By Fazal Amin Beg(based on an interview in 2014)
Ali Ahmad Shah (nom de plume as Shani) son of Ali Madad hah was born in july 1971 at Kil in Chipursan valley. He belongs to the Ghulam Shah lineage group of the Barcha tribe of Ganish (Central Hunza). His grandfather migrated to Kil in recent pas and settled there. Shani thus in this way was born in Chipursan valley and got language shift from Burushaski to Wakhi as it is a common phenomenon in the case of most of the language community speakers of entire Hunza valley as well as Gilgit-Baltistan Region. Shani has two daughters and tree sons.
Ali Ahmad Shani got his primary level education from the Aga Khan Diamond Jubilee school in his native village Kil (up to class 2 and Mirza Aman being his first teacher) and up to class-5 from the Aga Khan D.J. school Reshit in Chipursan valley. His teachers in this school were Asmatulah, Bahram Baig, MuhammadUllah Baig, Lutfullah and others.
After qualifying his primary education, Shani had the option to either go to Gulmit, Baltit, Gilgit in 1983 or Karachi. After consultation of his father with Shani, the latter was sent to Karachi as his closed relatives were present in the metropolitican metropolitan city. Ali Ahmad Shani thus reached Karachi and at his boyhood. Staying with his maternal uncle Sultan Feroz, Shani would work in the morning in a shop and go to school in evening. In this way, he did study and did his matriculation in 1988. Continuing his job, he got admission inIslamia College, Karachi. He didqualify his F.A. (Part I) but couldn’t continue his education as his father was seriously ill. After reaching his village staying for seven days in his house, Shani’s father passed away in 1989. As he was the only son of his paents, he had thus to stay in the village with his family (mother, wife and children). Thus, pursuing his education remained as a dream as there no one else to suort Shani and his family. These constraints compelled Shani and pushed him towards earning and feeing of his family.
For the first time, he started teaching in the D.J. school Kil and continued it from 1990-1995 by getting remuneration of Rs.500/- (five hundred only) per month. He did not continue his education along with his job, at least from the Allama Iqbal Oen University.
There came up a strategic shift with the Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKESP) in 1995 that those having their education above bachelors were retained while lower than graduation were released. AliAhmadShaiwasone of those teachers, as mentioned above, having basically his matriculation certificate only. He thus had to quit AKESP after his services of five years teaching.
Observing his people of the valley and the benefits in the trans-border enterprises, Shani then alsobegan his trading in the Little Pamir of Afghanistan with the Kirghiz people. He would bring Pamiri yaks to and sell them in Hunza.
In addition, he also joined seasonally the Tourism Industry and started going with the international tourists as porter and singer with the Nazir Sabir Expedition and Adventure Travel of AshrafAman,both belonging to the Hunza valley.
Building his nice friendship relationship with the Kirghiz of Little Pamir, as is a desired norm between the Wakhi of Hunza and Kirghiz of Little Pamir, Ali Ahmad Shani got the livestock relatively for cheaper rates. He thus also bought horses. Shani became an effective member of the Polo Teams of Chipursan valley. He played efficiently the polo. Furthermore, a team of an international film industry came to Chipursan valley and made a historical film on the mountain Wakhi community. Chivalry and polo in the was acomponent of this film. The horsemen of Chipursan valley including Shani were part of this film. Shani and his horse thus earned over one hundred thousand rupees in the film shooting. Shani thus linked his sport linked with his livelihood strategically. What we could observe that from the earning coming out of the horse’s laborious job and earning, Shani constructed a new house of him. Having this experience for four years only (1996-2000),Shanisold hissecond horse also and did not keep furthermore any horse as it very difficult to rear a horse as 24 hours, one has to be with the it to caring purpose. Those who are in nuclear family, like Shani,and children engaged with education, it is very difficult to raise or rear a hourse. There is a Wakhi proverb: “zẽman-e dilwiya et yash-e dilwiyayi barobar” (means “Reearing a child and rearing a hourse are equal”). Or in another word, it is also said: “Za et yashi yi zel”(achid and ahorse are same). It isthus became very difficult for Shanito keep up with horse.
Ali AhmadShani left for the down country in 2006. inRawalpindi, he joined a Chinese company named BGP where he initially worked as a Mechanic-Helper and later on promoted to Store-Keeper. Shani thus spent almost four years with the BGP.
In 2007, Mahbub Aziz of Gulmit and Dr. Farman of Khyber (Hunza Valley) working in Ishkoshim of Afghan Badakhshan with the Aga Khan Foundation’s Tourism Promotion Department favored in hiring Ali Ahmad Shani to assist them in the field (Wakhan district) to promote tourism and culture as Shan had experience of working in tourism industry as well as playing music (rabob), singing and martial art. He served Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan for ten months.
Ali Ahmad Shani facilitated the Wakhi horsemen learning playing polo for the first time after a long break initiated from the district headquarters Khandud (K̃hũndũt) in 2007. Another main achievement in the same year in August ofShani’s share is the historical initiative of the first ever organization of polo match on the Roof of the World, entitled “The First Pamir Festival” at Zhuy-Chilap,continued for three days. Thousands of people participated in the festival that included both local and international. Representatives of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), National Geographic Society and as well as Radio Afghanistan Kabul participated in the festival. Afterwards, in September 2007, Shani also facilitated the Aga Khan Foundation and the local community of Afghan Wakhan in organizing a cultural festival for tourism development at Chilkand (wherein the writer of this biography, Fazal Amin Beg along with his assistant Muhammad Yar Baig, also participated). The employees like Shani of the AgaKhan Foundation Afghanistan thus facilitated the local community in opening guest houses for the tourists. The guest houses included ofToshi Boy, Choqon Boy, Qach Big in Sarhad-e Burughel. Other guest houses were in Goz Khun, Qala-e Panja, Khandud, Ishkoshim and the like.
After his return from Afghanistan, Shani worked for two months with New Jubilee Insurance Company inRawalpindi but couldn’t continue it. He thus stayed at home for some time in Kil; but then started working as a contractor with the Chinese of constructing the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for three months in 2010 in Khunzhrav Valley as his son Liaqt was pursuing his study (as sub-engineer) in Swat (Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa). Although, this was a lucrative job, this was also hugely laborious, as at that time it was hard to easily get labors, Shani adds.
Ali Ahmad Shani now initiated for another venture. He opened a cabin-based eatery when the Hunza River lake (Attabad lake) was at village Hussani (Sisuni). With the shrinking of the lake in result of silting, the lake contined going down. Shani and other entrepreneurs also continued their enterprises. When the lake reached G̃harben of Gulmit, opposite Shishkat, Shani would try to benefit from the lucrative enterprise but he then ended up with this enterprise in autumn 2013 when he observed there would come up loss. He then moved to Rawalpindi-Islamabad and started working for the State Life Insurance Company. For over one year he has been working with the State Life and also along with his partner Abdul Hakim of Gulmit, he has initiated for an enterprise by supplying stationeries to the related stakeholders in Rawalpidni-Islambad.
Before entering in the field of poetry in 1993, Ali Ahmad Shani and Fazal Rahman of Zudkhun, being vocalists, would recite devotional songs at Bob Ghundi Shrine inChipursan Valley. The shrine visitors were in hundreds or in thousands and between 200 to 250 sheep and goats were slaughtered sacrificed by those visitors in the specified season. That provided an opportunity for Shani and his friend Fazal Rahman to gain their confidence and improve themselves in singing.
In the field of Wakhi poetry, Ali Ahmad Shani entered in 1993 when he was teacher. The first poem he composed resulted from the shock he received after one of his friends Rahmat Ali son of Asmatullah and Sharifullah along ith their other nine family members of Shorisavz encountered the tragic accident when in September 1992 the snow-avalach hit them at the Pomiri pastureland inChipursan. A stanza of his lament was as under.
Ye z̃hũ khushruyisht, ye z̃hũ yũwretk jawon
Hamev z̃hũ zindagi tu, ham z̃hũ pũzũv, ham z̃hũ jon
Kuyer chiz malũm tu, nas̃htes̃h yem hat jawon
Translation:
Oh, all my good-looking hey my selective youth;
You were my life, you were my heart, and you were soul;
Who knew that all these eight youg men will disappear.
Shai thus started his poetry. His friends and other people would insist him during the wedding or other times to sing songs and he would do so despite the fact there was no sufficient Wakhi poetry. At the initial stage of his poetry, he would take his versese to Asmatullah Mushfiq for his approval and improvement. In this way, he got appreciation and also correction of the verses.
By now, Ali Ahmad Shani has produced over 30 poems (lament, love and social) along with his livelihood struggles to address his family affairs; and sustain smooth life. Shani remarks that he isnot a poet of higher level but the mainpurpose was to promoe Wakhi language. Shani looks for a melody first and then starts construction of his poetry around it. Along with other poets, Shani would take the approaches of getting melodies of other poets within and out of Wakhi language; but later on, when there came up objection about it, he started altering slightly the already existing melodies and framed his poetry/songs around it, he adds.
Apart from his poetry and singing, Shani is also a musician, seems inherited from his father. He plays rubob, as he started taking interest in this instruement from his childhood hen he was only 6 years old. He would sit on the lap of his father and try to learn something. His father has remaiend a competent rubobist (expert of rubob-playing).
With the course of time, Shani is of the opinion, the Wakhi poetry is moving towards its developed form. “When we compare our poetry with the poetry of those who are well educated and also those of the youth, we shy away from our own poetry”, Shani states. It is remarkable that Wakhi Tajik Cultura Association (WTCA) Hunza after its formation in 1991 worked very hard in preserving, documenting and promoting the Wakhi language, especially provided golden opportunity for the artists of performing arts. “We are and should be very grateful to WTCA,” Shani adds.
In contrast, there is also a behavioral shift among the youth, particularly with the organizers of the performing arts program by the Wakhi cultural forums formed in Islamabad. The artists from far flung areas like Chipursan are invited to the programs and at the end their contribution are not acknowledged rather there are intancesof insulting htem. Unlike WTCA’s approach of appreciation to the artists in the gathering by the management, we evidence using cultural for few persons’ personal interests or otherwise, Shani shows his reservations.
At the end, Ali Ahmad Shani conveys his striking message to the Wakhi community, especially the youth and coming generations to sustain the high Wakhi values of hospitality, politeness and honesty. “Being Wakhi, we have not inherited cheating other people. We should promote our people and language together. We should honestly deal behave with our brothers and sisters. Our anguage should be taught in the schools.”
By Fazal amin Beg(based on a telephonic interview in 2014)
AfzalKarim son of Indijek (IqbalHussain) was born on February 2, 1979 in Shimshal valley of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltisan Region. He has two brothers and one sister. AfzalKarim belongs to the Bakhti lineage group within Mamu Sing clan.
