BAHAWALPUR, Oct 25: The four-day centenary celebrations to mark the death anniversary of sufi poet Khwaja Ghulam Farid began here under the auspices of Seraiki Adabi Majlis on Wednesday night.

The celebrations were inaugurated at the Jhoke Seraiki by Punjab Minister for Food and Agriculture Khurshid Zaman Qureshi.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Qureshi said Khwaja Ghulam Farid through his poetry taught us the lesson of love, amity and brotherhood. His poetry was a source of strength for the people, he added. He called for preserving and propagating his poetry for the generations to come.

Islamia University, Bahawalpur, vice-chancellor Prof Dr Munir Akhtar, who was the chief guest, observed that the poetry of Khwaja Ghulam Farid was a source of mental peace.

He said he had directed to provide research facilities in the Khwaja Farid chair of the Islamia University.

Earlier, Seraiki Adabi Majlis president Syed Din Muhammad Shah demanded that Seraiki language be introduced at intermediate and graduation levels in the colleges as an optional subject initially in Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan.

He said Seraiki should also be included in the list of subjects for offering CSS and PCS examinations. He also demanded setting up of a Seraiki TV station.

An exhibition of rare photographs was also arranged on the occasion. Some of the photographs taken on the occasion of merger of Bahawalpur state in the then West Pakistan and Quaid-i-Azam’s visit as a governor-general drew more attention of the participants.

The four-day celebrations include a seminar on Khwaja Ghulam Farid, a mushaira and a music concert.

RALLY: A rally against the US attack on Afghanistan was brought out on Thursday from Jamia Masjid Al-Sadiq. It was led by Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan central general secretary Khadim Husain Dhillon and Jamaat-i-Islami district president Dr Syed Wasim Akhtar.