Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s message is as urgently needed today as it was in the 18th century. Back when feudal lords tightened their grip on the land, farmers groaned under oppressive taxes, fishermen and artisans saw their labour exploited and women crumbled under systems of discrimination and violence, Latif became their voice and hope.
Little has changed since. If Latif walked Sindh today, he would see the same oppression crushing the people. He would see villages without clean water or healthcare, justice reserved for the elite, staggering poverty, crime and the brutal practice of honour killings still stealing innocent lives. In a world torn by hatred and divisions, Latif’s poetry is a weapon. Let us resurrect his message.
Qamer Soomro
Shikarpur