AfzalKarim got his middle level education from the Government Middle School, Shimshal. Afterwards, he left for Karachi and did his matriculation as a private (external) student in 193 (needs to be confirmed according to the certificate). He then took admission in Government IslamiaCollege, Karachi and pursued his intermediate level education but he could not get his F.A certificate (in 1997? Not confirmed). as did not appear in the practical examinationof Geography as he had to prioritize his financial needs as he was working in a hotel in Karachi. Later on, heis also seen working as tourist guide in Gilgit-Baltistan Region.
Having his interest in related international languages and a need for tourism companies, AfzalKarimtook also admission in National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, where he pursued certificate course in Japanese Language in 2001.
In 2002, AfzalKarim got a job opportunity with the Emirate Airline in Dubai. He worked as Ground Cargo Clerk from 2002-2006.In the meanwhile, he also got a chance to move to and work in Canada. By living in Vancourver, since 2007, he has been working with different employers. Currently, he is serving Grouse Mountain.
The poetry composition initiative of AfzalKarim is interesting. He started it when he was probably in class 7 after getting a shock of a death of his elder brother’s son who passed away. He composed some lamenting verses but could not share with anyone as there was a conservative society, he adds and instead of any encouragement for such creativities, one would expect discouragement.
When AfzalKarim was in Karachi in his early ages, he also tried to keep in touch with his poetry creation. He was very impressed and inspired by the way of life of the elderly members of his village, especially the agro-pastoralists, and the way they expressed themselves. He would always prefer to sit with talk to those elders and listen them.
Of equal importance was AfzalKarim’s personal experience of interactions with and inspiration he has from the Nature. He would observe the way the community of Shimsahl opt for local philanthropy called Nomũs, when the people will go for constructing physical infrastructures like pony treks, suspension bridges over the rivers and the like. Resultantly, it is seen that there are some people in the community who would preserve, promoteand expose their good deeds, skills, power,bravery, and other positive communal contributions in the form of poetry. This itself was also a point of stimulus for AfzalKarim as he would evidence how such creative people were rewarded by the community in terms of appreciations and even somehow financially as well.
Afzal Karim is of the opinion there may not be any specific timeframe for falling in love with someone. At any time, anyone could steal one’s heartHe however fall in love when he was about 21 (years old He has composed his poetry around various themes. However, it is also noteworthy that between 2001-2009, there comes up a shocking period in his poetry life when his paternal first cousins all in sudden disappeared (in 2001) in Shimshal valley. Some people said, he might have drowned in the river; some would argue something else, he laments. During this timeframe, AfzalKarim got away from his poetry. After 2010, he enabled himself to re-track himself on this line.
AfzalKarimuses very typical Wakhi words in his poetry in addition with his highly metaphorical verses. Due to conservative environment for love songs and poetry in his valley, he could not expose them in public in the beginning. There came up a time in his life (probably in 1997), he had to throw a diary of his poetry in the river after his father scolded and discouraged him for composing the love songs. In the later phases, with the course of time, some of his verses his friends brought in public such as DoulatWaliBaig of Shimshal, a well-recognized musician (multiple instrumentalists and multi-lingual singer) and a music composer. Another good friend of him is Noor Khan, a melodious voice of the valley, sung the songs and made albums.
Although, AfzalKarim, showing his modesty, doesn’t weigh himself a poet of any high caliber, his audience like his poetry very much and rank him by elevating his poetic position as one of the Wakhi poets with deeper ideas.
AfzalKarim thinks that the Wakhi language has its own way of expressions coming into it traditionally. We need to sustain such types of expressions and styles. These days, we are influenced more by the Urdu, English and other languages and ways of expressions, he adds.
Ahmad Jami Sakhi son of Bashran Ali, belonging to the Sakhi lineage group within the Quli clan, was born in village Passu, Gojal, Hunza in 1954. He has five children (three sons and two daughters) who live in Gilgit city, GB Headquarter on permanent basis, for the past 30 years since 1984.
Ahmad Jami Sakhi got his primary level education from his native village in Diamond Jubilee school, Passu, then, managed and supervised under the former Hunza State. At that time, the entire upper Hunza valley lacked Middle and High level educational facilities. Therefore, only three options were available to parents: either to send their children to central Hunza in the only middle school of entire Hunza; or to Gilgit in the High school No.1; or to cease their education. Jami Sakhi was one of the lucky students of his area that his elder brother was serving with Northern Scouts (NS). Availing this opportunity, his father, being a clergy, advised his elder son and sent Jami to Gilgit for further education. He got admission in class 6 in the High School No. 1, Gilgit. Jami thus, acquired his middle and secondary level education from FG. High School No.1 from 1967-1972 and qualified his matriculation examination from the Board of Secondary Education, Lahore in 1972.
The 1971 War between Pakistan and India influenced the emotional youths of the time including Jami, who opted to join the Pakistan military forces with the aim to fight against the Indian forces and release their countrymen, captured in Bengal, then, East Pakistan and imprisoned in India. He served with Signal Corps of Pak Army for a couple of years and then resigned as the prisoners of war (PoW) were released as a result of political dialogue and Shimla Accord (agreement) between the two nations in 1973. He then, proceeded to Karachi in pursuance of his higher secondary level education from government city college, Nazimabad, Karachi. He got admission in Karachi University and got his BA (Hons), and MA in Sociology with distinction by obtaining Grade “A” and stood first in his class in 1982.
After earning his Master’s degree, Jami Sakhi also got an opportunity of availing an award of international scholarship by the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS), London in 1983. He had completed the first year of his two years Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) from the Institute of Education (IoE) University of London. He was on summer vacations in his native village Passu, Hunza in 1984, when he was offered a position with the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP), Gilgit (established in December 1982). At that time, there was dearth of human resources at local level to serve and sustain the organizations.
Jami thus served AKRSP for over 12 years (September 1984-June 1995), especially, in the fields of social organization, training, documentation, publication and dissemination.
Afterwards, Ahmad Jami Sakhi opted for and acquired experience in teaching in the Al-Azhar Model School and College, Gilgit for three years. Then, he joined International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1999 and served as Environment Education Officer in KVO Conservancy of Gilgit Region for more than two years. Since January 2002, Jami has been serving the Professional Development Center, North (PDCN), an affiliate outreach organization of the Aga Khan University-Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) in various capacities; such as, Research Associate-cum-Executive Assistant in 2002; then, he was promoted to the post of Academic Admin Officer in January 2007 and his position was enhanced as “Associate, Academic Administration” on 1st November 2013 that he continues till date.
The history of literary activities and contributions of Jami goes back to the second half of 1970s when, he was serving voluntarily as Honorary Secretary and then, followed by as Magazine Secretary of the Gojal Ismaili Students Association, Karachi (GISAK). For the first time in the history of upper Hunza, GISAK published an Urdu magazine entitled “وخ – وسط ایشیا میں (The Wakhi in Central Asia) including primary information on Wakhi ethnic group, their language and culture. This Magazine also included some folk tales and Wakhi poems narrated and compiled by different Wakhi students residing in Karachi to draw their attention towards creativity.
Jami entered his professional life, as a Social Organizer followed by Training Officer with AKRSP, Gilgit, utilized his time and resources meaningfully by producing several articles, personal profiles and village profiles that were published in “UJALA”. He also compiled and published more than 60 proceedings of the Presidents’ and Managers’ Conferences in booklet form during his attachment to AKRSP.
Keeping in view the negative aspects of globalization on the smaller languages of Gilgit-Baltistan in general; and Wakhi language in particular in the 1990s, Jami Sakhi initiated a Wakhi Primer offering dual transcription/writing system (Perso-Arabic & Latino-Greek based Alphabets) to his stakeholders and got it published in 2002.
After the establishment of the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association (WTCA), Hunza, in 1991 and its robust struggle, for the first time, representation to Wakhi language was given on 1st November, 1996 on the radio media (PBC) by the Ministry of Information. Jami Sakhi was the first voice in Wakhi Barnama-Sado e Bom e Dunyo and one of the founding artists of the Radio Pakistan Gilgit. He served the Wakhi Barnama to the best of his ability and capacity as compere and news reader for almost 18 years (1996-2014) as part-time artist. He introduced several voices and part-time artists in Wakhi Barnama and received high appreciation from the PBC, Gilgit Officials. He is also one of the recipients of “Award for best performance” from PBC, Gilgit.
In the field of poetry, Jami Sakhi got inspiration and stimulation from his Wakhi colleagues, who were either part of Wakhi Barnama or attended different thematic poetic sessions in Gilgit city. Jami is of the opinion that poetry plays a vital role in preservation, sensitization and promotion of any language. It is good that the Wakhi people, especially the youth, are more attracted towards this field. Jami has also composed some poems around devotional and some lyrical genres.
Jami has also rendered voluntary services in several community organizations in leading positions and has received appreciation for his honest and dedicated services.
Ahmad Riaz Ahmad son of Sultan Ahmad was born in 1953 in Gulmit (Kamaris), the headquarters of Gojal magistracy, in Hunza. He has two daughters and a son. He belongs to the Oshur lineage group (popularly known among the community as Arbobon) of the Buduley clan of Upper Hunza.
Ahmad Riaz got his elementary education from the Diamond Jubilee School in Gulmit. His teachers were Abdullah Jan and Noor Dil of Baltit and Ibadat Shah of Gulmit. He acquired his middle level education (class 6-8) in Baltit (Central Hunza. His teaches were Sultan Ali Samarqand of the Mir’s family and Afiyat Khan and Sanaullah Baig of the families respectively. He spent three years in Central Hunza in the houses of Wazir (one year) Juno and Ali Sher (two years) in Baltit and Hyderbad respectively.
After qualifying his 8th class, his father took Ahmad Riaz to Gilgit for the purpose of getting secondary level education. He was admitted in the Government High School No. 1. He stayed in the Shah Karim Hostel as a boarder. He did his matriculation in 1974, the year when the former Hunza State was abolished. He then proceeded to Karachi in order to get his higher secondary level education. He opted to get employment and continue his education along side. he got admission in the Federal Boys College, Nazimabad and also engaged with employment. He did his F.A. in 1977 from the Board of Intermediate Education (Higher Secondary), Karachi. When got a permanent employment with Pakistan Steel Company, he had to focus more on his job. He however did his B.A. and M.A. as a private candidate. Ahmad Riaz also earned his LLB from the S.M. Law College, Karachi. Along with his job with Pakistan Steel Company for 26 years, he also did his apprenticeship as an advocate. He got a membership of Sind Bar Association.
After his retirement (Golden Hand Shake), Ahmad Riaz moved permenatly left Karachi for his own area (Gilgit-Baltisan). Currently, he is engaged with practice of law as an advocate, on the one hand; and also serves Pakistan Broadcasting Company (Radio Pakistan Gilgit in the Wakhi and other language Programs), on the other.
Coming towards his creativities and poetry, Ahmad Riaz thinks that he has inherited it from his family in a lineal order as for the last five generations (from Arbob Diwon Shoh), his family has been closely involved in knowledge pursuance.
