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Poets from Lahore have pinned hopes of peace on the unscheduled meeting between prime ministers of India and Pakistan on Friday evening. The bonhomie shown by Indian PM Narendra Modi has been well received by people, they said.
"Asi nafratan kar ke vekh layian, asi dooriyan bhi bana ke vekh layian; hun saanjha vekhniya chahunde haan, mohabbatan karnia chahunde haan' (We have seen hatred and created distances; now we want togetherness, we want to love again)," wrote Afzal Sahir about Modi's meeting with Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif on his (Sharif's) birthday.
Speaking from Lahore, another Punjabi poet Baba Najmi said, "Goli anni goongi boli, sangio ehda sang ni changa, koi aehda rang ni changa; goli edhron challe odhron challe, goli naal puara penda, goli naal ujara penda; edher bhi ih banda maare, odhar bhi ih banda maare; aapne bande maaran naalo, ek dooje de seene laggo, phullan de guldaste labho (The bullet is blind, deaf and voiceless. O friends you get nothing from its closeness; a bullet is fired from here, another is fired from there, a bullet causes mayhem; it kills a man here, it kills a man there; instead of killing each other's men, embrace each other and look for bouquets)."
Describing this as a long-awaited move, Baba Najmi said, "People of Pakistan have witnessed a lot of bloodshed and now we want peace to prevail between the neighbouring countries. We are eager to see the end of bullets and want these to be replaced with flowers. Luckily, this time, besides people, most Pakistani politicians have also welcomed the visit of the Indian PM."
Afzal said, "Leaving aside one or two MPs of a religious party, everyone, right from politicians to the people have welcomed Modi's surprise visit. Turning hatred into friendship and love is the need of the hour." He narrated a few lines of his poem, expressing the desire for cordial relations with India. "Ajj da roz mubarak charia, Ranjha saade vehre varia, aao ni sayio ral ke davo vadhai (Today's an auspicious day, Ranjha has come to our courtyard; come friends let's congratulate him."
Social activist and founder of the Institute for Peace and Secular Studies (IPSS) Diep Saeeda said, "People here now seem very positive and some celebrations were also held on Friday evening after the meeting between Sharif and Modi."
