Tarana-e-Dosti; a Beautiful Urdu Poem by Jabib Jalib

Habib Jalib

Habib Jalib (Urdu: حبیب جالب) (Real name: Habib Ahmad) (Urdu: حبیب احمد) was a Pakistani revolutionary Urdu poet, left-wing activist and politician who opposed martial law, authoritarianism and state oppression. 

Jalib was a Marxist-Leninist and aspired to the ideals of Communism. He was a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan; later when the Communist Party was banned and started working under the banner of National Awami Party (NAP), he joined the NAP. His views led to imprisonment. 

His poetry shows that, being a communist, he was pro Russia and China. He wrote many poems and Ghazal against USA and in many of his poems he even mentioned Ronald Reagan, the than President of USA, and showed his dislike to him. 

In the following enjoy reading “Tarana-e-Dosti” (Urdu: ترانہ دوستی) (English: The Anthem of Friendship) a beautiful Urdu poem (نظم) by Habib Jalib. In this poem he promotes the Pak-Russia Friendship. Russia, known as Soviet Union back than, was heading the communist block while the United States of America was leading the Capitalist block. The, almost, whole world was divided into these two blocks. As a Matter of historical fact, since beginning of Pakistan, Both, Russia and America, were eager to have friendship relations with Pakistan and both countries invited Liaqat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, to visit them and being a communist, Jalib promoted the Pakistani ties with Russia, but destiny of Pakistan decided otherwise. It has now become a topic of hot debate in Pakistan whether the decition of Pakistani political elite to go to the American Block and leave Russia was good for Pakistan of bad? But now, the snow between Pakistan and Russia has started melting and recently high officials of both countries visited each other.

Anyway, forget about Pak-Russia Dosti and, enjoy the poem.