In a more realistic manner, Ahmad Riaz states that when he was in Shah Karim ostel in Gilgit, one of his senior fellows, Nazir Sabir (an internationally renowned mountaineer) was a source of inspiration for his poetry. Nazir Sabir had composed an Urdu poem when he was passing out his matriculation and leaving Shah Karim Hostel, he presented that poem in the students fare well program. A stanza of his poem followed as under.
Raho tum khosh hamisha, tum bhi akhir jaaney waaley ho
Kabhi asha’r Sabir tum bhi gaaney waley ho
Ahmad Riaz thus thought there could be poetry to be framed in such order. “I got inspired from the poem of Nazir Sabir and attempted to create his own poetry. Ahmad Riaz framed his first Urdu poem and presented it in the weekly Students Literary Session called Bazm-e Adab. His teacher Dr. Aziz Ullah Najeeb and Fida Ali Asar lauded Ahmad Riaz enormously. A line of his first Urdu poem Ahmad Riaz still remembers that follow as under.
Kabhi hasil, kabhi qatil, kabhi faani ye dunya hey
Sometimes this world seems benefactor, sometimes assassinator and sometimes mortal.
Riaz Ahmad Riaz recalls his memories regarding the first ever visit of his Imam of the Time, His Highness, Prince Karim Aga Khan, to Hunza valley in 1960. The stimulating factor of Ahmad Riaz’s devotional poetry was the emotional scene of this great socio-spiritual event in his lifetime when he was only 7 years old and he brought those scenes in poetry when he grew up and became mature, he adds.
By using a Perso-Arabic transcription style of his own, the first poetry composition in the form of a booklet Ahmad Riaz developed in the 1990s entitled Biqararom Ti Haten (I am Restless for You). A copy of this booklet is also available in the library of Institute of Isma’ili Center (IIS), London. ,
His first ever Wakhi verses were devotional, composed in 1974, that follows as under.
Shoh Karim Hozir Imom, Biqarorem ti haten
Aql-e kul waxt-e Imom, biqarorem ti haten
Nũr-e shon, nũr-e nishon, ilmen tu dawlat-e kon
Pokiza ruh-e makon, biqarorem ti haten
Ahmad Riaz is a nature lover and. He mentions in his poetry more about the flowers and other aspets of nature. In addition, he is also fond of human-flowers as well. Ahmad Riaz terms himself as one of the extraordinary aesthetical persons. And this is also one of the factors for his poetry, especially regarding his lyrical poems.
Ahmad Riaz states that he has composed altogether more than 100 Wakhi poems on various themes including devotional, lyrical, laments, national and the like. He is of the opinion that there is no practical support for such kinds of literary work. He is satisfied of the literary activities the related communities are carrying out to serve their mother tongues.
Ejaz Karim son of haqiqat ali (late) ,belonging to Dinali clan, was born on 23 March,1992 in Passu,hunza. He has one brother and six sisters
Ejaz Karim got his his elementary education from DJ -middle school passu after completing his Middle level education in 2007, he pursued to Al-Amyn Model School Gulmit for secondary level education. He did his matriculation in 2009 and moved to Abbottabad for intermediate level education. He did (FSC ) from PPC inter college Abbottabad . After completion of his (FSC) in 2011 he went to Lahore is currently (2014) doing his B A (Honrs.) in Interior Designing from ( IADM) Institute of Arts Design and Management, affiliated with (Edexcel Board UK)
Ejaz Karim is an art lover from his child hood, In 2008, he was honored the winner of national arts competition (Friends of the Environment) Golden jubilee imitative from hunza region. In the same year he started his poetry when he was in class 9, he is also a singer. So far he comes up with the first ever Wakhi video song in 2013 (Peshũw Z̃hũ Pũzũv) which was his own composition.
Ejaz Karim got inspiration In poetry from his late father Haqiqat Ali’s literature as he stood the first among the Pakistani Wakhi writers who compiled the Wakhi sounds in the form of primer (published in 1986) based on the German orientalist George Buddrus’s work on this language. In addition, Ejaz Karim was also impressed by his teacher Nazir Ahmad Bulbul who is a Wakhi poet and social worker.
Ejaz Karim thinks that arts and literature are the backbone of any society/ community his mission is to work on Hunza arts and architecture in future to preserve and prmote the beautiful aspects of native cultures and transfer them to the young generations.
By Fazal Amin Beg (Based on an interview on March 3, 2013, Rawalpindi)
Though, well-known before the public as Amanullah Nachiz, his actual name is Imanullah Baig who is the older son of Salikat Shah son of Khuram Shah of Ghulkin, Hunza valley, Northern Pakistan. He was born in his home village in 1950. He belongs to the Arbobon lineage group of Buduley clan of Gulmit. When he was 8 years old, he was, for the first time, sent for the elementary education in the Diamond Jubilee School in Gulmit.
After qualifying his primary level education, his parents wanted to sent him to central Hunza (baltit) for the middle level education but then were hesitant of their son being too young to be sent to someone’s house as Iman Ullah Baig was the only son at that time of his extended family. On the other, Iman Ullah Baig was also very naughty and his family members were also concerned that he may be in trouble in an alien place.
When Iman Ullah Baig was 19 years old, he was recruited in the military in 1969. On 14 August this year, he got his appointment in the military force (Karakoram Scout). He served the force for 22 years. 11 years of his services Imanullah Baig rendered in Skardu. In 1970, Imanullah Baig was sent to Olding (a military post) in Baltistan.
During the time of 1971 War between Pakistan and India, Imanullah Baig was serving on a post in Kafir Paharr (Infidle Mountain) in Baltistan. He fought in Kargil by serving the Signal Section. “The posts in Kargil we had occupied at that time but due to a Bangali spying major, we could not succeed to the extent we had to go”, states Iman Ullah Baig.
There was a very sturdy JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer/Subedar) of Ghizer district named Sher Wali. When a Balti soldier serving the Signal Section was killed, his assignment was given to Imanuallah Baig. Out of 170 soldiers, only 80 could survive and rest of them were killed in the battle, Imanullah informs. This tragic incident occurred at that time when the forces were asked to get retreat. The survivors however reached at their defense position.
Afterwards, Imanullah Baig was transferred to 8 NLI (Northern Light Infantary). He got his retirement from NLI when he was in Dudunyal (Kashmir) as Havaldar. When he served 21 years, his documents were sent to the higher officials for promotion as JCO but his father did not allow Iman Ullah Baig to serve further the military as there were also domestic challenges. Imanullah Baig is not happy with his father’s decision/consent regarding his promotion hurdle. He thinks that he must had rose to the position of Subedar Major as there was no senior Havaldar in his Unit except him.
In the field of singing, Imanullah Baig entered in his youth when he was 19 or 20 years old. Although, Iman Ullah Baig had composed one of his Wakhi poems but the Adolat-e Kũrsi became very famous when in the 1990s, the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association (WTCA), Hunza, had organized a festival and Imanullah sang it in the grand audience in Gulmit. So far, Imanullah Baig has composed almost 40 poems, mostly love songs.
Imanullah Baig has the practice of composing his songs after acquiring a melody on any theme. He says that it becomes difficult to compose a poetry if there is no melody first. “Poetry is like an ocean and we may not be termed as poets”, states Imanullah Baig. A poet needs to be knowleadgeable enough and has the capacity of weaving the concept whether in Farsi or Urdu or Wakhi or other languages. Imanullah Baig is also a musician. He can play wind and string instruments (e.g., flutes & sitor) as well drums like damal, dedang and the like.
Iman Ullah Baig thinks that these days the quality of poetry has increased as compared to the past (old age) during the time of the Princely State of Hunza. Previously, there used to be more enthusiasm but the quality of poems were not improved. He recommends that the native language speakers should take in in further improving their quality of poetry and music.
Edited by Fazal Amin Beg
Zakirullah Baig Rumi son of late Adina baig was born on July 6, 1989 in a small village of upper Hunza known as Jamalabad, he has four brothers and one sister. He belongs to the Rumi lineage group within Bobo Sufi clan of Avgarch valley.
Zakir Rumi started his schooling from Avi-Cena Model School Jamalabad and he moved to Gilgit in 1994. He completed his primary level education from Al-Azhar Model School, Gilgit.
When his father passed away in 2001, along with his mother and sister, Zakir shifted back to his village. His elder brother Shabbir, got admission for Zakir Rumi in the Aga Khan Diamond Jublee School Murkhun, but on the strong advice of his late father’s maternal first cousin, Sarwer Nabi, Zakir was provided admission in the Al-Amyn model school Gulmit, one of the best schools in the entire region.
Zakir Rumi thus spent one of the crucial period of his life in Al-Amyn Model School (2003-2008). His maternal uncle, Ali Ahmed Khan was teacher here in this school and he helped him in his studies as well as supported him morally. It was a great learning experience at Al-Amyn where apart from his studies Zakir Rumi also inspired from his teachers and developed his writing skills.
Zakir Rumi was in 7th class when he first produced a poem. It was basically an assignment from his teacher Rahim Khan, which Zakir sucssesfuly completed very positively and effectively, despite the fact that Zakir Rumi was not expecting that much. This led to boosting his morale to a higher degree. Consequently, the interest of Zakir multiplied in poetry. He thus started writing in a proper way which attracted the attentions of people around him.
In 2007 when Zakir Rumi was in class 9th he was elected the president of the literary society and he sincerely worked hard and compiled many Wakhi language phrases, tales, stories and poetry of students. Zakir Rumi still know the last farewell party when he was given a pile of certificates on his achievements and best poetry awards by their teacher Nazir Ahmaed Bulbol, a renowned Wakhi poet and Principal of his school.
In 2008 Zakir rumi passed his Secondary exam with high marks and topped in his school. Luckily he also qualified the test and interview of Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Gilgit, a prestigious educational institution in the entire Gilgit-Baltistan Region.
During his college days one of Zakir Rumi’s friend. Imran Emee convinced him to make an album, In the beginning, Zakir Rumi was startled because it was not an easy job to make an album, he thought. However, as a result of Zakir and his friends continuous struggle and enthusiasm they were able to find some sponsors but that was not enough. Zakir therefore managed from his own pocket money and hostel fee.
Two renowned Wakhi poets, Ali Qurbon and Saifuddin, were helpful and facilitative throughout the reviewing process of Zakir Rumi’s poetry. More importantly, Sultana Aziz-ul Din of Murkhun has not only appreciated the creativities of Zakir Rumi but also sponsored Zakir Rumi and his team’s literary mission. Consequently, on October 18, 2009 Zakir Rumi and his team released their first Wakhi album: “Ah Nodon-e Pervona” sung by Imran Emee. , the product got appreciation by the audience, despite the facdt no related performing arts program was organized.
At present (2014), Zakir Rumi is pursuing his BS (Hons) in Environmental Sciences from the University of Peshawar. Although, he plans to carry on his advance studies from abroad, Zakir Rumi is also determined to continue his journey of poetry: “This would play an important role in preserving my language and culture”, he adds.
