March 1, 2003	Saturday	Zul Hijjah 27, 1423

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PESHAWAR, Feb 28: Speakers at a reference held to pay tributes to the literary personality, the late Qalandar Momand, exhorted the participants to carry forward the mission left incomplete by his passing away.

The Peshawar chapter of the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) organised the function at the Peshawar Press Club on Friday where, despite inclement weather, noted poets, writers, critics, teachers, intellectuals and political leaders came in droves to pay homage to the man who rendered matchless services for the progress and aggrandisement of the Pushto language and literature.

Momand’s old pal, Yar Mohammad Maghmoom, spoke at length about the late poet’s approach and scholarly honesty and narrated real stories which suggested that Momand never felt any shame in admitting his weakness when he failed to understand some nuances of literature. He was a unique critic, because he always spoke in the face of those whom he found to be incorrect.

Humorist Sardar Khan Fana recalled how he lived with Momand for 50 years and learned from his witty friend. His relationship with him was one of hate and love.

Raj Wali Shah Khattak spoke against the people who were the compatriots of Momand but looked the other way when he (Momand) fell ill and was in need of moral as well as financial support.

Poet and politician Mohammad Ajmal Khattak was all praise for the maestro writer who, he said, denounced the capitalist system and contributed to all genres of literature in his writings that won him a place others would crave to achieve.