Pakistan by Faiz

In many ways, the video below–inspired by this poem–is the precursor of this blog.This nazm by Faiz Ahmed Faiz is a perenial favorite. The layers of meaning, nuance, insight and relevance that each verse packs never ceases to amaze me.

For as long as I can remember, I would read or listen to this poem and the entire history of Pakistan would flash past me. This little experiment was an attempt to capture the images that the poem was conjuring up in my mind. Ultimately, it is my little homage to Faiz Ahmed Faiz as well as to the aspirations of ordinary