Although, for more than two decades I’m proactive in documenting the life stories of different people (more than 150 so far by April 2022) beyond any linguistic, religious, regional or other considerations, I must admit that I am failed so far to cover my own memoirs of childhood and youth primarily due to unavailable time for myself and I also shy away to boaster in a sense about myself.However, I think I should work on them in bits and pieces whenever I get time and venture to publish them so the real stories of different societies and cultures should get reflected in them in an evolutionary context. I’m therefore going to write and offer some of them about my childhood and school life that may be of some interest to the readers. With the course of time, I’d try to update my autobiography here.
Taking interest in learning different languages (besides my own mother tongue, or Urdu and English compulsory for us as part of our education) was from my school life. What I can remember yet of the early years of the 1980s when the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and in consequence of this phenomenon the Kirghiz of the Little Pamirs had fled their old abodes and entered in the Northern Pakistan, that also included Hunza valley. Along with other families of Gulmit (my hometown), my own family members were also on our pastureland of Gulmit above Khudabad named S̃himizhrav for the purpose of transhumance. I was also on S̃himizhrav during the summer vacations enjoying the nature with other children and friends of childhood and helping my family and other relatives in tending the livestock, taking out and collecting flocks of the sheep and goats as well as firewoods when I was in class-8.
It wasn’t only this but rather also met the Kirghiz families in S̃himizhrav and would try to talk to them in Kirghizcha (Kirghiz language). I had developed friendship with a boy (whose name I unfortunately forgot) and would ask him to share different phrases in Kirghiz that I’d thus write in my notebook to remember. Few phrases I still remember are Qa’yda baras (where are you going?) Jaghshi (fine or good) and the like. At the same time, there were also Burushasski speaking people of Khudabad on the pastureland and when they would speak in Burushaski with our people that would also infuse an interest in me to learn it in bits and pieces. I thus developed a trend in this regard, too, although Burushaski is more complicated than Wakhi and Kirghiz in different grammatical contexts.
In Spring 1984, I appeared in my matriculation examination of the Board of Secondary Education, Islamabad. At that time, there was no examination center in the Government Boys School in Gulmit. For this purpose, there was no choice but to go to Karimabad(the capital of the former Hunza State). I thus stayed for over a month in Karimabad by staying in the house of late Chairman Rahmatullah Baig of Qurkuts tribe (who was a highly decent gentleman and friend of my late maternal uncle Rai Ghulamuddin Khan). This was a wonderful, compassionate , caring and unforgettable Burushaski family where I spent the weeks like my own house. It was here I met also Farhatullah Baig son of late Chairman Rahmatullah Baig who was also in his school life but proactive in scouting. Along with his other mates, the smart Farhat would put on his attractive scouting uniform and the Isma’ili scarf around his neck and would walk around during his voluntary duty with a great pride. Sarfarz (Farhat’s cousin) was so young at that time and the late aunty (Sarfarz’s mother) served me very graciously. This provided me an opportunity to actively learn some Burushaski further more.
The result of my matriculation examination was announced perhaps in the month of june and I got four papers failed including Mathmatics, Physics, Chemestry and Urdu.Oh! what a pity? How come such result? At least, never expected in such a way, despite the fact I’d spare some time for my study, at least, at night in the light of lantern as there was no electricity system in Upper Hunza (Gojal),.
I would thus study in my bed hanging the lantern at the wall above my pillow. Apart from the domestic work at home, we had an opportunity to have our house attached to the Gulmit Polo ground, where along with other children would spend our time either gossiping or playing or fighting together. The ground had thus both the advantages and disadvantages for us being children.
At night, when I would open my books, would study for an hour or two and then fall asleep. Sometimes, my mother, Bibi Husni Khan daughter of Muhammad Siyyab Khan, would clandestinely raid and scold me seriously rather harshly to sit and study instead of lying in the bed, because I would turn my face towards the wall and study so that to sleep whenever I wished. However, what’s the need to describe the stories in such manner. Gone is gone, I consoled myself for a while. But, work hard and hard next. I advised myself.
Finally, I had to face my parent’s, particularly my late father (Zafarullah Beg). Being afraid internally, I shared the result with them. Well, the reaction was not that strong, which I had expected .They were kind enough and boosted my morale to attempt them next and I would get the success, they advised.
Why and how could such advice come or we expect from our non-literate parents? In addition to their affectionate parenthood, they had known the realities of other students earlier than us because a tradition and good excuse had already been set by our school teachers that Islamabad Board was so strict with regard to marking of the papers and score of the students. Second, three of my siblings older than me (named Rahmatullah Beg, Husn Parveen Beg and Ghulam Amin Beg) had also seen such consequences earlier than me in their matriculation examination.
What to do next? Both of my older brothers were in Karachi. Although, there was a telephone exchange service of the military based in Gulmit, there was no landline telephone system at hoem, no mobile system, no Internet or What’s App as we think or act on these lines today and communicate immediately. The only exceptions were either to write letters and communicate (as I had this channel functional with them), or to call from the telephone exchange to their office numbers, or send the telegrams and share the important messages.
However, I wrote a letter and updated my brothers about the result that I had championed to fail in four papers. It was their kindness that they also enhanced my confidence and asked me to leave for Karachi to prepare myself and appear in the matriculation examination from the Board of Secondary Education, Karachi as a private candidate. For this purpose, I had to transfer my Education Board from Islambad to Karachi and appear in the four failed papers in addition to Sindi language.
It’s important to note that it was my old brother Rahmatullah Beg who had reached Karachi earlier (among us as siblings) and was working in Sheraton Hotel in the front office. He enabled us to extend his support in the education of Ghulam Amin Beg and myself in the initial years. It’s his great compassion, and unforgettable, indeed.
In September 1984, my parents and other family members said goodbye to me and I left for Karachi. If I correctly remember, my late father gave me more or less two thousand rupees and it was a huge amount during those days when the PIA ticket from Gilgit to Islamabad was lesser than two hundred and fifty Pakistani rupees.There was no companion all the way to Karachi . However, I traveld from Gulmit to Rawalpindi in the company of two of my relatives, Sheikh Hassan son of Abdul Amin and husband of my first cousin (Zena Begum daughter of my uncle Khairullah Beg) and Asadullah Khan son of Muhabat Hayat of Gulmit, who were soldiers and on their duty somewhere in Punjab at that time,.From Gilgit, we traveld in the NATCO bus and the driver was Nigah Muhammad son of Muhammad Magh of Passu.He was well-known for his fast driving and also for his courageous behavior.
The KKH was so comfortable for being paved but the travel so long and boredom. On the way, Sheikh Hassan and Assadullah Khan would tell the names of the main places when they were crossed or we descended during the intervals either for the tea or meal. Yes, there was also a gentleman named Sher son of Talib of Gulmit, who later became a citizen of the United States and recently passed away.A dangerous incident occurred when we reached at a place called Bisham when some people entered in the bus with guns and attempted to kill Sher of Gulmit because on the way he took the picture of a woman who was a co-traveller from Gilgit and her male family member was also with her. The young woman was so attractive but it was interesting that he didn’t take her picture directly in the bus but rather looking in the driver’s mirror from his seat, has focused her and got her picture in his camera. It was seen by his male counterpart and didn’t tell him anything on the way but when we reached Besham and they were descending, his people emerged on the spot. It was so hard time and the Bus driver, Nigah Muhammad and some other people so cleverly manage the affair. They decided to hand over the camera film/real to the the opposite people and they will be developed and if found guilty, Sher would be handed over to them. In the meanwhile, Sher was asked to open tehe film in the light and not in the dark so that the pictures would get distorted when developed. Sher agreed to hand over the real/film of the camera and did open it in the light. They did take it and left the place. What happened in the aftermath, we don’t know but Sher resumed travel with us to Rawalpindi. This was a highly sensitive and dangerous incident of my first travel to Rawalpindi on the way to Karachi.
We reached Rawalpindi and the interesting man Sher led me towards the house of Rahmatullah Baig son of Rustam Baig and husband of my older sister Husn Parveen Beg. Rahmat would live at that time near Commercial Market, Rawalpindi and work with PIA at Islamabad Airport. Sarfarz Shah of Ghulkin, one of my wider family members, would live in the same house but in the opposite room. For a couple of days, I was thus in the company of my brother-in-law . Look around the congested city and in the meanwhile Rahmat was looking for travel companions from there onward to Karachi.
Fortunately, some people from Passu, whom I later knew were my relatives, too, and we left for Karachi in a train. Those people were Salahuddin so nof Sanah Khan, Jalaluddin son of Arbob Jalil and the like. Altogether, we were perhaps four or five Wakhi co-travellers. For the first time in my life, I saw and traveled in train. It looked so strange when it would run on two sides iron with a roaring noise and huge speed while taking a huge number of people in a house like thing.
Perhaps, in more or less 30 hours travel, we finally reached Karachi at night time. I was handed over to Iman Shah of Gulmit in Golimar. After taking tea, they took me and handed over to my brothers.
Introduction
Life of all individdual humans anywhere anytime and at any age or stage is accompanied by series and different types of challenges and problems.Such phenomena of life in a natural order encourage and stimulate the individuals to remain active, proactive, positively bring in use their intellectual faculty as a highest level of gift, strive to look at the states of affairs in a positive way to come up with effective and productive solutions in different realms to bring change and development within oneself , one’s family and society. In the face of such challenges and difficulties, if people, whether at individual or collective scale, start giving up their struggles in a logical and consistent manner, neglect the genuine needs and aspirations for change, no positive or significant level of results could be anticipated in one’s own life and society as a whole. Rather, the challenges and problems will get multiplied and intensified resulting chaos , anarchy and turbulance at all levels. It is therefore imperative on each individual human to be sensitive enough, careful and realistic with regard to one’s own and others problems , aspirations and struggles and productively contribute towards the effective solutions.
Besides other considerations, each human’s life, no matter what their age, stage, status, educational level, gender or sexual orientation may be, is also significant and worthy in such respects that it is filled with variety and various types of experiences against the confronted challenges, problems and success stories from which other humans could get realistic and practical lessons and wisdoms for themselves in comparison with their own confronted and personal experiences .
Due to such rationales in hand, I have been focusing on the experiential knowledge of people in different culture and societies and have been striving to get something out of their life experiences to explore, analyze and contribute my little part within my very limited capacity towards the huge body of holistic knowledge.In this regard, so far, I have conducted and documented more than 150 biographic interviews of different people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and China. Some of them, which I’ve brought in written form have been published on my website (FAZALAMIN.COM). and some of them could be found in video form published on my YouTube Channel known as “EaglesWorld.” .
Well, in this little contribution in textual form, I’m going to present some important aspects of the biography of Ms. Zahida Parveen, a humane, considerate, caring , humble and affectionate artist of the Northern Pakistan, especially known for singing devotional songs in Persian, Wakhi and Urdu in addition to singing poetries of other natures. She is also known as Zahida Khan, Zahida Parveen Khan and Zahida Sultan (behind her husband) on the social media platforms. I have heere however opted for her actual name as documented in her official documents, though she also prefers to be called as Zahida Khan (the surname behind her great father named dawlat Khan).
