Several years ago, a contemporary but famous columnist had said that if the nature is not suitable, then one should avoid writing columns forcefully. However, if 15 friends and well-wishers insist on writing a column, then even the excuse of unsuitable nature would be futile if they call to urge me to write. Nevertheless, the real reason for not being able to stay in touch with readers for some time was my illness, and I am extremely grateful to those friends who insisted on calling me and urging me to write a column. Their number had exceeded 15. I was also unable to go to the office for some time due to illness, and I am now reminiscing about the days spent in bed during illness. It was during this time that the smiling face of Mohsin Naqvi emerged from the beautiful memories of forty years ago.
Mohsin Naqvi, born on May 5, 1947, in the Sadat neighborhood of Dera Ghazi Khan, smiled in the traces of beautiful memories forty years ago. In 1996, on January 15, Mohsin Naqvi, who used to come to me as a colleague and also wrote columns for Roznama-e-Musawat during 1988, was martyred by savage killers who fired 18 bullets at him in the market of Allama Iqbal Town. Although my association with Mohsin Naqvi was very old.
During the appearance of Zahoor Nazar conference in Bahawalpur in 1985, he kept introducing me to a local female poet out of courtesy. The real reason for our friendship was Mohsin Naqvi’s humility and sincerity. During 1988, when I was publishing Mohsin Naqvi’s poetry in the literary edition of “Masawat” with great care, the poet Mohsin Naqvi was very grateful and thankful. He even confessed to his friends about my heartfelt dedication to this cause. Although Mohsin had already established himself in the world of literature before my birth, this is also an excellent example of his exceptional nature in front of me. Secondly, Mohsin Naqvi proved to be an exceptional poet in spontaneous expressions. During our daily meetings, he often expressed his emotions through poetry. Once, I had some doubts about whether his poetry was the result of practice or not, and I expressed my reservations about it to him. However, when I requested Mohsin to recite something for me, he presented me with a masterpiece of poetry that instantly removed all my doubts. The final verse of that poem is a dedication to the readers.
Since man is lost, how can he find contentment?
Where there is a recluse, there the famine of men reigns
For his heart is like a sacrificial lamb of purity in the sea
How can there be a rise, how can there be a fall, in the seas?
Mohsin Naqvi was not only skilled in poetry but also in elegy writing. He used analogies of the Karbala incident in his poetry extensively. In his works, “Bund Qaba”, “Azab-e-Deed”, “Khema-e-Jaan”, “Barg-e-Sehra”, “Taloo-e-Ashk”, “Haq Elyas”, “Rekht-e-Shab”, “Raiza-e-Harf”, and “Mauj-e-Idrak” can be found.
And others are included. Romance and pain were prominent elements in Mohsin Naqvi’s poetry. His romantic poetry was particularly popular among young people. Many of his ghazals and poems are still commonly spoken and considered an asset to Urdu literature. Mohsin has dressed rare and unique thoughts in the garb of poetry in such a way that the reader of poetry remains amazed.
There was a “spectacle” but it was lost in the veils of nothingness. There was a “picture”, but it was awaiting the eye of certainty.
There can be no doubt about Mohsin Naqvi’s ability as a poet and lyricist. His prose, which has been preserved in the form of the prefaces to his poetic collections and his columns in newspapers, can undoubtedly be counted among the first ranks of creative editorials. It is Mohsin Naqvi’s birthday today, and along with his fans, I also remember the moments spent with him. Mohsin Naqvi was such a person from my community who maintained his relationships with friends until the very end. Mohsin never had a weak relationship with anyone. He knew how to maintain friendships, and his old friendship with Sarwar Sikandara was the reason for us to reconnect in the equation. At the same time, Raza Abbas Naqvi also continued to visit Mohsin Naqvi. There was a strong bond of love between Mohsin Naqvi and Raza Abbas, which Raza Abbas Naqvi still cherishes today. Mohsin Naqvi always preferred to spend time with like-minded people, and he also expressed it in his poetry.
He also feared separation like me, and he also loved someone like me.
