Munir Niazi is one of the biggest poets to have emerged from the subcontinent. He’s right up there with names like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Jon Elia, Ahmed Faraz. While his name resonates with generations, we still don’t give him the recognition that his work deserves, for example, the fact that he calls himself a Punjabi, but he’s of Pashtun descent. His work has not only been used in movies which went on to become super hit songs, like ‘Jis Ne Mere Dil Ko Dard Diya’ and ‘Zinda Rahein Tau Kaya Hai Jau Mar Jaaein Hum Tau Kaya,’ but also in pop culture, where we see Najam Sheraz singing ‘Un Se Nain Mila Ke Dekha’ and The Kominas singing their own rendition of ‘Kuj.’ He’s evoked strong emotions through his poetry, in both Urdu and Punjabi. While this list doesn’t put even a dent in the mountain of work by Munir Niazi, these are some of our favorites.
1. Khwab hotey hain dekhne ke liye
Kuch na hoga gila bhi karne se,
zaalimon se gila kiya na karo.
Un se niklen hikaayaten shayad,
harf likh kar mita diya na karo.
Apne rutbe ka kuchh lihaaz, munir
yaar sab ko bana liya na karo…
2. Adab ki baat hai warna, Munir, socho to, jo shakhs sunta hai woh
3. Gham-e-khaas per kubhi chup rahay
Koi daagh hai merey naam per
Koi saaya merey qalaam per
Yeh pahaar merey saamney
Ke kitaab manzar-e-aam, kisi intezaar-e-nazar mein
Koi roshni kisi baam per…
4. Khwahishein hi khwahishein hain aur hunr koi nahi
Daman-e-kohsaar main ya sahil-e-darya kay paas
Oonchi oonchi chootioun per sarhad-e-sehra k paas
Mut’tafiq aabadion main wus’aat-e-tanha kay paas
Rooz-e-roshan kay kinaray ya shab-e-yaldakay paas
Iss pareshani main mera rehbar koi nahin…
5. Lazim nahi ke us ko bhi mera khayal ho
Koi khabar khushi ki kahin se mile, Munir
Iss roz-o-shab mein aesa bhi ik din kamaal ho…
6. Kuj shehr de log vi zaalim sann
Kuj shauq si yaar faqeeri da,
Kuj ishq ne dar dar rool dita,
Kuj sajna kasar na chaddi si
Kuj zehr raqeebaan ghol dita
Kuj hijr firaq da rang charheya
Kuj maahi anmol dita
Kuj sarr gayi kismet meri
Kuj pyaar vich yaaraan rol dita…
7. Muhabbat ab nahi ho gi
Sitaarey jo damaktey hain
Kisi ki chashm-e-hairaan mein
Mulaqaatein jo hoti hain jamal-e-abr-o-baraan mein
Yeh na’aabad waqtoun mein dil-e-nashad mein ho gi…
8. Ranj e firaq e yaar mein ruswa nahi hua
Aesa safar hai jis mein koi humsafar nahi
Rasta hai is tarhaan ka ke dekha nahi hua
Mushkil hua hai rehna iss dayaar mein
Barsoun yahaan rahay hain, yeh apna nahi hua…
9. Veeraan hai poora shehar koi dekhta nahin
Sadkon pe beshumaar gul-e-khoon parre hue
Pairoun ki daaliyon se tamaashe jharre hue
Kothon ki mamtiyon pe haseen butt kharre hue
Sunsaan hain makaan kahin dar khula nahin
Kamre sajey hue hain magar raasta nahin…
10. Shikwa kerein tau kis sey
Ik raayegaan amal ki reyazat kerein tau kya
Jis sheyy ne khatam hona hai, aakhir ko aik din
Uss sheyy ki itne dukh se hifazat kerein tau kya
Maani nahi Munir kisi kaam mein yahaan,
Ita’at kerein tau kya…baghawat kerein tau kya?
11. Un se nain mila ke dekha
Doori mein kya bhedd chhupa hai,
Iss ka khoj laga ke dekho.
Kisi akeli shaam ki chup mein,
Geet puraane gaa ke dekho.
Aaj ki raat bahut kaali hai,
Soch ke deep jala ke dekho.
Dil ka ghar sunsaan parra hai,
Dukh ki dhoom macha ke dekho…
12. Zinda rahein tau kya hai
Dunya mein khamoshi sey guzar jayei hum tau kya
Hassti hi apni kya hai zamaney ke saamney
Ek khwaab hain jahaan mein bikhar jayein hum tau kya
Ubh kaun muntazir hai humaarey kiye wahaan
Shaam aagayi hai laut ke gher jayein hum tau kya…
13. Kisi ko yaad rakhna ho, kisi ko bhool jana ho
Zuroori baat kerni ho, koi waada nibhaana ho,
Usse aawaz deni ho, usse waapis bulana ho
Madad kerni ho us ki, yaar ke dhaarus bandhna ho
Bohat day’reena rastoun per kissi se milne jaana ho
Badalte mausamoun ki sair mein, dil ko lugaana ho
Kisi ko yaad rakhna ho…kisi ko bhool jaana ho…
We sincerely hope we come to a point where poets as big as these are taught at every level of education, and our future generations are aware of the people who made our culture what it is. Pakistan Zindabad.