It’s noteworthy that being relatives, I know Zahida Parveen as well as Sultan Ahmad Khan and their families very well, however in professional and voluntary capacity as a radio artist I started to know her only when she was serving the Wakhi Program termed as “Voice of the Roof of the World” in Radio Pakistan, Gilgit Station where she would host variety of the programs. Apart from her official responsibilities, she would also generously contribute in singing the Wakhi devotional poetries of various important poets by pouring a genuine taste in them through her sweet and gifted voice. Besides, he also contributed in FM 99 and listeners would enjoy listening her moderation or singing.
Keeping in view her artistic talent, competency and potential before me, I requested and offered Zahida Parveen if she likes to sing one of my poetries in Wakhi in 2019. She so graciously and generously agreed and prepared the song with no time. The poetry was based on the nature and philosophy towards spiritualism.Zahida Parveen thus sung the lyrics with the great music collaboration of Shumol Band of Hunza, with the sponsorship of my brother Ghulam Amin Beg and the song named “Inson” (Human) was thus released in the first week of November 2019 , where Faizan Ali Arman Ali of Gulmit was the joint singer.This song thus became so popular and was liked by thousands of listeners with their productive comments and feedback.
It was a great gesture and truly friendly support, indeed. If Zahida Parveen could come forward, care, honor and contribute this much in the case of singing or reciting my poetries, what could I do genuinely to her was a big question mark before me.Although, monetary support or remuneration to an extent could also be considered (which is for the time being only) but what about her deserving and humble personality filled with lots of challenging stories on the one hand,and her talents, experiences and other aspects of her life on the other? Should I end it up here or should I write something about some important aspects of her life? As a researcher, writer and poet, these were some of the actual questions that stimulated me to opt for contributing little bit on her life history and personality either in poetic or in textual form.It was and is not a big deal to compose a poetry on the subject matter (which I could think for) but the details of her life evoluation cannot be brought under some stanzas unless we know the real stories, challenges faced and experiences gained by her. This could then be better described and explained in proses than poetry.
For such reasons, I got an interview with Zahida Parveen in December 2019 so to know about her life stories and experiences and capture them in written form so the other artists, especially womenfolk could compare their life journeys with those of her and could better get real world lessons in many ways.
Responding to the questions in a logical order, Zahida Parveen begins with her actual and official name as well as her date of birth then moves towards sharing with us her family background (both paternal and maternal). Describing her families at nuclear, joint and wider scales, she so nicely explains the rural setting of Chipursan valley, the absence of availing the basic educational facility at her birth place (named Spenj) forty years ago, her schooling in her maternal family’s village, craving for her parents for being away from them, the worldview of the people at that time, the school environment at middle level and appearing in her matriculation examination as an irregular or private student due to absence of any formal high school in the whole valley comprised on more than nine villages.
In a contrast to many people who are observed for exageration with regard to their success or achievement or hiding the real information, Zahida Parveen is witnessed for her honesty and upstanding in telling us the truth with regard to her apparent result at secondary or higher secondary level which she passed with third division.She nicely analyzes the condition of the people of the whole area and reveals that how she evidenced the ground realities while spending times among the people in diffeent villages or area within Gilgit-Baltistan Region. She further describes about her educational pursuence and the true challenges faced at higher secondary level while entering in college in Gilgit including the study environment and accomodation issues for girls at that time.Like her schooling life in another village with her maternal family members, she remains appreciative of her maternal uncle and family in Gilgit as well.
Zahida Parveen then enters in another chapter of her life when she had not yet passed her Intermediate level education but she got early marriage due to the social pressure and cultural norms back in 1999 and consequently getting two children while she had not yet qualified her F.A. examination. She acknowledges her husband’s role for providing mentorship to her at this stage. She does not give up the struggle in her educational journey and prepares herself for B.A. degree. However, before appearing in the exam, she gets her third child and there comes up a long break, again. Being an affectionate mother, she takes care of her children and in the meanwhile also struggles to continue her education as well as look for some job. On the one hand, she does qualifies her b.A. examination and on the other, she also starts serving Radio Pakistan, Gilgit, in the Wakhi program.
It’s so inspiring to note a true passion of Zahida Parveen for singing, especially the devotional poetries. When we look retrospectively she had already started it during her young age while reciting or singing the devotional poetries in the prayer halls called Jamatkhanas. Such activities and participation in the events provided her good opportunities to learn and experience them in persian and later on in Wakhi while serving Radio Pakistan, Gilgit.
The most heart touching point before me, for which I have a high respect and true love, indeed and behind which it is an emotional moment, was saving the paid amount of money as remuneration from the Radio Pakistan, Gilgit, that Zahida Parveen has re-used for recording the Wakhi devotional poetries in her sweet and soothing voice in order to enrich the content and volume of the radio program in Wakhi. When looked in the current context where greed is on its height but she proves her generosity and affection for her mother tongue promotion in multiple ways. Though some readers may negatively connect this important aspect of Zahida Parveen’s contribution with her persoal promotion, what I could see it as a genuine passion for her mother tongue promotion through her gifted and impactful voice within her capacity.
Moving ahead in her discussion, Zahida Parveen describes about her activities in Islamabad in result of her husband’s employment and shift from Gilgit. Her voluntary contributions could be seen marvellous as she teaches the devotional poetries and songs to the students of a religious center in Islamabad. The capital city provides her relatively good opportunities to overcome some of her frustrations and challenges on the way she was facing. Here she tries to meet her artistic needs and desires she deserves in addition to learning some technical skills in line with computer software in video editing and so on.
It is noteworthy that it was Islamabad, again, where Zahida Parveen enthusiastically contributed not only towards singing of poetries (in Wakhi, Urdu and Persian) of diferent poets including mine but rather during the unpredictable and highly frustrated pandemic year in 2020, she also so graciously joined hand with me to play our part in sensitizing the Wakhi community and wonderfully spoke and made five videos in Wakhi on COVID-19, for which she received a high appreciation for her contribution. It was a voluntary venture named as Viral Languages Project initiated by University of Baffalo, New York, University of Hawaii and University of London in collaboration with the World health Organization (WHO). The related videos, their transcriptions and English translations are available on my website (FAZALAMIN.COM) in addition ot the virallanguages youtube channel (the links could be found in the annex of this write-up).
During the hard year of the pandemic in 2020, she prepared and beautifully sang one of my Persian devotional poetries named Gulzor-e Imomat on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of His Highness, Prince Karim Aga Khan that was released on July 11, 2020.The music played in this project was by the Iranian musicians .moreover, Zahida Parveen also generously contributed towards the EaglesWorld Channel by singing Persian devotional poetries in addition to reciting couples of my poetries in Wakhi as well as reading a concerned report on COVID-19 focused on Gilgit-Baltistan Region.
Although, Zahida Parveen has, time to time, contributed to sing poetries of her husband, Sultan Ahmad, in 2021, she also pursuaded and prepared a devotional song of a renowned wakhi poet Saifuddin Saif of Hunza and jointly performed with a senior Wakhi artist of Hunza named Fazal Rahman Shirin Sado.While in Islamabad, she has also moderated some panel discussions for the social media groups such as Wakhi TV and other social media forums. Well, the list is long to describe all. I’m trying to capture those only which I know myself and sounds so significant.
In 2021, around her deep passion in music, she bravely initiates and attempts to learn some basics of piano and gets a basic level in it from a professional musician in Islamabad.During this time, she also creates her own FaceBook Page named and available as Zahida Sultan. She has been struggling to spare time for her creatitivies and make them available to her followers on her FB Page.
Although, the biography of Zahida Parveen could be perceived by many in different contexts among the readers and through their own specific lenses, she also could be witnessed so courageously talking about, advocating for and analyzing the human rights issues, especially women’s right, ranging from the education to employment, property rights and other aspects. Finally, she comes up with her deep messages and practical recommendations to the parents, youth and children that what do they need to do realistically in the current situation and in the near future.
From here onward, I would invite the readers to read Zahida Parveen’s life history in a lively manner in her own words as she speaks in a natural order. I hope the readers would carefully read her interesting and adventurous life history as a woman , though she has a long way to go yet in her life.
Zahida Parveen Khan: A Humble Human and A Gifted Singer with Consistent Life Struggles and Achievements
Birth and Family Background
My official name is Zahida Parveen and Khan is my surname as my father’s name is Dawlat Khan. That’s why I’m also known by Zahida Khan. My husband’s name is Sultan Ahmad and for this reason I am also known as Zahida Sultan. I’m thus identified by these three names but I prefer to be called as Zahida Khan or Zahida Parveen. My mother’s name is Bibi Anjir.
I was born in Spenj (Chipursan valley of Hunza, Northern Pakistan)and my actual date of birth is January 7, 1978.However, it’s interesting to note that in the educational and legal documents my year of birth is 1977 (one year earlier), which could be seen against the set tradition of our area where parents or teachers would reduce one or two years out of the actual year of birth.This seems a blunder by the school teachers.
We are eight children of our parents. I’ve thus four sisters and four brothers. I’m oldest of all. Following me is Nahida Nasrin and then Muhammad Ali, Asiya Parvin, Rubina Jabin, Farida Jabin, Muhabat Shah, Abdullah Khan and Shakir Ali. My father has two brothers and four sisters. His brothers are named Ghulam Hassan (who passed away recently) Ali Muhammad (who had passed away long time ago in his youth) and Khalil Ahmad (who is alive). My uncle Ghulam Hassan had married with a Khoja woman named aunty Bibi Yasmin and was settled in the United States. After a long time, they got separated (as they have two sons. My uncle then got married in Hunza with Aziza daughter of mehrban Shah (having three children) and are based in Gilgit.My younger uncle Khalil Ahmad has married with Shar-e Gul daughter of Safeer of Gircha (Hunza) and they have three daughters. My father’s sisters are named as Shamah married with Shah Rustam of Ghulkin, Suhbat Numoh married with Ali Akbar of Reshit, Bibi Izat married with Karimdad of Kirmin and Rukhsana married with Nazir of Spenj.
My mother is daughter of Bakhtawar Shah son of Sikandar Shah of Shahr-e Savz.my mother has no sister and has three brothers named Muhammadullah (married with La’l Jahan daughter of Teighun Shah of Ghulkin), Ghulam Rasul (married with Bakht dauther of Aga Baig of Sisuni)and Abdullah Baig (married with Bibi Khunzo daughter of Aman Baig of Shahr-e Savz).
