PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar appealed to President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Mahtab Ahmed Khan to help in handing over Hamza Baba Cultural Complex to a government body for its better look after and maintenance.

The seminar was held at Pashto department, University of Peshawar, on Wednesday to mark the 21st death anniversary of Sufi poet Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari.

Pohantoon Adabi Stori, Pashto departments of Islamia College University and University of Peshawar jointly arranged the seminar. Speakers read out papers to highlight various aspects of life and contributions of the Sufi poet, who authored 40 books in Urdu and Pashto.

The speakers stressed the need for conducting research on scientific lines on the literary services of the Sufi poet. Young scholars Dr Sherzaman Seemab, Faisal Faran, Asmat Surani, Naila Shamaal, Zafar Khan and Akhtar Iqbal Yousafzai presented thought-provoking papers.

Abaseen Yousafzai, chief of Pohantoon Adabi Stori, said that his literary organisation would encourage poets and writers to pay homage to their luminaries and propagate their thoughts to young generation.

Participants of the seminar through a unanimously passed resolution demanded of the authorities to help hand over Hamza Baba Cultural Complex located in Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency, to a government body or department for its better look after and maintenance .

Say despite lapse of more than a decade the facility could not be made fully functional for public use

Kaleem Shinwari, president of Hamza Baba Adabi Jirga, said that despite lapse of more than a decade the cultural complex could not be made fully functional for public use.

“It was attacked by militants a few years ago due to lack of security at the shrine. Later, local political administration provided Khasadar Force but arrangements should also be made to make it functional for poets and writers,” he said.

Ali Yousafi, director generalof Khana-i- Farhang Iran, Peshawar was chief guest at the event. He said that Hamza Baba was a great Sufi poet, who advocated peace, harmony and love in his poetry and prose.

He said that poets like Hamza Baba never died and remained alive in the hearts of people because of their enlightened vision and purity of thoughts.

The chief of Hamza Adabi Jirga said that the cultural complex was built in 2003 in Landi Kotal, the hometown of the Sufi poet, to encourage cultural and literary activities in the area.

“Local people could not benefit from the cultural complex. No staff was provided to run it as was promised in its original PC-1. Also funds are not available for local poets and writers to conduct literary sessions or carry out research projects,” Mr Shinwari said.

He said around 200 writers and poets could use the cultural complex for literary activities as it was the only structure in Fata. The original PC-1, he said, had included a restaurant, cafeteria, library hall and mushaira hall but it was not followed.

Young literary critic Faisal Faran in his paper pointed out that giving titles to poets and writers limited their spheres and scope. “Most often titles were misleading. Calling Amir Hamza Khan as Baba-i-Pashto ghazal, to many people meant that he had mastered only genre of ghazal while Hamza Baba had command over nazm, fiction, travelogue and essay writing as well,” he said.

Tahir Bukhari Bacha, spiritual successor of Hamza Baba, said that literary critics and researchers should also give due attention to prose works of the Sufi poet. He said that literary critics had almost ignored to evaluate prose works of Hamza Baba.

“It would be an injustice to the great writer if we ignore his creative prose works including his 250 radio plays, literary essays and travelogues. I have translated six books of Baba in Urdu,” Mr Bacha said.

Dr Nasarullah Wazir, director Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar, in his remarks said that Hamza Baba had rendered invaluable services to Pashto language and literature. “Two students have completed decorate theses while two other young students are doing research on Hamza Baba prose and plays,” he said.

Prof Rajwali Shah Khattak said Hamza Baba poetry and prose inspired four generations of Pakhtuns. He said that Hamza Baba created his own school of thought with numerous poets, writers, critics and researchers.

“Hamza Baba had chivalry of Khushal Khan Khattak and humility of Rahman Baba. He wanted Pakhtuns enlightened and progressive,” Mr Khattak said.

Published in Dawn February 19th , 2015

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