KARACHI, Dec 2: The Pakistan Academy of Letters organized a special lecture and mushaira on the occasion of 181st Urs of the mystic poet of Sindh Hazrat Sacchal Sarmast.

According to the Academy here on Monday, author and critic Prof Afaq Siddiqui in his lecture said the mystic poet had a unique expression of grandeur and rapture in his poetry.

Paying tribute to the poet, he said Sacchal wrote poetry in several languages and gave his point of view with an open mind.

Prof Siddiqui said Sacchal was a contemporary of Wali Dakhni and Quli Qutub Shah. He said Sacchal was a poet of the early era of Urdu poetry.

He said Sindh is a land of Sufis and its cultural heritage is spread over thousands of years. He said Sufi poets of Sindh always focused on human angle of history and life and talked about humanity.

Prof (Dr) Sharif Memon, who presided over the event, said Sacchal used his poetry for bold expression, and added that he was one of those poets who had changed the life of nations. He was of the view that present-day poets should follow his style and must speak of truth and goodness.

The Resident Director of the Academy, Agha Noor Mohammed Pathan, said Sacchal Sarmast tried to eliminate narrow divisions in society and talked only of humanity.

Poets Naseer Soomro, Sattar Pirzada, Ghufran Ahmed, Dr Mansoor Malik, Irtiza Husain Gohar, Atif Tauqeer, Babar Ata, Yasmeen Yaas, Bilqees Ali, Sheeba Haidri, Ghalib Irfan and Prof Khayal Afaqi paid their tribute to Sacchal Sarmast in verse.

Fateha was offered for Jon Elia, Jamal Rind, Malik Agani and Taj Sehraee. — APP