PESHAWAR: Participants of a literary session condemned the militant attack and paid glowing tribute to the slain children and teachers of the Army Public School (APS) in their poetic pieces here on Friday.

Most poets focused different aspects and social implications of the APS tragedy on the people of the region, saying that the best pieces both poetry and fiction would be compiled into a book form in the near future.

The Pohantoon Adabi Stori (PAS), a literary organisation, held its weekly literary session here at Faqir Epi Park, University of Peshawar. About 15 young Pashto poets and writers participated in the event. The session was dedicated to the APS tragedy on completion of its one month.

The participants said that the poets, writers and painters should give a due place to the description of brutal militant attack on the APS, killing 150 innocent children and teachers on Dec 16.

Focus on social implications of Dec 16 tragedy

“We are in a warlike situation. Poets are not supposed just to compose romantic verses. It is also their responsibility to write dirge to present a true picture of the society. They need to use their God- gifted talent for giving hope to the nation and raising their morale,” Shahab Aziz Arman, a young poet, told Dawn. Though occasional poetry is not that easy a task, but master poets and writers could do it in their own peculiar style, he explained.

Prof Javed Khalil, a research scholar at Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar, was the chief guest on the occasion. In his opening remarks, he said that poets and writers played an important role in moulding the society, adding that they should translate aspirations and public sentiments into words.

He said that writers being intelligent brains should guide people on the right track and correct their vision. He said that poets and writers were not reporters or historians, but custodians of social, cultural and spiritual aspirations of their people.

Noted poet Abaseen Yousafzai chaired the literary session. He said that poets and writers had always portrayed every critical moment of the region giving a befitting expression to their feelings, thoughts and creative ideas. He said that poets being sensitive souls could not stay in cold in the face of a trying situation. “They should write about it for literary history record as this is their social obligation,” he advised.

“The brutal attack on the Army Public School deeply shocked every thinking mind, especially poets and writers of this area. A large number of poets from different areas and cities were reported to have penned down inspiring poems and short stories, while artists had painted the tragic mishap,” Mr Yousafzai said.

Shahid Ali Shahid, a popular young blind poet, said that writers, who didn’t fulfil their social responsibilities, could not become voice of masses. He said that if literature was mirror to a society then it should reflect the joys and pains of the people.

“Poets and writers could be spiritual seers of a nation and they must condemn what was wrong and glorify what was good for the society,” Mr Shahid pointed out. He said how a poet and an artist could be at rest if such tragic incidents were happening around. Yes, words sometimes fail to describe the intensity and magnitude of a tragic incident, but somehow creative minds could perceive and recall it through their genuine feelings, he claimed.

Later, a Pashto mushaira was conducted in which poets presented their creative pieces about the killing of innocent students and teachers. Noted among them were Shahid Ali Shahid, Wisal Khattak, Sher Zaman Seemab, Fitrat Buneri, Shahab Aziz, Jalal Khalil, Asif Iqbal Qail, Kashif Wijdan, Afsar Afghan, Rashid Ali and Wisal Afridi.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play