PESHAWAR: Speakers at a function paid rich tributes to noted Pashto poet Mohammad Din Muqaiyyad to mark his 53rd death anniversary.

The event was conducted under the auspices of Thall Pakhto Adabi Chaman (TPAC) at Khana-i- Farhang Iran, Peshawar, on Sunday. Delegates from parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata attended the gathering. Saidwali Khial Moomand, resident director of Pakistan Academy of Letters, noted elders and fans of the late poet also participated in the event.

The speakers said that Mohammad Din Muqaiyyad portrayed a true picture of the era, he had lived in because he was born with a vision.

They said that a few Pashto poets could get a place among literary circles owing to their sublime thoughts and unique way of expression. “He was a poet par excellence and had a command over creating images in his poetry,” they said.

Around 60 poets and writers eulogised his literary services. The Thall Adabi Chaman also decorated a Quetta-based Pashto fiction writer-cum-TV artist Farooq Sarwar with gold medal for his literary contribution.

Malak Maqbool Ahmad, chief of Thall Adabi Chaman, said that his organisation had awarded about 15 known Pashto poets and writers with Mohammad Din Muqaiyyad gold medals.

He said that next year women writers would also be included in the list of the awardees.

Senior writer and patron in-chief of Thall Adabi Chaman Saleem Bangash said that Mohammad Din Muqaiyyad (1919 -64) influenced a host of poets through his creative thoughts. He founded ‘Thall Adabi Chaman’ in 1955 that had been functional since then.

Prof Aseer Mangal said that Thall Adabi Chaman was the only surviving literary organisation since its inception that had been engaged in literary activities to popularise the message of Mohammad Din Muqaiyyad among people.

He said that complete literary works of Mr Muqaiyyad had been published posthumously twice under self-sponsored programme.

Umar Daraz Marwat, a noted poet, said that Mr Muqaiyyad got widespread attention due to his unique usage of poetic devices in his poetry. He said that had he not died at the peak of his poetic career, he would have contributed more to Pashto literature.

Prof Iqbal Shakir, a poet from Malakand, said that Mr Muqaiyyad had been endowed with refine poetic sensibilities. He said that he had won public appreciation even in his brief lifetime.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai said that poets like Mr Muqaiyyad born once in a century and should be explored in detail so that young people could know about their hidden qualities. He said that he was a folk genius born in era when education was not the priority of common people but he through strength of his vision and folk wisdom had carved out a niche for himself.

Later, a poetry recitation session was held in which besides other poets, Aslam Salik, Shahab Banusi, Sabir Wazir, Zahid Khan, Suleman Kamil, Nasir Amin, Ghandal Khan Baba and Muntazir Shinwari presented their poetic tribute to Mohammad Din Muqaiyyad.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2017