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Writers and intellectuals said at a session on the concluding day of the 10th Ayaz Melo, organised by the Khanabadosh Writers Café, on Sunday that Sheikh Ayaz was a poet of love and resistance and he was deeply influenced by all revolutionary characters sung by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai as well the unsung ones of Sindh’s history.

Intellectual Madad Ali Sindhi said at the session on Ayaz ja misali kirdar moderated by Haseen Musarrat Shah that historical revolutionary characters dominated Ayaz’s poetry. He said the port even included Raja Dahar among classical characters.

He observed that Ayaz was inspired by the martyrdoms of Bismil Azad, Hemo Kalahani, Sooriah Badhsah. He had a deep bond with Hashoo Kewalramani, who had a huge library in Karachi where Ayaz used to spend considerable time, he said, adding that Hashoo and Sobho Gianchandai had also left imprints on the poet.

Adal Soomro, poet, informed moderator Ayaz had described the martyrdom of Dodo Soomro in a unique way. He had a special connection with Bhitai and that was why he had dedicated several verses to the great Sufi poet, he said.

Another panelist Naseer Mirza termed Ayaz a poet of love and resistance. He was a role model in Sindhi society and “Sindh was everything for Ayaz,” he remarked.

Discussing the poet at a session on Ayaz jee rawadari ain Sindh, Qaumi Awami Tehreek leader Ayaz Latif Palijo said that acceptance and tolerance of others’ views was in fact ‘rawadari’ (tolerance). Ayaz was Sindh’s identity in the world and a gift for future generations, he said.

Noted artist Sheema Kirmani, and Siraiki writer Rana Mehmood said that Ayaz was deeply connected with his soil and he had influenced a great many people through his poetry.

Dr Sarfaraz Khan from Peshawar University called for actualising the ideals pursued by the poet and, to start with, demanded the distribution of water among all provinces on the basis of equity.

Meanwhile, some TV cameramen complained of mistreatment by volunteers of the festival on Saturday night when they were covering a performance.

Canals issue dominates Day-2 proceedings

Sindh’s crucial water issue dominated the second day’s proceedings at the Ayaz Melo on Saturday with experts warning that if the plan for smaller and greater Cholistan (desert) canals went ahead to irrigate Punjab’s desert then the rest of downstream areas in Sindh would eventually turn into a Cholistan.

Naseer Memon, a prolific writer on water issues, progressive farmer Syed Mahmood Nawaz Shah, and noted environmental journalist Allah Ubhayo Khushik shared their insights with the audience at the session moderated by Professor Ismail Kunbhar.

Memon disclosed that six million acres were to be irrigated through greater and 1.2m acres through smaller Cholistan canals. “If the scheme of Cholistan is executed then the rest of downstream areas will become Cholistan. If the desert [in Punjab] is irrigated then already irrigated areas [in Sindh] will become desert,” he warned.

Khushik asserted that Kachhi canal’s phase-I, which had been completed at a cost of Rs80bn, had so flawed an alignment it led to damage at 100 points during flows of hill torrents, and then the prime minister spent another Rs8bn to rehabilitate it.

He said that Punjab managed to obtain a water availability certificate from Irsa (Indus River System Authority) which was not mandated to do so. Smaller Cholistan would irrigate 1.9 acres area and greater Cholistan 4.4m acres, totalling 6.6m acres, he added.

Shah said: “Policymakers are approving project(s) in the dark of the night. This project was not viable in any manner and “we will not even have drinking water, let alone water for agricultural needs if this project is executed”.

Originally published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2024