Zubair Qureshi
A one-day national conference on “Akbar Allahabadi: Historical and Cultural Perspective” paid rich tributes to the great poet of Urdu who skillfully highlighted in his poems “clash between the local and the western civilizations in the subcontinent almost a hundred years ago.”
The conference was organized by the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) on the occasion of the death centenary of Akbar Allahabadi.
Eminent poet Iftikhar Arif presided over the event whereas Dr Tehseen Faraqi (Lahore) and Sarfraz Shahid (Islamabad) were the chief guests. Director General (DG) NLPD, Dr Rauf Parekh presented the welcome note.
In his introductory remarks, Dr Rauf Parekh said Akbar Allahabadi was a great poet who had a profound knowledge of the contemporary scene of the subcontinent.
It was the time western thinkers were influencing the minds of the youth and the English elite class and its values had become a symbol of success and everybody felt proud in copying them.
Akbar was concerned with defending the subcontinent’s civilization and culture and this war he waged in his satirical and humorous style.
Addressing the conference, Iftikhar Arif stated Akhbar Allahabadi was known as the greatest satirical poet of Urdu literature.
He was both the originator and the master craftsman of his style. In Dr Tehsin Firaqi’s view, Akbar Allahabadi was the focus of Iqbal’s attention and an unmatched poet of the twentieth century.
Akbar’s personality portrays a strong focused mind, said Sarfraz Shahid adding Akbar Allahabadi always worked for the promotion and implementation of the Urdu Language.
Dr Abdul Aziz Sahir was of the view that Akbar Allahabadi did not oppose the western education but he was against adopting western culture.
