PESHAWAR: Noted Pashto writer, research scholar and critic Prof Iqbal Nasim Khattak died of cardiac arrest at the age of 77 on Tuesday evening in his Peshawar’s residence, leaving behind a widow, two sons and six daughters to mourn his death.

He was laid to rest in the graveyard of Professor’s Colony near Agricultural University on Wednesday where students, teachers, poets and writers attended his Namaz-i- Janaza.

The deceased was author of 13 books in Pashto and Urdu and recipient of numerous literary awards. Born in 1942 in Esak Chauntra village of Karak district, the late writer got master degree in Pashto literature in 1975 followed by the first-ever doctorate thesis in Pashto on Khushal Khan Khattak’s aesthetics in 1984. He had also done masters in Urdu literature from University of Peshawar in 1970.

He had launched his research and teaching career from Pashto Academy and then Pashto department, University and got retirement in 2002.

Among his popular Pashto titles were Da Rang Au Boo Qaafala, Durdanay and Nazakkhialee. The late Pashto writer had contributed large number of articles and research papers to Pashto and Urdu dailies and literary magazines. Several of his papers are part of Pashto syllabus being taught at college and university level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2019