A region, suffering from acute
starvation and persistent insecurity, cannot become creative and literary
easily. In multilingual Balochistan, literature is stunted, wasting and moves at
snail’s pace. Not to speak of English or Urdu literature, even local literature
is in deplorable state in Balochistan. At the time that literature is on the
deathbed in the province, the publication of Mitti Ki Dua by Salim Hasni in our
national language (Urdu) is not less than a blessing.
Salim Hasni is lecturer in English by profession and belongs to district
Barkhan. Mitti ki Dua is his first Urdu poetry collection. The collection
contains forty poems and ten ghazals. His poetry is all about love, peace and
tranquility, but sometimes he protests against modern slavery and women's
persecution in symbolic tune.
Successful love creates population; while broken love creates unique and
beautiful thoughts. When love becomes a scattering dream, then its aroma spreads
everywhere. Hasni’s unfulfilled dreams have morphed into balanced thinking,
colorful imaginations and sweet verses. To him, beauty exists in distance -- the
farther the distance between the lover and the beloved, the greater the beauty
will develop. He is not obsessed with power, fame and wealth; rather he is in
the search of music, dance, painting and smiling. He expects his darling to be
fond of literature and entertainment. The unfaithfulness of his darling brings
more power to his poetic imagination.
Hasni believes that the concept of love has come after the invention of the
wheel. To him, before the invention of the wheel, there was neither cloth nor
veil – everything was unveiled. He is in the favor of women empowerment and
women freedom. He hates toxic masculinity and male superiority.
Like Atta Shad, Hasni loves his native place (Balochistan) the most. In Mitti Ki
Dua, he praises Bolan, Chiltan, Koh-i-Sulaiman, Quetta, Ghawarikh, etc. to an
exaggerating level. He pays rich tribute to the natural resources of Balochistan,
and does not want these resources be exploited by foreigners. He uses different
symbols, colors and sounds to express his ideas. His Urdu poetry collection (Mitti
Ki Dua) is worth reading.
Mitti Ki Dua will prove to be an important chapter in Balochistan’s Urdu
literature. It is hoped that Mitti Ki Dua will be appreciated by Balochistani
Urdu intellectuals and salim Hasni will also continue writing Urdu poetry and
publishing literary books. More power to him!
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