Adil Najam
[UPDATE: Sadly, Ahmed Faraz died in Islamabad ]on August 25, 2008. Details here.]
Despite an erroneous news earlier that renowned poet Ahmed Faraz had died in a Chicago hospital, the news right now is that Ahmed Faraz is still alive, but not at all well, struggling for his life in a Chicago hospital.
Here is the latest from The News:
CHICAGO: Renowned poet Ahmed Faraz is alive and still under medical treatment at a local hospital here, said his physician Tahir Rohail, brushing aside the earlier report of his death aired by state TV. He said Ahmed Faraz is seriously ill at a hospital in Chicago where necessary medical treatment is being provided to him.
Others are still reporting his death, seemingly based on a TV channel news item. It seems - we hope - that the TV channel jumped the gun on this and Faraz Sahib is still alive.
We have, of course, written multiple times on the legendary poet - including here, here and most recently here. I shake as I type this and I pray that we will NOT be writing about his demise anytime soon. For me Faraz has always been a fighter, and we are rooting for him in this fight too. Here is some of Fawaz the fighter:
We certainly pray that he is and that he will remain alive and kicking for a long time. But (earlier) reports, from people close to him, seem to suggest that his condition is very critical and it has been and remains a touch and go situation. He needs our prayers.
Wish You Good Health & Long Life. My Prays are with you for your recovery.
Best Regards,
SALMAN KHALID
JEDDAH-SAUDI ARABIA
Ahsan thanks for sharing a hopeful news with us.
Thanks, AHsn, for the update on Ahmad Faraz. I wish, when he gets well, he sues the PTV and other channels, for a few million dollars, for televising the false news of his death.
For all,
The latest news is :
WASHINGTON, July 17: Poet Ahmad Faraz is breathing on his own without
mechanical assistance, his physicians told Dawn on Thursday, contradicting
earlier reports that he had died.
“He is not 100 per cent well,” said Dr Murtaza Arain who leads a team of
eight physicians looking after the poet.
“He is not on a ventilator and not on a cardiac assistance device. He is
breathing on his own.”
Another member of the team, Dr Tahir Rohail, urged Faraz’s well-wishers to
pray for him because “his condition is not very promising.”
Faraz was brought to the Adventist Hinsdale Hospital near Chicago about 10
days ago with multiple health problems.
Faraz came to Washington late last month to attend the annual convention of
Pakistani physicians in North America and fell during a visit to the
Canadian Embassy, injuring his forehead, knees and shoulders. He was taken
to a hospital in Baltimore but discharged after a summary examination.
After the initial treatment, Faraz flew to Chicago where his pain worsened
and he felt extremely unwell. His host, Dr Khawaja Nasim, referred him to Dr
Arain, who is director of the trauma services at Hinsdale.
A team of Pakistani doctors examined Faraz again and were alarmed to find an
infection in the soft tissue of his knee, which had given him a high fever.
His blood pressure was unacceptably high and his kidneys were
malfunctioning.
“Poets are not always very careful about their health,” said Dr Rohail, who
is also a close friend of Fraz’s son Shibli Faraz who was with the poet at
the hospital.
“So he was not very healthy otherwise and the injuries further worsened his
condition.”
Dr Rohail said that Faraz’s kidney and respiratory problems had exacerbated
and his chronic illnesses were catching up with him. “Halaat ahchchay naheen
hain (his condition is not good).”
Dr Arain said that Faraz also had a high-blood pressure even before the fall
and received dialysis to improve his kidney function.
When Dr Arain saw him on July 7, Faraz appeared “confused and disoriented.”
He has improved since then but “any one of his chronic illnesses could
become a major problem,” the doctor said.
Dr Arain said that it was “an honour for Pakistani physicians to treat
Faraz … we are not giving up, we are working hard and need everybody’s
prayers.”
(From the Daily Dawn, July 18, 2008)
Mohammad Gill
I pray for his health and life. Ahmed Faraz was a rebel to the core. Excerpts from one of his works which I suppose never got published for very obvious reasons. A poem about “pak” army which he wrote in early 70’s.
Mai nay ab tak tumharay qasiday kahay
aur aag apnay naghmoan say sharminda hoon
Apnay shairoan ki hurmat say hoon munfayil
apnay fun kay takazoan say sharminda hoon
apnay dilgeer pyaroan say sharminda hono
Jab kabhi meri dil zara khak par
saya-e-ghair ya dast-e-dushman para
jab bhee katil muqabil saf ara howay
sarhadoan par meri jab kabhi run para
mera khon-e-jigar tha ya harf-e-hunar
nazar mai nay kia mugh say jo bun para…
………..
Aansoowoan say tumhain alwidaain kahin
Ramz gahoan nay jab bhee pukara tumhay
tum zafar mund tau khai kia lot-tay
haar nay bhee na jee say utara tumhay
tum nay jaan kay auwaz abroo baich dee
hum nay phir bhee kia hai gawara tumhain…..
….
sena chakan-e-mushriq bhee apnay hee thay
jin ka khoon munh pay malnay ko tum aai thay
maamtaoan kee taqdees ko lotnay
ya baghawat kuchalnay ko tum aai thay
un ki taqdeer kia tum badaltay magar
un ki naslain badalnay ko tum aai thay..
…………
jaisay bartanvi raj may ghorkhay
wahshatoan kay chalan aam un kay bhee thay
jaisay safaak goray thay vietnam may
haq parastoan pay ilzam un kay bhee thay
tum bhee aag un say kuchh mukhtalif tau nahi
rifalain wardian naam un kay bhee hay…
…….
jin kay jabroan ko apnoan kaa khon laag gaya
zulum ki sab hadain patnay aa gaaye
marg-e-bungal kay baad bolan may
sharioan kay galay katnay aa gaaye
aag sarhad say punjab -o-mehran tak
tum nay maqtal sajaaye hain kion ghazio
itni gharat ghari kis ki ima pay hai
kis kay aagay ho tum sarnagoon ghazio
kis shansha-e-aali ka farman hai
kis ki khatir hai yea kasht-o-khoon ghazio….
…….
tum nay dehkhay hain jumhoor kay kaflay
in kay haatoan may parcham baghawat kay hain
paprioan pay jami paprian khoon kee
kah rahi haain yai manzar kiamat kay haain….
…..
This is most unfortunate.
Does anyone know if any of the TV channels actually apologized for their horrible mistake?
I hope they did.
“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” -Mark Twain
Being a fan of Faraz and his poetry, I sincerely hope he will live to tell the story of how the news of his death was premature and highly exaggerated. I’d love to see him write a beautiful poem about it after he recovers.