Faiz International festival has been happening for three years, now. Faiz’s daughters have been organizing this with a totally different mindset, capitalistic, rather than that of Faiz. Faiz-the leftist, the socialist, the poet, the voice of the unheard-is no more a voice against the oppression. The Festival happened at a posh place in Lahore, attended by all the upper middle class socialist and leftist, who came from all over the country. There was music, stalls, brands, imported guest speakers, students and the electable. But the tangible message which Faiz tried to present, was absent. Censorship had cursed this festival, too. As some prominent speakers, such as Ammar Ali Jan, were not allowed to speak, without an explanation. This is traitorous. People who witnessed Faiz’s era cannot even think of such act at the festival of the poet of freedom. He iterated this many time

Bol ke lab azaad hein tere
Bol zabaan ab tak teri hai
[Speak! for your lips are free
Speak! You still have your tongue] If this was to happen, it shouldn’t have been organized in the first place. It seemed like an ironic event for Faiz’s thoughts. There were students; raising slogans but ideologically meagre. Speakers, all privileged, speaking for the deprived felt satirical. But, this was, corporately, a successful event. Irony, there was no Faiz to speak up against the current state of the country; where there is no freedom of expression. Many who knew the real Faiz stood up from their seats, murmuring
Uth kar tau agaye hein teri bazm se magar
Kuch dil hi janta hai ke kis dil se aaye hein
[We have left your gathering but
Only the heart knows, how we left] Contributor: Muneeb Khan