Akbar Barakzai (1939-2022) was born in Shikarpur, Sindh. He is ranked amongst the proponents of modern Balochi literature. His poetry reflects the objective realities of life. Love for motherland, peace and prosperity and dignity of a man are the recurrent themes of his poetry. His love for human dignity transcends all geographical and cultural frontiers. Barakzai is not a prolific poet. In a literary career which spans over half a century, Barakzai has managed to bring out just two anthologies of his poems, but his poetry has depth and reaches out to human hearts with its profundity. Last year, Barakzai rejected the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) award, quoting the oppressive policies meted out to his region by the government as the reason.
Interview
In Conversation with Akbar Barakzai, a ‘Part-time Poet’ in Exile
‘The East and the West are slowly but steadily inching towards each other. Despite enormous odds “the twain” are destined to “meet” and be united to get rid of the geographical lines…’
Click here to read.
Poetry
- The Word: Click here to read
- Waiting for Godot: Click here to read
- The Law of Nature: Click here to read
- No: Click here to read
- Freedom: Click here to read
- Who can Snuff out the Sun: Click here to read
- For How Long: Click here to read
- Be & It All Came Into Being: Click here to read
- Mysteries of the Universe: Click here to read.
- Shorter Poems of Akbar Barakzai: Click here to read.
- We are All Human : Click here to read.
All his poetry has been translated by Fazal Baloch who has the rights to their translation.
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2 replies on “Akbar Barakzai”
We will all miss Akbar. My son Noel Evans married his youngest daughter Lalayn and we have wonderful grandchildren by them Kamran and Saffia. My father now 95 years old, an ex-miner and British soldier of Malaya & India, George Brinley Evans has his first book Boys of Gold (Parthian Books) republished today as it was such a success some years ago proudly out selling Dylan Thomas at Christmas. He told my father in Lalayn & Noel’s wedding “we are the Welsh of Persia George” They had much in common wanting to write. We had no idea Akbar was such a genius in words having found some of his works with you. He was the best of company and a pillar of understanding and goodness.
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He was truly a great writer and a wonderful principled man. Yes, we are privileged to have his poem for Lalayn too.
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