My father’s father name was Arbob Rustam Khan and his father was Arbob Ali Muhammad.my paternal family is named as Bakht Kũtor, named behind one of our forefathers named Bakht Rustam of Ghulkin, a famous and rich personality of his time behind him this lineage is known as Bakht Kũtor, which in turn is a descending branch of Khawaja Ahmad Busing Kũtor. My paternal ancestor has migrated from Ghulkin to Chipursan valley perhaps six or seven generation earlier. The name of mother of my paternal grandfather Rustam Khan was Durdana and she was daughter of Ulfat Shah of Ghulkin.
my mother’s family belong to the Mir’s family of Hunza (being descendent of Abdullah Khan son of Mir Shah Silum Khan). My father’s mother (grandma Bibi Zenab) was a sister of my maternal grandfather Bakhtwar Shah and daughter of Sikandar Shah.my maternal grandfather had thus two brothers and six sisters (having separate mothers: three on one mother and three on another). Their names are Bibi Zenab wife of Rustam Khan of Spenj, Bibi Husniya wife of Muhammad Jali of Res̃hit Bibi Roshan wife of Teghun Shah of Ghulkin, Tai Bibi wife of Ghulam Rahmon of Ghulkin, Husni Ja wife of Nuruddin of Kirmin, and finally Bargun wife of Murod Khon of Imit (Ishkoman valley). My maternal grandfather Bakhtawar Shah’s brothers were Tawakal Shah and Ali Fatah (the last one was my father-in-law). There was another brother of my grandfatehr (having a separate mother) named Ghulam Sarwar in Ishkoman valley who is also not alive as he had gone under the snow-avalanche during his military services. My maternal grandmother was daughter of Ali Fatah (son of Abdullah Khan son of Mir Shah Silum Khan III) and sister of Sultan Ali Samarqand.
Childhood Memories and School Life
Though, I was born in Spenj (a village of Chipursan valley, I spent my childhood with my grandparents in Shahr-e Savz (a neighboring village when was I five years old. I’ve thus grown up in my maternal family and study from Grade 1 to 8 (in the Diamond Jubilee middle school of Shahr-e Savz. Although, there was a primary school in Spenj, my parents preferred to get education from Shar-e Savz while spending mmy erly life with my maternal family., My maternal uncles Muhammadullah Baig and Abdullah Baig as well my aunty Lal Jahon were also teachers in the same school. My parent thus thought I’d be getting proper education and care there. For such reasons, I spent my early life in Shar-e Savz.
At present, I must mention here , when I’ve come to my middle life and have become a mother myself that keeping a child away from the parents in the childhood leaves a negative impact on him or her in terms of parental care and affections. When a child spends his or her life with her pparents in such stage of life. The love and affection cannot be given by any other individuals of the family.this aspect I feel strongly and that lacked in my early life.there is no denial at all that my maternal grandparents and uncles looked after and cared me extraordinarily but I missed my parents love and affection all the time that left a negative impact on me in different context.I can realize this subtle point at present that a child should be with his or her parents during the early life, even up to secondary level of education. Otherwise, if not possible, at least up to ten years of their age, the children should be with their parents, which is quite logical and foundational. However, I’d reiterate that if the children are up to secondary level of education with their parents would be so appreciative as the nourishment and training they get more effectively from their parents. The love a child has for his or her parents cannot be felt by any other family members.
When I was enrolled in the school for the first time, I don’t recall the very moment and event but I remember the days that I missed my parents seriously. My maternal grandfather was so compassionate and caring towards me and my maternal grandmother was strict in nature.He’d scold me and even beat us sometimes as keeping in view that time, such approaches were customary as it’s said in Wakhi: “Band̃i bihisht en” (stick is from the heaven” and children were punished physically. But in the contemporary period, we cannot punish the children. My maternal uncles also extended their care and affection towards me. They would teach me and pay the school fees (as was PKR 10/- per month initially and then it increaased up to two hundred rupees per month).
It was too much cold during our childhood in winter season. We would thus go out and play with my childhood friends and companions My grandpa Tawakal Shah’s daughters including Gohar Nigor (who is married with Rasul Bakhsh of Kirmin), Marina (married in the same village with Haji Karim and Bibi Manjon (married with Siraj Ali) were also of my age and were friends of my childhood as we were at the same place. In the school , I had many class fellows, both boys and girls , some of them included Haji Karim son of Hussain, Karimuddin, Fazal Karim son of Am Baig (who is now a Mukhi),Salma daughter of Ibrahim, Pari Zohra daughter of Niyatullah, .
We would also attend religious classes in the school. Our religious teachers included Ustad Asmatullah Mushfiq (who would train us in reciting the devotional poetries in Persian (this is why my basic Persian is good), Ustad Lutfullah Baig (he was one of my good teachers at both places in secular and religious schools). In addition, my maternal uncle Abdullah, my aunty La’l Jahan, Ustad Ali Akbar, Ustad Qurban Shah, Ustad Bakhshdil Khan, Ustad Parvaiz and so on were also my school teachers up to Middle level in the DJ school of Shahr-e Savz.
My favorite school teacher was my maternal uncle Abdullah who would never punish us and instead would extend his afection during the lesson. In the same manner, Ustad Lutfullah was also so kind and won’t punish the students and would teach nicely. It was interesting that unlike others my favorite subject was Urdu. English was also my favorite subject but I couldn’t reach up to the mark. On the other, I won’t like Mathematics from the beginning and that is why I’m not good in Maths. Likewise, general science was not my favorite subject.
When I was in the lower grades or classes in the school, I used to get second position in the annual examinations. But gradually the positions I began to lose and secure third positions and finally reached to just passing marks at higher level.At primary level examination, in Grade 5, I also got second position. However, in the middle level examinations (from Grade 6 through) I would get third positions. I don’t know the reasons exactly that why such decline came in my school’s examination and few of them may be due to remaining away from my parents, wasting my time, having workload at home and the like.
I pursued my secondary level education privately and not as a regular student because there was no high school in the area in Chipursan valley.the books had been purchased and I would study them myself and my maternal uncle would also teach me sometimes.for the examination, I thus reached Gulmit as there was the examination Center and I appeared in the matriculation examination as an external or irregular candidate. During my examination, I stayed in the house of uncle Muhammad Rahbar son of Abdul Bari, as he is the maternal first cousin of my mother in addition to my kinship relationship with him from my paternal grandmother side. Finally, I qualified the examination (with third division D Grade) perhaps in 1995. The reason for being such low division, as mentioned, was because of absence of secondary level school in the area and deprivation of having regular classes. This important factor I strongly felt and still feel that if I had the opportunity of availing secondary level classes, I would have secured high marks in the secondary examination.
It is interesting to note that among the secondary level subjects, my favorite subject was again Urdu. And within Urdu, I loved the ghazals such as those of Mir Dard, Mir Taqi Mir, Ghalib, Allama Iqbal and the like.although, I myself am so interested in the ghazals, I myself have not yet come up towards composing poetries.however, it’s known to many that I’ve already entered in the singing field. It developed in me from my childhood as I used to sing the Urdu poems and devotional poetries. With the course of time, I used to sing the devotional poetries in groups in the jamatkhanas of our villages. Most of the time, I do sing the devotional poetries independently, which I began in Gilgit after my marriage.
Higher Education, Matrimonial Life and Challenges
Though, I had appeared in my FA examination, I couldn’t qualify a couple of subjects due to financial issues, early marriage, matrimonial life and so on. Because of financial constraint, it was not possible for my parents to accomodate me in a hostel. I had to thus live with my maternal uncle Muhammadullah’s family for two years of my F.A (part I and II).It’s noteworthy that for the female students, it becomes problem most of the time to effectively pursue one’s education dedicately while living with the families as the domestic chores hamper on them and their education gets suffered. This I could realize at present when I myself have become a mother.
Well, I was married on January 28, 1999 with Sultan Ahmad when I was twenty years old only and I had not yet completed my intermediate level education from the Government Degree College for Women, Gilgit. the marriage was based on our closed kinship relation as my parents and my husband were the first cousins (my father’s mother and my husband’s father being real sister and brother; and my mother’s father and my husband’s father being real brothers). Our marriage could not be termed based on our mutual understanding as these days it’s preferred in most of the time before engagement. It was thus familial arrangement , though Sultan Ahmad has also proposed me and I was also asked to get my consent. after the engagement, I was so interested to continue my education but due to the set social norms and pressures, we had to get married immediately.
Following our marriage, I got a son Faizan Ahmad and a daughter Uswa Zenab. However, Sultan Ahmad encouraged me to repeat my intermediate level education. I thus appeared in my FA examination (part I & II combined) as a private candidate where I studied myself and Sultan Ahmad would also extend some mentorship for me as he himself had done his Masters in Public Administration (MPA). Couples of years after marriage, I thus qualified my FA examination with third division in a situation where I had already two children.
altogether, we have thus four children including Faizan Ahmad, Uswa Zenab, Shayan Ahmad and Sanan Ahmad. Faizan Ahmad was born after two years of our marriage and at present (by December 2019) he pursues his intermediate level education; Uswa Zenab studies in Grade 9; Shayan Ahmad is in Grade 7; and Sanan Ahmad is in Grade 4. Though, it is important to note that all children are equal before me as a mother, my first child Faizan Ahmad is so compassionate in nature.
Reiterating the the aforesaid stances, let me emphasize that pursuing my education consistently was thus so difficult in such a complicated situation for me being a mother and a wife. Nonetheless, the germ was within me and I didn’t give up my mission and continued my endeavors in education. The optional subjects I had in my FA were sociology, education and civics and among them, I liked the most was sociology. This provided me to understand, more particuarly the social interactions with different people When I began to work with Radio Pakistan Gilgit, the subject of sociology helped me significantly to know people in various contexts.
Moving ahead, for the purpose of Bachelor’s level education and degree, I got admission in the same Government Degree College for Women in Gilgit in 2006. I appeared in BA Part I examination but at the same time there came up interruption in the educational travel when I got my third child Shayan Ahmad. There came up thus a break in the middle of the study. Though, at the intermediate level education, my husband had helped me in terms of teaching at home, at BA level, it was difficult for him to mentor me as he had also his own priorities at various scales such as his professional endeavors and commitments because he was looking for employment at different places. Initially he was serving Karakoram Area Development Organization (KADO) Hunza; then joined IUCN; then in Aga Khan Education Services, Pakistan (AKESP); and in such manner he would change the organizations.
Not giving in, I resumed my educational mission at bachelor level after my son was a bit grown up and did pass my BA examination with third division again. The optional subjects in BA were sociology, education and Persian. My favorite subject at this level was Persian and I enjoyed too much to study it and I teach Persian devotional poetries to the students in the Religious Education Center in Islamabad.
Although, I was determined to get admission in the Masters degree program from Karakoram International University in Gilgit but because of third division I couldn’t qualify the criteria as it requires minimum second division. I was then suggested to get admission again in BA from Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU). For this purpose, I got admission in Mass Communication/journalism. But the residences and house addresses got changed time and again and the issues intensified.the related documents thus got scattered and finally they were lost unfortunately.
