Ustaad Saba: A preacher of optimism

By Shaari Baloch 

The mother tongue plays a vital role in the development of personal, social and cultural identity of a nation; nonetheless, it requires a proper place in the world in order to pave some ways out for the possibility of contributions by the alumni, undergraduates and postgraduates of that language.

The language generates the most positive attitude, encourages the people to develop confidence and other essential skills such as critical thinking and literacy rate. The skills can be transferred when we begin studying in other languages.

However, it is much harder to teach these abstract skills directly through the medium of another language. For almost more than 70 years, in the Baloch society where the mother tongue was deliberately kept limited and suppressed, the state administrated school systems have no role to nurture the Balochi/Brahvi language under the sophisticated policies aimed to suppress the languages and the students’ creativity towards their language development and advancement.

In today’s progressing world, the international educational institutes establishing the mother tongues’ related programs in a quest of easiness to create the best conducive climates. Suppose, in Bratislava where the students have been encouraged to bring books written in their home languages to build pride in their own culture. In the most suppressed and subjugated society where keeping Balochi literature in hostels and in public libraries considered a crime, the only return reward for the development of mother language is to face the hardships.

Despite these stern circumstances, Balochi language experienced the power of encouragement in influences of a person, we commonly know him as Professor Saba Dashtiyari.

As his name meaning concerns “Saba”, a bright new dawn, who shaped the minds of future leaders, a hope for those students who were willing to work for the development of their language for a long time. It was supposed to be the era of enlightenment, the era of intellectualism in the oppressed nation just owing to his broader thoughts of getting all into the spectrum of unity. The circles which had been carried out under the supervision of Professor Saba in the Canteen and vicinity of University where he served as a Professor were the most encouraging moments for the Baloch youth. Those experienced moments brought a hope and optimism for Baloch youth but unfortunately, he was tolerated by the state having a staunch back for the armed independence movement.

The love for Saba by the Baloch students was indefinable, it was the darkest day when Saba the most approachable teacher by any member of community was assassinated, one of his students went home and spent his whole day lonely without speaking a single word, after inquiring from him, he replied in a depressed voice, just in a simple sentence, “the University was roaring at me”.

A brief description over the life of the legendary teacher “Qandeel-e-Baloch” Professor Gulam Husain Saba Dashtiyari tells how much committed and sincere person he was, he was born in 1953 in the Baloch historical city of Mai Kolachi, now called Karachi. He persuaded his basic education from Lyari, Karachi and did his intermediate in SM Commerce College Karachi. Saba did his Master degree in philosophy and Islamic studies from University of Balochistan and later got a job in Balochistan University while he was continuing his studies in 1976 and preferred teaching instead of his studies because of his great intent to serve for the Baloch nation.

He was the Professor of theology but was as well fluent in many languages including Persian, English and Arabic besides Balochi in which he was having a great affection. Primarily Saba initiated writing in Urdu language but in 1984 abandoned writing in Urdu as being inspired by famous Balochi writer and poet Abdullah Jamaldini and adopted his mother tongue Balochi for his literary works and contributions.

In 1996, Saba laid down the foundation of premier Balochi language academy, Syed Hashmi Reference Library which has hundreds of books in Balochi literature however it started functioning properly in 2002.

Other than these opportunities for the Baloch nation, he was planning for the research committee by the name of Balochelogy and to form a Balochi encyclopaedia but he was utterly perturbed over the lack of official encouragement for the Balochi language and emphasized on the need for societal efforts to preserve Baloch identity and assets.

He was the most liberal and open-minded person, being always surrounded by the students holding a variety of books, discussing different topics ranging from politics, the revolution to taboos topics.

In his presence, there was neither any gape of discrimination of religion among the students nor any propaganda towards Brahvi and Balochi language. This clearly defines how much sensitive Saba was to the motives towards Baloch and its existence.

At the beginning, he was silent, limited to his professional teaching and promoting of Balochi language but his faith and conscience allowed him to realize most that his contribution is not enough for his language and Baloch movement, so he started addressing seminars, joined the rallies and openly demanded the release of thousands of missing persons and used to sit at different hunger strikes camp.

During the seminars which he attended, many journalists interrupted him while he was delivering speeches but the threats and interruptions were not enough to discourage this faithful and practical man. It is a common saying that the oppressed nation, either they are students, professors’ or intellectuals have no future, they would be abducted, dumped or killed sooner or later.

However, being the inhabitants of the colonized land there is no way to get justice but struggle until last breath because negation can be completely overcome by the negation.

Unfortunately, we lost a great teacher, an honest worker and activist on 1 June 2011 in shape of another big loss, an intellectual of the oppressed nation and stamped his name in golden words of history. The Baloch nation will always remember his contributions towards Baloch independence movement and language. Hope the new morning would be the “Real Saba” for the oppressed nation

“If today the entire world doesn’t pay attention to Baloch screams, a day will come, it comes to us but when we get united under an umbrella for a single collective goal of independence”, Said Saba Dashtiyari once in a gathering.

The vision that Saba broaden by sacrificing his all wishes now flows in the drops of every Baloch’s blood. This is a reason we all considered ourselves as Saba and come to kill us until the vision of enlightenment envisages us to the ways that Saba followed on.