible and heart-rending scenes are still in the memory of the migrates. The houses left by them are set on fire. Thousands of men were killed, girls were kidnapped and the processions were attacked. People became love-less. Communal violence created a scene of death, decay and disorder.
The blistering journeys on foot, the grinding oxcart
expeditions, the slow, steamy railways
and their marauders behind us. . . . .
. . . and 47’s burning cities behind us.
After portraying a picture of these horrible spectacles, the poet advices us to bring it under our speculation that it was the land sublimely beautiful dreamt by our poet philosopher, it was the land detected by the Arabian sailor (Muhammad Bin Qasim) where shrieking voice was projected by a widowed girl for assistance. This is the land which witnessed the general’s superb act of faith. The Muslim general, a lad of seventeen, considering it religious and sacred duty, came to her rescue. He paved the way for other Muslim generals to make a series of conquests on the Sub-Continent and provided a direction for compassing future achievements by their descendants. After that Muslims ruled over there for more than eight centuries. That was the height of Muslim rule in India.
After the partition, somewhere in 1979, the sea lions aspired to capture the world. They desired to reach the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. It was a big threat for the existence of Pakistan. But there-after unexpectedly a volcanic disturbance appeared from the belly of the earth. All their plans failed. Our enemy was divided into many independent Christian and Muslim states and by the grace of Allah Almighty we were protected. But the challenges are not over. We are realizing our hopes and expectations for the preservation, solidification and extension of our ideology.
Violent flow of rivers means revolution whereas unending slow flow of rivers means evolution. The past is astoundingly a beautiful valley. It is replete with the brilliant achievements of our forefathers. The present is full of intensity. Only those can survive who constantly remain in struggle to maintain their freedom against heavy odds, against their foes.
The poet ends the poem with the message that we should do good to our men, to our nation. We should maintain our freedom at any cost. He says that he feels like sowing the seeds of words there so that he could have good trees moving along the water-ways in future. The future is anyhow upon this planet, a worth tending flower. It must be kept in view to enjoy its beauty and fragrance upon permanent basis.
The structure of the poem is complex and complicated because the style of the poet is suggestive and reflective. The readers must have some knowledge of history to pursue the poet’s ideas. The poet builds up a sequence of pictures rather than giving a scene from beginning to end. This seems haphazard to the readers. However, on a careful study of the poem it has been found that there is a thin and subtle thread which runs throughout the poem and gives it a sort of unity. The above said incidents are not narrated in a traditional way rather they are only hinted upon to put forward a justification for the creation of Pakistan and they also urge us to stand for the freedom of our country and preserve its ideology.
Huzaifa Saleh Qureshi / CC BY-SA