At present, when I’ve reached in my middle age and being a mother of four children, I could analyze the situations effectively that where does the actual issues and problems exist.for a woman or a girl in our society, more domestic work hampers on her creative and educational plans.I’ve been involved in domestic work, as part of the brutally defined women’s chore in many ways from my childhood.when I got early marriage, my responsibilities and difficulties intensified at different fronts.when I got children, the conditions surrounded me incredibly and exhaustively to take care of them and other joint family members.consequently, I couldn’t get time for my study and education, for which I was craving and was in so much hunger. To add, I must say that it’s so difficult to raise and look after the kids and take care of the children as a mother like me to spare time and opt for other creative work in life. Nevertheless, I’m still yearning for acquiring education and I’ll see if could manage, I should study ahead as for getting education there is no and should not be age consideration.I’ve my plan to do the masters degree and then have my advanced study in the future, if I could manage.
Experiences in Professional Capacity and Performing Arts
For over six years from 2010 to 2016, I worked with Radio Pakistan Gilgit in the Wakhi Program known as Sado-e Bom-e Dunyo (Voice of the Roof of the World). Here, I would host the radio programs according to the set schedules. In the aftermath, I also worked with Human Enterprise Development Institute (HEDI) at the reception and would deal the students and clients coming to know about the institute.
As described earlier, I used to recite and sing the devotional poetries when I was young and studying in the school.Along with my female classmates of three or four in groups, I would sing the Persian poetries in the Jamatkhanas in Chipursan.but at individual scale, I began to recite and sing the devotional poetries in Gilgit. Such activities of my childhood and student life provided me a confidence to lead towards the performing arts and for being an artist.
When I joined and served the Wakhi Program (Voice of the Roof of the World) in Radio Pakistan, Gilgit (from 2010 to 2016),nice opportunities emerged to present my creative contributions within my limited capacity as a host and as a singer of devotional poetries in Wakhi. The first poetries in Wakhi I had sung here was that of the renowned and senior Wakhi poet, Ustad Asmatullah Mushfiq of Shar-e Savz. Afterwards, another senior poet , Ahmad Riaz Ahmad of Gulmit, handed over a devotional Wakhi poetry (Na’t) to me that I had sung on the Radio. Besides, Sultan Ahmad, had also his devotional poetries (such as Noha, Zikr-re Hussain) and four of them I had sung, too. In addition, I also sung three devotional poetries of Ustad Bahram Baig of Reshit. In the same manner, I’ve also sung a poetry of a well-known Wakhi poet, Saifuddin Saif of Ghulkin.
On November 2, 2019, one of the fascinating poetries of Fazal Amin Beg of Gulmit, which was about the nature, philosophy and spiritualism, was backed and released by the Shumol Music Band of Ghulkin. This was sung jointly by Faizan Ali Arman Ali of Gulmit and I myself, which stood to be popular at international scale. The first stanza of this poetry follows in this manner:
Khirad Khũdhoye ki ta’r dhetk, shũk’rev bajo ko wũzũm
Haywon’v en ki twoi yũwretk, zikrev c̃hũto ko wũzũm
If God, the Almighty, has bestowed upon you the intellect, come up with a special gratitude,
If you’ve been separated from other animals, come up with a special indebtedness.
In brief, altogether, I think I’ve sung more than 20 poetries of different poets in Wakhi by now (December 2019). It should be noted that against the performance in radio Pakistan, Gilgit, like other artists, I was being paid for the singing of the poetries in the Wakhi program . It may be an interest to the concerned readers to share one of my productive activities related with creative work. I used to save the small amount of money I was being paid in the Radio Pakistan, Gilgit. Consequently, the saved money I would bring in use for the purpose of recording the poetries/lyrics to quench the thirst of my singing that would then come in the public. Those recorded poetries, sung by me, are still broadcast in the Wakhi program. Though, it was the assignment of Radio Pakistan to sponsor for such types of recording, I opted to bring the poetries in my voice to the limelight as I had a special enthusiasm for it. It should be noted that the poetries recorded earlier in the studios in Gilgit were without music but it was the poetry of Fazal Amin Beg, which I had a joint singing performance, was with music for the first time with the collaboration of the Shũmol Band and it became so famous in November 2019.
Although, I like too much and have sung so far the devotional poetries of diffeerent Wakhi poets as well as Persian, I’m also interested to sing non-devotional poetries based in social, nature, philosophical, homeland, love and romantic contexts. However, it’s noteworthy that the Persian devotional songs I highly prefer to sing and for this purpose , I had prepared four poetries (Kalams) of Pir nasir Khusraw but couldn’t record them due to financial challenges with me, as these days when those poetries are sung with music, it involves more and more money.
It is again noteworthy that also prepared a Persian poetry of Fazal Amin Beg (Jashn-e Gulzor-e Imomat) and I hope to record it and bring in public on the occasion of the Imamat Day 2020. .
Besides, I do sing Urdu songs but I’ve never sung them in the public. Instead, I sing them in isolation as from my childhood I was so fond of Urdu ghazals. One of them I like too much and let me narrate them here for the purpose of presenting a different flavor here. The ghazal is of Jegjit Sing.
Pathar bana diya mujhe, roney nahi diya
Dãman bhi terey gham ne bigoney nahi diya
Tanhayiya tumahara pata puchtey rahi
Shab bhar tumharey yad ne, soney nahi diya
Apart from singing in Wakhi, Persian and Urdu, I also like hosting and moderating programs and events, as I used to do in Radio Pakistan, Gilgit.I have the capacity to even moderate the discussions whether live or recorded.In addition, I’ve also hosted an effective What’s App Group of the Global Wakhi community named K̃hik Dũnyo (Wakhi World).
I must mention here that I myself have also deep passion for learning music. But it’s unfortunate that there is no enabling environment for Wakhi women starting from one’s own home to the society in the field of music to appropriately and professionally learn it. For this purpose, it’s important for the interested women and girls to take bold initiatives in the field. It’s imperative for them to come forward and practically involve themselves in learning diferent musical instruements. In my case, for example, along with singing, I am primarily interested to learn piano and later on plan to learn the string and wind instruments, but there are some existing challenges on the way from different sides that hamper over my set goals in the field. However, being women, we need not to be scared of such types of challenges and issues but rather prepare ourselves to overcome them with patience, if we have a true passion, spirit and strenght.
The male members of our community should encourage female in music as they do so for the men. For instance, if my daughter, Uswa Zenab, wants to choose music as her profession, Sultan Ahmad and I will have to encourage and support her in the field unlike the traditional approach.those parent among our Wakhi community, who are well educated, can understand that like their sons, their daughters also deserve their genuine rights to be given to them. In brief, in any field my daughter wants to choose for her profession, we will and should not discourage her. As I know that she is also interested in singing and music and for this reason, we do appreciate her to go forward as this field possesses also a great hub of knowledge and various types of skills. As it’s normally said that music unites and religion divides. It means when music is played, it brings people together and when there are any religious ritual, people from out of the faith are hesitant to attend the events as it draws people out.
Technical Skills , Sports and Other Interest Areas
On the suggestion of Sultan Ahmad, I also got training in editing the audio and vedio documents in Islamabad.I thus learned the basics of this skill and can also work in the photoshop software to an extent. But for such tasks, it’s important to have a laptop of high quality, which I don’t have at present to facilitate the nature of work I’ve learned for a month or so. However, I’m optimistic to mange such issues of relatively small scales.
Well, it may seem strange to some people that in the field of sports, I’ve least interst. When I was a child, I used to play Doraq (a game played by the children where they’d strike the blown small stones on the ground with one of their fingers, particuarly the forefinger).
On the television, I normally watch the singing programs or other aspects of performing arts; while on the social media, I prefer to read or listen mostly sayings of the great personalities of the world. In adition, I also watch or listen the discussions on the psychological topics, more particuarly with regard to the children and their mental and physical development.
Voluntary Services, Social Changes and Women’s Condition
Within the voluntary domain in my life at communal scale, I have been sharing and trying to contribute my part for the social development. In the Religious Education Center (REC), within the jurisdiction of the Jamatkhana in Islamabad (Karachi Company), I have been teaching the children the devotional Persian poetries, teaching the designed curricula for the children.
furthermore, I also participated in appropriately learning and teaching the Holy Qur’an.I can thus also teach the Qur’an to a significant level.in addition, I teach the prayers to the children and also offer prayer in the jamatkhana as well as prepare the ob-e shafo (pure water) for the rituals.I’m also a member of Bayt-ul Khayal (literally as House of Thoughts), a forum for spiritual practices before the morning prayers . when I was in Gilgit and Chipursan, I used to take the religious classes of the children.
At present, when Imam of the Time has directed us to offer our services for the community in the name of Time and Knowledge Nazrana, I’ve offered my voluntary services in a formal way by filling the form. For this reason, I do go to the Religious Education Center (REC) on regular basis and never miss the class against my pledge and commitment with our beloved Imam of the Time
Well, regarding the women of our region, when I look and observe their conditions in the past (during my childhood and youth time), there was nothing for them. But when I see and compare the women of today in the current context, enormous changes we could find among them. The girls are encouraged and given education in the high level of insitutions.in the fields of their interst, they could go in many ways at present, although there are some exceptional cases where women are not permitted to go according to the will or consent of the women themselves.For instance, the women are witnessed to go abroad for educational, professional and employment purposes. More importantly, these days, the womenfolk can also get married according to their will and understanding, which is quite the contrast when seen retrospectively at least even during our time. At present, the time has become so enabling for the daughters and I think their rights are given to them to a significant level.
Although, land or property right for daughters is a big question mark yet, it has its own implications when looked through our cultural lenses and societal realities. For instance, when Farida Khan, my youngest sister will get married with a man from Punjabi Ismaili, she cannot get the land , which is for the sons as per our customary law.If the land properties are given to the daughters, it would be great but it involves some critical implications in societal context. The genuine concerns would arise if the marriages of our daughters are not taken place within Wakhi community, particulary Isma’ili Muslims, more societal issues will emerge. For instance, if a parent has two sons and a daughter and the land was divided among them equally and the daughter gets married with a Sunni Muslim or from other faith communities, the prospective conflicts and clashes of religious norms and values could emerge as there is a radical difference between the belief system of the Ismaili and Sunni communities. In our case, for instance, I’ve a daughter and three sons, and my daughter gets married according to her will outside the community, we would give her the land in the Urban areas like Islamabad or Rawalpindi but not in Hunza. We plan that when we would purchase land in Islamabad, we would make four equal parts to our sons and daughter alike.
Travel to Canada and the Time Ahead
Although, I’ve been to different parts of Pakistan, at international scale I got an opportunity to travel to Canada. I visited this fascinating country when Sultan Ahmad was going to get his Master’s degree from there and I thus also joined him. I spent ten days in Canada and I liked this great country, indeed. the social environment is so friendly here for women as no fear can be anticipated as we normally come across in Pakistan. I also visited a jamatkhana there. I finally returned immediately by travelling independently.there was no fear at all to travel on my own.
