PAKISTAN: People's Firebrand 80-Year-Old Poet Sarvech Sujawali Dies

THATTA, Sind (Dawn), October 22, 2007: Renowned revolutionary poet, Mohammad Siddique Tariro alias Sarvech Sujawali, who gained unparalleled popularity for creating mass awareness by his poetry particularly during two dictatorial regimes died after protracted illness in his native village Sarvech Nagar on October 22. He was 80, says a report filed by Iqbal Khwaja. People from all walks of life attended funeral procession of the people’s poet. He was buried in his ancestral graveyard in Sujawal. The septuagenarian who has left a widow, five sons and four daughters besides a large of admirers to mourn his death had been bed ridden in different hospitals over a period of two and a half years since he was diagnosed with a deadly tumour in spinal card followed by lung cancer. His condition deteriorated after the death from cancer of his poet son, Habibullah Sangi Sujawali who was also a progressive nationalist poet of Laar. He died four months before him. Sarvech gained popularity for creating awareness against dictatorial rule and was jailed a number of times. He suffered immensely due to his daring and extempore poetic utterances in numerous public gatherings of almost all the political leaders like G.M. Syed, Mumtaz Bhutto and Rasool Bux Palijo. Sarvech was born on March 14, 1937 in Badin district and attended school for only four years. Being a poor shepherd Sarvech drew great inspiration from the poetry of Moulvi Ahmed Mallah. His collection of poems “Alyoon Akhiyoon Anba War” (The wet eyes and dry hair) received great public response. © DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2007