In our “The Dad Series”, we have interacted with Wahag Baloch for our fourth interview. He has been closely associated with Allah Dad during his lifetime as a friend. Here is what he has to say.
Question: How do you describe Dad beyond his professional life?
Wahag Baloch: When Dad had completed his master’s degree in History from Karachi University, he came back to Turbat where I personally began to interact with him due to mutual friends. And then, we got to become very close friends. We would either contact or meet once or twice a week. We spent a lot of time with each other, got to know each other well and debated on various things.
As an individual, Dad was one who would always take stance. When one was caught with a problem, then he was the one to come forward the very first. He was bold and feared nothing. Secondly, he was very straightforward. He had a very straightforward point of view about many things. He was never twofaced. He had no word of “excuse” in his everyday life. Thirdly, he was very helpful. He was clean-hearted and generous. Each time, me or any other one among his friends, whatever support was required [that he could], he was all the time ready. Personally, each time I contacted him, he never said he was busy. Not only to me, but he was always available to everyone. It was his nature.
Dad was also a social person. Though he was a bookworm and always was in his thirst for knowledge and books, but they never disturbed his social life. He was always involved in the social works, be that a funeral, a marriage ceremony, or any other social issue, he was one among the front-liners. It ultimately helped him in a better understanding of the gross-level affairs. He had a great understanding of our society – which is in very rare people. These are what testify his personal life beyond profession.
Question: How do you see Dad’s relationship with Balochi language and literature in his everyday life?
Wahag Baloch: See, if we look at Dad’s intellectual aspect, in his very short life, he had seen big dreams and had already worked on plenty. Firstly, his biggest mission [or if you term it his dream or ideology] was to enrich Balochi literature with several subjects of non-fiction writing, whether in shape of translations or research. He had, in fact, worked on this very idea. Even my own [translation] book “The Philosophy of Law” was published due to Dad. Though I translated the book, but more than that, it was Dad who took all the responsibilities of its publication, be it the money it took to publish the book or, above all, continuously encouraging me to do so. I am more than very much sure that if Dad had not encouraged and stood by me, this book would have never been published. It was a non-fiction work on law – the dream Dad had seen. Besides this, he began a book on nationalism which could not be accomplished because of his untimely demise – that too in continuation of the fulfillment of his might dream.
Apart from this, Dad encouraged translations too – particularly among the emerging writers. He knew that with translations [of productive work], the new writers were polished, gained clarity, got to learn a lot about the languages and learned the art of writing. Dad also said that when you learn the basics of writing and languages, quit translations, instead, work on production of indigenous literature, particularly, promoting the research culture. Secondly, he was fond of research-oriented work – with emphasis on non-fiction work like politics or modern and post-modern subjects, whether in Politics, History, Sociology, Anthropology or even Science like Physics.
Dad also had his own research work, particularly, in the domain of history. Or let’s take the instance of Dodman Publications, which is one among Dad’s biggest dreams come true, he intended to bring forth productive literature of the colleagues in the mentioned areas. He had already published few, including my own book, or Amin Zamin’s books, or Lal’s ones. Some other such tasks were in the pipeline though on which Dad was working. One thing more, Dad was also a good proofreader. He had proofed handy number of work. He had a great hand on it.
Normally, when a student graduates, the biggest challenge they face is what to do next or get into the race of getting a governmental job to make a living, spend a family life and be settled. Dad never thought anything as such. I never witnessed him for once thinking of anything as such. When he had graduated, his main objective was “I will work. I will work on literature; I will work on research.” He was also thinking of a Doctorate degree at any rate. Due to several issues, including financial overloads, he had to freeze his degree, but that could not stop him from working. Even when he came back to Turbat, he was working. It was his thought that if he looked for a job within this system, he could not work on all this.
Question: Anything else do you want to add?
Wahag Baloch: If you speak of Balochi literature, there are several things in the Baloch society which require research and work, whether classic or modern, or any other field of study whether medical or other traditional things and myths; Dad also wanted to work on them. He wanted to visit the locations and sites, meet people and record stories and narrations to whatever extent he could. In fact, he had visited some places in Kech, including Balgatar under the same process and gathered some myths on record, but life was unfair to him and us all.
