PESHAWAR: The faculty members and students of Pashto department, Islamia College University honoured senior Pashto writer Saadullah Jan Barq by hosting a literary event at Khyber Union Hall here on Thursday.

The main objective of the event was to praise and highlight literary services of the octogenarian Pashto writer, poet, playwright and columnist Saadullah Jan Barq and also to let the young students know about the importance and status of his literary works.

The teachers and students of Pashto department now renamed as Rahman Baba Chair of ICU presented college souvenir to Saadullah Jan Barq in recognition of his contribution to Pashto language and literature.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai, in his opening speech, said that Mr Barq enjoyed widespread reputation among literary and intellectual circles because of his scholarship and vast knowledge on several disciplines including literature, historiography, research and mysticism.

He said that his radio and TV plays and features on social issues were valuable documents, reflective of his deep understanding of social and political situation being developed around him.

“Saadullah Jan Barq is an epoch making personality in the contemporary age and could be rightly dubbed as the spirit of the age.

“A comic genius, master of tragedy and an authority on Pakhtun history, Mr Barq is an academy in his own right,” said Prof Abaseen.

Addressing the event, Mr Barq said that he had been through very hard times and scaled the heights of success despite odds and written down about 35 books both in Pashto and Urdu on variety of topics including poetry, prose, fiction, history, mysticism and politics.

He said that unflinching struggle and extensive reading enabled him to develop a taste for serving people through his strength of writing.

“I would ask you to stick to your aim and try to pursue it till your last ditch. Obstacles shouldn’t weaken your spirit and shouldn’t blur your vision. You should bring out talent, get inspiration from your national heroes and struggle of those leaders, who had nothing but moved on with their confidence and clarity of vision,” said the senior writer.

Prof Zar Mohammad Sangar in his remarks said that the senior writer accomplished many milestones during his literary journey and motivated a large number of young poets and writers to serve the people through their writings.

Later, an interesting open session was held in which students asked many important questions regarding the life and services of the writer and he answered in his own peculiar humorous style and kept on rousing occasional laughter in the hall.

Prof Zaryab Yousafzai, Prof Noorul Amin Yousafzai and a few young students also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2019