Karachi Poem by Akhtar Jawad

Karachi kal bhi zinda tha,
Karachi aaj bhi zindah hay,
Karachi kal bhi zinda rahega,
Wuh to ek haseena hay,
Jo nachti hay aur gati hay,
Wuh phoolon ko mahkati hay,
Wuh kalion ko chatkhati hay,
Bhookon ko roti khilati hay,
Yeh kapde bhi pehnati hay,
Is mulk mein ahle ilm-o-fun,
Khairat pe iski palte hayn,
Toofan to aata rahta hay,
Per iske sadquon ka band jo hay,
Wuh itna mazboot hay peyare,
Toofan ka rukh mud jata hay,
Koi isko mar nahin sakta,
Ab itna bhi kamzor nahin,
Yeh zinda hay aur zindah rahega.

Yeh aaj agar hay roothi hui,
Tum dekhna kal man jayegi,
Yeh uski chahat ka dam bharne wale,
Dakoo aur lutere, bante hayn rakhwale,
Humne pehle bhi dekhen hayn aise aane jane wale,
Chupchap jo ghar mein baithe hayn,
Jab hawa chali yeh niklein ge,
Yeh sabko ura kar rakh dein ge,
Koi girega ja ke samundar mein,
Koi ret mein jal bhun jayega,
Keya karna hay ja ke kahin,
Saiyah yehin per ruk ja zara,
Aa dekh le shahre Karachi ko,
Chota sa sahi per iske andar,
Poora Pakistan hay zindah!
Aur yahan yeh zindah rahega.

Tum iska pani mat cheeno,
Tum iski roti mat cheeno,
Tum iski roshni mat cheeno,
Keyun isko adhere dete ho?
Yeh to tumhara dil hay yaro,
Keyun isse dharakan cheente ho,
Keya tumko yeh maloom nahin,
Gar dil ki dharkan ruk jaye,
To jism ko murdah kahte hayn.

Kutch humse bhi bhool hui,
Kutch tumse bhi bhool hui,
Tum bin humbhi adhhore hayn,
Hum bin tumbhi adhoore ho,
Jhank ke dekho dil mein zara,
Wuh peyar abhi tak zinda hay,
Nazrein to milakar dekho zara,
Yeh yar abhi tak zinda hay!
Yeh hajib aur raqueeb hayn jo,
Inki nazron se bachke kabhi,
Lahore ki thandi naharke pas,
Han Moghalpura ka pul hay jo,
Paighame muhabbat lekar main,
Matiar se milne aaon ga,
Chadar odh ke rat mein tum,
Cupti cupati aur lajati,
Sohni ki tarah aa jana kal,
Mahiwal main bankar aaon ga,
Lahore ki ek matiar ko main,
Leke karachi aaon ga.

Kutch batein meri kadwi theen,
Lo sheer se inko dho dala,
Aao ab hum mil lein gale,
Main to sada se tumhara hoon!