ISLAMABAD: A one-day national conference on “Akbar Allahabadi: Historical and Cultural Perspective” was organized by the National Language Promotion Department here Tuesday on the occasion of the death centenary of Akbar Allahabadi.
Eminent Poet Iftikhar Arif presided over the event whereas Dr. Tehseen Faraqi from Lahore and Sarfraz Shahid from Islamabad was the chief guest, said a press release issued here.
Dr. Rauf Parekh, Director General, National Language Promotion Department presented the welcome note. Dr Abdul Aziz Sahir, Dr.Tanzeem-ul-Firdous and Dr. Sofia Khushk were among the key note speakers.
In his introductory remarks. Dr Rauf Parekh said that Akbar Allahabadi was the poet who spoke of the clash between local and western civilizations in the subcontinent a hundred Years ago. Later western thinkers also came up with the same idea. Akbar was concerned with defending our civilization and culture which he presented in his satirical and humorous style, he added.
Addressing the conference, Iftikhar Arif stated that Akhbar Allahabadi was known as the greatest satirical poet of Urdu literature who was both the originator and the culminator of his style .The struggle which Akbar put up with his pen to save the Muslim society from the cultural invasion of the west, remains an important chapter of our history, he expressed.
Guest of honour of the ceremony, Dr.Tehsin Firaqi expressed that Akbar Allahabadi was the focus of Iqbal’s attention and an unmatched poet of the twentieth century. You can find few poets in Urdu poetry with such a strong faith in God and a vision like Akbar, he added and said that the existence of such poets was a source of pride for any society. Akbar’s personality portrays a strong focused mind, he said.
Sarfraz Shahid stated that Akbar Allahabadi always worked for the promotion and implementation of the Urdu Language. Urdu’s humorous poetry found a new genre through his poetical works. Even today, Akbar remains the greatest poet of humorous poetry in Urdu, he expressed.
Dr Abdul Aziz Sahir expressed the view that Akbar Allahabadi did not oppose western education but he was against adopting western culture.
Dr Tanzeem-ul-Firdous expressed the view that like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Mirza Ghalib, Akbar Allahabadi is also an important part of our cultural history.
Dr Sofia Yousuf stated that Akbar’s poetry was as important today, as it was during his own times .