KHAIRPUR: Eminent scholars from across Sindh and other parts of the country attended a literary conference held at Daraza Sharif on Monday night on the second day of the three-day 193rd Urs of great Sufi saint Sachal Sarmast.

MNA Nafisa Shah, reno­wn­ed researchers Dr Nawaz Ali Shauq, Inaam Shaikh, Taj Joyo, Dr Makhmoor Bukhari, Akhtar Dargahi and others spoke on the mystic verses, philosophy, teachings and person of Sachal Sarmast at the conference held in Sachal Complex at the shrine. Hidayat Baloch, Adal Soomro, Ayaz Gul, Dr Mushtaque Phul, Amar Iqbal and other prominent poets presented their poetry on Sachal at a mushaira that followed.

In his presidential speech at the conference, Dr Shauq said that Sachal Sarmast not only preached peace and love but also gave a new colour to the mystic philosophy. He called for a multi-faceted research on the saint’s person and works. He observed that many scholars had been doing research on the verses and philosophy of Sachal Sain but the authentic and proper works were needed to be published in a systematic manner.

MNA Nafisa Shah said seminars and conferences on the mystic verses and philosophy of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar and other Sufi saints should be held at the national and international levels regularly to spread their message of love and peace across the globe. For the purposes, she added, arrangements should be made to hold such events regularly and foreign scholars should be invited to present their research papers. “The works of the great saints are a strong weapon against religious extremism and terrorism,” she said.

She stressed the need for launching a cultural campaign to beat extremism and terrorism.

Inaam Shaikh told the conference that preaching and following Sachal’s teachings was easier in this hi-tech era. He called for using electronic technology to publish the ‘Sachal Sain Jo Risalo’ containing authentic versions of research on the saint’s works.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2014