Central Jail Karachi
Listen!
O dark and ravenous dungeon of Karachi!
Whenever I sit in front of my cell
And look out towards your mighty ramparts,
An intricately patterned net.
I realize what a cruel world you are
How dark and steeped in sin is your path
No one is privy to your secrets
You are a beast and humans are your favored food
You swallow live men whole
Your ancient dust is crimson with the blood of murdered dreams
How many vain, youthful necks have you snapped?
How many lovers have you torn apart?
How many shining stars have you stripped of light?
I do not deny your cold and cruel terror
But let me tell you something odd, listen!
I can hear the "Captives of Karachi” speak:
"O patriotic, brave and proud prisoner!
Don’t fear the chains when you strive for freedom
Tear the roof off the dungeon with your slogans
Jail is but a milestone on the road to freedom
And even though it is like hell, jump in
For you have to snatch your motherland away from the oppressor,
Even if it costs you your life”
We have to tear down all prisons, big and small
The biggest of all dungeons, is my homeland
You provide shelter and food but there, we go hungry
The stooges of the imperialists have bled us dry
And taken all we had;
Name and honor, home and grave,
They have made us their slaves.
So, O Prison!
Heavier is the yoke of slavery when compared to your embrace
Bitter is the servile bed when compared to your nights
You drain the body but subjugation roasts away the soul
So O Dungeon! We have populated you today
In order to dismantle that bigger prison
Either we will be victorious or we shall perish.
The times are changing, heed Nasir’s call
We might be your captives today but tomorrow,
Your walls and ramparts will not remain
And we will be like nightingales in spring, in our motherland.
But let me tell you something odd, listen!
I can hear the "Captives of Karachi” speak:
"O patriotic, brave and proud prisoner!
Don’t fear the chains when you strive for freedom
Tear the roof off the dungeon with your slogans
Jail is but a milestone on the road to freedom
And even though it is like hell, jump in
For you have to snatch your motherland away from the oppressor,
Even if it costs you your life”
We have to tear down all prisons, big and small
The biggest of all dungeons, is my homeland
You provide shelter and food but there, we go hungry
The stooges of the imperialists have bled us dry
And taken all we had;
Name and honor, home and grave,
They have made us their slaves.
So, O Prison!
Heavier is the yoke of slavery when compared to your embrace
Bitter is the servile bed when compared to your nights
You drain the body but subjugation roasts away the soul
So O Dungeon! We have populated you today
In order to dismantle that bigger prison
Either we will be victorious or we shall perish.
The times are changing, heed Nasir’s call
We might be your captives today but tomorrow,
Your walls and ramparts will not remain
And we will be like nightingales in spring, in our motherland.
slaves.
So, O Prison!
Heavier is the yoke of slavery when compared to your embrace
Bitter is the servile bed when compared to your nights
You drain the body but subjugation roasts away the soul
So O Dungeon! We have populated you today
In order to dismantle that bigger prison
Either we will be victorious or we shall perish.
The times are changing, heed Nasir’s call
We might be your captives today but tomorrow,
Your walls and ramparts will not remain
And we will be like nightingales in spring, in our motherland.