hamesha ki tarah tangi jo pahle thi wo ab bhi hai
badan par ek phati lungi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

pareshani se sar ke baal tak sab jhad gae lekin
purani jeb mein kanghi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

idhar main kasrat-e-aulad se laghar udhar un ki
zaban par tursh-e-narangi jo pahle thi sau ab bhi hai

bana hero se zero aur phir neta to kandhe par
wahi ek shaal be-rangi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

nahin hoti to achchha tha magar firqa-paraston mein
wo yak-jihati ham-ahangi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

siyasat mein tassub ka dakhl hone laga jab se
dilon mein aa gai tangi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

jinhen janta ki fikr-e-afiyat mein ghul ke marna tha
sehat un ki bhali-changi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

libas-e-mukhtasar mein bhi tan-asani ke khwahan hain
karen kya aatma nangi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

zarurat aman ki duniya mein pahle se ziyaada hai
magar qimat bahut mahngi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

ahinsa ke pas-e-parda bahut zoron pe tayyari
aman ke nam par jangi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

hua hai aur na hoga kuchh asar mujh par zaifi ka
khayalon mein ye nairangi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai

zamane ka chalan kya puchhte ho 'khwah-makhwah' mujh se
wahi raftar be-dhangi jo pahle thi so ab bhi hai