On the other, Sultan Ahmad stayed there to seek job and thought to look for the opportunities to opt for his PhD degree from Canada.he had a plan that if he got a job position there, he would then also shift all our nuclear family there. When I was back to Pakistan, it was a misfortunate incident that Sultan’s younger brother, Saeed Ahmad, got accident and passed away in 2010.It was thus so difficult for him to remain in Canada and he had to return to take care of his parents and other family members.
Well, in the future, in the upcoming five to ten years time, I would like to be part of a religious insitution and also to improve myself in English language. For this purpose, I had attended classes of one month in Gilgit organized by Pinnacle .
In the same way, with the course of time, if I could get an enabling environment, I would certainly opt for and seriously learn some musical instruments . Moreover, as described above, I also look forward to my formal education to do my Masters. If I could get conducive environment and support, I will also move ahead for advance studies as for getting education there should not be age limit, I think.
Messages and Recommendations
Finally, I would like to end up here and convey my humble messages and recommendations to the parents that they should spare time to their children, nourish, educate and train them appropriately these days, every facilities we could witness our children have for them also including the Internet, and the children can get all information for themselves from it. but the children need effective and positive guidance that which desirable sites should they follow as the Intent has both the positive and negative aspects in the sites. The children could thus go towards the negative sites. The parents therefore need to guide, monitor and supervise them that what sorts of sites they have visited. In other words, the parents and other family members need to show to their children the good paths on the Internet.
Second, in addition to the updated secular education, it’s a serious obligation upon the parents to send their children to the religious centers to get their education in religion, particularly the training within the framework of Islamic ethics.the parents themselves have to be positively role model before their children.as our beloved Imam of the Time advises us to continue prayers every day as well as sending our children to the religious centers. We need to realize that the curricula designed for religious education is of a top quality. Therefore, the children must be send to the religious classes.
Third, the rights of a son and a daughter should be fully ensured and there must be clear equity and equality between their rights. I’d emphasise equally that the children also need to be obedient to their parents and they must not waste their time. Our young generation need to understand that once the time moves ahead could never be reversed . they therefore must use their time more effectively and productively so that they should meet their genuine needs and become a refined human.
Last but not the least, women should be emancipated from the steriotypes of men , especially with regard to education, employment and various types of productive and legally facilitated enterprises. Like other women of the world and Pakistan, the women of Gilgit-Baltistan should also be encouraged in line with journalism and media, legal studies and practices, various types of creative work, in all fields of performing arts such as learning music, singing and so on.
Conclusionand the Way Forward
Although, the biography of Zahida Parveen Khan was evidenced filled with various challenges and difficulties, it provides the readers with lots of hopes and prospects based on her practical experiences by going through various types of life challenges and employing consistent efforts and positive struggles as strategies that brought series of successes to her life to a significant level. At present, she is in her middle age but is so much determined to face even the upcoming challenges , get achievements and contribute productively not only for herself or her family but rather dreams for all societies and humans, especially the womenfolk. Well, out of her interesting, ample and sober discussions, we could productively deduce a lot and variety of meanings and lessons. Here, let’s opt for deducing some important aspects here.
Based on the stories above, we can observe that personality of Zahida Parveen is made up of series of life experiences, encountering challenges , taking testable approaches and getting success in many field of her interests including recitation, singing and teaching of the devotional or other poetries in Persian, Wakhi and Urdu, learning and teaching the Holy Qur’an to the school level students, contributing voluntarily to her community organizations and institutions, learning the basics of music, learning English and other languages, and many more.
As for a person’s immediate, logical and legal identity with regard to a name is concerned, it sounds so convincing, logical and legal, which was pinpointed by Zahida Parveen. First, we need to understand that a child is born out of his or her parents and the identity thus takes itself in most of the cases (in patriarchal societies) behind their father, though in some cases, apart from the first or given name, second and third name as family name could be found from both paternal and maternal sides (for instance as we could find in the cae of Spain). A lot of cases are evidenced that soon after getting married, the young wives coming in emotion change or sacrifice their second or surname behind their husbands’s name or surname. With the course of time, when matrimonial conflicts emerge, and particuarly in case of sepearation, the identity of a sepearated woman itself pushes them towards intensified frustration and mental conflicts.A wisdom or lesson we could get out of this special note is an advice to the young women to be cautious enough for being emotional in giving up or choosing personal identity of names. Instead, they should use their own official name as has been recorded in their respective educational institutions and the legal documents provided by the Government’s registration office. This will then never lead towards inconsistency and issues regarding their actual names and identities.
Another but so important point to be kept in mind, a woman is never ever a commodity or a kind of livestock purchased from the bazaar, or from somemone where her identity gets fixed or shifted. In contrast, a man and a woman when join each other as life partners, it stands and remains to be a social contract between those two individuals. If such life partnerships could sustain for longer time or for the whole life could be termed great in whatever condition that partnership may be or continue. But the contract could get dissolved any day or anytime because it robustly depends on the cohesive, friendly or compromising relationships between the two partners. In case, no element of compromise appears or sustains between the mates, the social contract of life-partnership then comes to an end as opposed to the commodities or livestock. Nonetheless, if any child is born out of such couple, the identity consanguineally takes its route from the father’s line, again, except for the small population of matriarchal societies.
Well, out of her experiences and observations from childhood, a significant point Zahida Parveen pertinently highlighted was with regard to the kids early development by their parents where she emphatically urged that their children should be with their parents during schooling ages at least up to 10 to 12 years of their age. She so delicately noted that how did she remember when her parents were not in the school with her on the first day of school enrollment, though she has missed them, time and again despite the fact she has been given a lot of care by her maternal family members. Such phenomena thus leave a deep but negative impact on the children in different contexts, especially in line with personality development of the individuals.
The third important point we could examine is with regard to the overall societal and cultural changes.Zahida Parveen so greatly presented the old pictures of her valley and the whole region of Gilgit-Baltistan pertaining to the rural and poor conditions of the people.She so honestly related the situations starting from her own family during pursuence of her school and college life that how the girls would encounter genuine issues during their education. Though, we cannot say that in the current period the conditions of girl students have been revolutionary in many ways, we could however evidence a drastic shift within the cultural normls and values of the concerned people in different walks of life when compared the conditions of the people forty years or 30 years ago.
Although, Zahida Parveen had and has a great passion for acquiring her secular education in terms of degree,she has gone through various tests and trials in familial contextswhere she becomes a mother of four children. Being a loving mother, she thus compromises and prioritizes her children’s care, nourishment and education on top.Nonetheless, she is seen proactive in engaging herself with social or voluntary work and uses her time positivley. Zahida Parveen has ventured and bravely highlighted women’s basic rights at all levels. She seems to be so vocal and advocates that it should be started from one’s own house.until and unless, women are regarded and respected in their concerned homes, it will be futile, though the same aspect of human rights could also be seen from various angles.
It is important to note that though Zahida Parveen greatly shared some aspects of her life, it cannot be pronounced or determined that her whole life stories are gathered here in this very small write-up.A lot of stories embedded in genuine challenges and experiences are covered yet that are parts and parcels of her personality development as a whole. However, when we look retrospectively on the life stories and grooming of Zahida Parveen, the support of her parents and other family members (paternal and maternal) are credible, indeed. The role of Sultan Ahmad (her husband) is also appreciable, though no life partners could be termed ideal or perfect .
In conclusion, I would like to end up here with the following words that Zahida Parveen is versitle in many ways. She is an honest, sober, caring, gifted and deep person. Though, she is blessed with a sweet and soothing voice where she is witnessed to grace singing the lyrics, reciting the elevated poetries, or recitation of the Holy Qur’an within her own capacity, she is also embedded in moderation of programs or events. In addition to her domestic or familial responsibilities and partial professional commitments around her experiences, She could be evidenced as a devoted and dedicated volunteer. whenever she gets time she tries her best to contribute to her community with a spirit of selfless voluntarism.
A couple of lessons I could get out of her interesting biography are as follows: frequent struggle and remaining proactive for the genuine causes in life;sincere with those who are honest, caring and sincere in a true sense; trying to keep a balance in her life between the secular and the spiritual domains as guided by her Spiritual Master or Guru.
Acknowledgement
I owe my sincere indebtedness to Zahida Parveen for sharing her interesting biography with me that led towards this little contribution, otherwise it was not possible to know about her colorful life history to such an extent.
References and Available Links
FaceBook Page of Zahida Parveen:
https://www.facebook.com/zahidasultan00
YouTube Channel: Zahida Sultan
Devotional poetry of Saifuddin Saif of Hunza in Wakhi
YouTube Channel: EaglesWorld
Jashn-e Gulzor-e Imomat
Gulzor-e Imomat(Rose Garden of the Imamat )A beautiful Persian lyric, Gulzor-e Imomat, finally comes to the limelight.On the auspicious occasion of the
Imama…
youtube.com
Unlabeled 2
Inson | Shumol | Wakhi Song | 2020
If you liked this video please dont forget to Like and Subscribe. This song, Inson deals with nature philosophy and spiritualism, which was presented by
Shu…
youtube.com
Unlabeled 1
An Appealing Wakhi Poetry | Koyinot-e Safar(A Journey of the Universe)
Please don’t forget to subscribe to Eagles World (this YouTube Channel) and also press the bell button so to get the updates on the latest publications.
the …
youtube.com
https://youtu.be/a-i-P26vU54
Unlabeled 1
The Story of Coronavirus Recovery Cases in Gilgit-Baltistan Region
If you are interested to read the original Urdu text, you may click on the following link:www.urdunews.com https://www.urdunews.com/node/471656 If you
canno…
youtube.com
https://youtu.be/_NcnSUmsdac
Unlabeled 1
A Persian Devotional Poetry | Nikuhish Makun Charkh-e Nilufari Ro | Pir Nosir Khusraw
Nikuhish Makun Charkh-e Nilufari RoDON’T DENOUNCE THE BLUE SKY FOR THE ENCOUNTERED HARDSHIP!Composed by Hazrat Nosir Khusraw Qabodiyoni(in 11th Century
CE) T…
youtube.com
YouTube Channel: Chipursan TV
Poetry in Persian: Hazrat Nosir Khusraw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuUkNjE0FM
Poetry: Hazrat Nosir Khusraw (Zamona Malloh Shudam):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBRdAB9o3EQ
Poetry in Wakhi: Saifuddin Saif (Mũborak sad mũborak)
Poetry in Wakhi: Sultan Ahmed (Marsiya on Imam Hussain)
YouTube Channel: Qaseeda/Ginan
Devotional poetry of Hazrat Nosir Khusraw
YouTube Channel: Shumol
Poetry in Wakhi: Fazal Amin Beg (Inson)
YouTube Channel: Zoom Studio GB
Poetry in Urdu: A national song
Vocals: Mudassir Ahmer Deepak and Zahida Sultan in 2017
Channel’s name: ViralLanguages
Video 1: Coronavirus Explained in Wakhi
Coronavirus explained in Wakhi (Tajikistan, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan) frame
COVID-19 Symtoms in Wakhi:
How does COVID-19 spreads?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHnUj21vzns How to use Face Mask in Wakhi?