"I Don’t Think I’ve Achieved Enough in My Life"

(Amjad Islam Amjad)

Aliya Rasheed Ahmed

“In fact, this socializing is affecting my reading habit. Honestly, I am not reading enough compared to what I have been doing for the last several years. Being a writer it is an irreparable loss but I can not ask my friends to vanish.” Amjad’s innocent grumble was very similar to the famous story ‘Mojhay Meray Doston Sey Bachaao,” written by Sajjad Haider Yalderam. I remember the story because it was in our school course.

“Problems is none else than the shortage of time. Even then I am thankful to Allah for having given me more friends than foes,” laughed Amjad, and then added that he is one of those lucky people who have got sincere, lovable friends. Apart from close friends and associates which are in great number, Amjad has hordes and hordes of admirers, too, who enjoy the hidden sensitivity and softness of his poems and ghazals.

What is his opinion about them?

“I am thankful to those who appreciate my work. I want to mention here that my admirers think I can solve their practical problems, too. I always try to make them realize that being a writer I can only present their problems through my writings but cannot give solutions. Sometimes, they do not understand and I feel very awkward because I can share their griefs and problems but I am not in a position to solve them.”

Amjad has two daughters and a son. How does he manage to spend time with his family? “I Love to spend time with my family. Once or twice in a week I take them out for dining. I don’t neglect my family. In fact, I enjoy their company.” Is he satisfied with the way your generation is coming up with their creative output?

“It is not a matter of my satisfaction, these young people should satisfy themselves. Over all, the situation is not very discouraging. Young people have thought and expression. The only thing that pinches me at time is that comparatively, they show lesser knowledge of classic literature. Their base is not mature enough compared to what our contemporaries showed. The other point to ponder is commercialism. Newspapers have coloured literary pages, they promote every Tom, Dick and Harry of the town. The available short cuts are responsible for the decline for poetry and almost all the performing arts.”

Amjad is regularly writing a column in the daily JANG. Does he enjoy the new assignment? “Yes, I do. Because this is another powerful medium of expression. Through my columns I can discuss many points which give me pain in day to day life, be it a social, economical or cultural problem.” Amjad says, “Our society doesn’t offer a natural way of catharsis and this painful fact is enough to pinch a sensitive person.”