PESHAWAR: Speakers at a function here on Thursday praised literary services of two late Urdu writers Yousaf Rija Cheshti and Prof Taha Khan.

Khana-i-Farhang Iran in collaboration with Abaseen Arts Council arranged the event as part of its series ‘Honouring poets and writers of Peshawar’.

The speakers praised the contribution of the late writers and said that they were in fact a part of literary movement through which they wanted to spread knowledge. Being beacons of light, they wanted to groom young people to respect enlightenment and social values, they said, adding they advocated peace, harmony and humility in their writings. Ali Yousafi, director general of Khana-i- Farhang Iran, in his address said that Yousaf Rija Cheshti and Prof Taha Khan were eminent Persian poets along with Urdu and Hindko languages. He said that both the literary figures had great love and respect for Persian.

“They belonged to the era when Persian language used to be compulsory part of the syllabus here. They had thoroughly learnt it and even taught Persian language to others in their lifetime,” Mr Yousafi added.

Speakers say Yousaf Rija Cheshti and Prof Taha Khan wanted to groom young people to respect enlightenment and social values

He said that popular Persian poets from Iran were not alien in Pakistan. “Allama Mohammad Iqbal is quite familiar to Iranians and so are Saadi, Hafiz and Rumi,” he said.

He said that Khana-i- Farhang Iran, would continue to honour literary giants of Peshawar who had rendered meritorious services in field of literature.

Senior poet Sajjad Babar, who presided over the event, said that Prof Taha Khan and Yousaf Rija Cheshti both were the paragon of virtues as they were great scholars, who had many followers and students.

He said that both the literary figures wanted their youth to be hardworking and punctual. “Punctuality was one thing that Cheshti Sahib would never comprise on. Taha Khan had always a great thirst for knowledge. Both used to be very eager to share their vision with others,” Mr Babar said.

Shamamtul Amber Arbab, the daughter of Yousaf Rija Cheshti, said that her father had complete command over Arabic, Persian, English and Urdu. She said that he had served in Pakistan Army but he was more a writer than a soldier.

“My father had learnt the Holy Quran by heart when he was just nine years old and had learnt Arabic and Persian perfectly. Prof Taha Khan had also groomed many young poets and writers,” she said.

Prof Nasir Ali Syed, Mushtaq Shabab, Khawaja Mohammad Wasim, Iqbal Sikandar, Prof Hassam Hur, Yousaf Aziz Zahid and Atiqur Rehman also shed light on the literary contributions of the late writers.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2014