During the four sessions at the Mela starting at 2pm till 9pm, poets, singers, political & social activists and artists paid rich tribute to the life long struggle of Jalib for the uplift of the working people.

Habib Jalib was a staunch supporter of democratic structure and was totally oppose to military rulers. He wrote household famous poems against military dictators and elite class. He wanted a just society based on the principles of justice, equality and dignity for ordinary people. He was Leftest poet loved even by the right wingers.

The Jalib Awami Mela Committee, a net work of social and political groups and individual organised this mela. During the six weekly meetings held for the Mela organisation, the Committee finalised the details of the Mela and raised funds.

Renowned social activist and former general secretary of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan presented the first yearly “Jalib Award for the Courage” to Iqbal Lala, father of Mashaal Khan Shaheed. The award also carried a cash prize of Rupees 50,000. Mashaal Khan was lynched to death by religious fanatics in a university campus in Mardan because of his Leftist ideas and practice.

After 27 years of the death of the revolutionary poet Habib Jalib, such a massive crowd gathered to pay rich tribute to him and vowed to continue to spread his Socialist ideas.

Earlier on 18^th February 2019, a very successful Faiz Amn Mela at the same venue. There was such a crowd and enthusiasm that the debate has been that which Mela had more participants. Within 40 days, we have mobilised over 15000 in two festivities, along hundred of thousands heard the message of the Left in the street of Lahore.

In recent years, moat of posters and flexes had been from the mullahs organising religious event, or from parties of the rich, however, Lahore witnessed a different culture of flexes with revolutionary poetry of Faiz and Jalib, two tanga marches with announcements by female activists all over inner city for the events.

Those who spoke in the first session on politics include, Dr Lal Khan, Editor Asian Marxist Review, Hamid Mir, a renowned journalist and anchor, Furrukh Suhail Goindi, a publisher cum political activist, Jawad Ahmad, chairman Brabri Party, Ihsan Wain, a senior advocate, Husnain Afridi, activist Progressive Students Collective, Tahira Jalib, daughter of Habib Jalib.

They all reiterated to continue the mission of Jalib to carry out the emancipation of working class from the clutch of capitalism and feudalism. They said that Jalib was not representative of any nation but a true fighter for working class.

The speakers said that this festival after successful Faiz Amn Mela on 18 February 2019, are being organised to revive the Left traditions and Left ideas as whole.

The second session was a poetry reciting wherein poets like Baba Najmi, Haris Khalique, Tahira Sara, Dr Kanwal Feroz, Nasreen Anjum Qureshi, Sarfraz Safi, Razi Haider, Irfan Conrade, Baba Talib Hussain and orhers recored revolutionary poetry with a great response from the audience.

The third session was theatrical performances by Lal Hartaal, and Haqooq Khalq Movement. They performed on the poetry of Jalib particularly Jaag Merey Punjab keh Pakistan Chala, (Wake up Punjab or Pakistan is disintegrating).

The last session of singing opened with Lal Band, Saqib Lobar, Anait Abid, Ishrat Jehan, Lahore Rap, Nasir Khan and others.

A subsidised food was offered to the participants for Rupees 20 for a portion of Vegetable Beryani, Nan Haleem, Dahi Bhalley or a cup of coffee and Rupees 10 for cup of tea. All food gone as the we did not compromise on quality or quantity of the food.

Normally such events are organised where you are offered food on higher prices than the market prices. But here at least 80 percent food subsidy was offered to bring the prices to that level.

The Mela participants raised slogans for the release of Baba Jan, Mehr Sattar and other political prisoners, express solidarity with striking college teachers who are sitting for the fifth day at Charing Cross Lahore.

Farooq Tariq
Jalib Awami Mela Committee
Spokesperson Awami Workers Party