NOWSHERA: Pashto literati gathered on Sunday to remember renowned writer and former director of Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar, Dr Raj Wali Shah Khattak on his fourth death anniversary in Dak Ismail Khel, Cherat.

The event was organised by Dr Raj Wali Shah Khattak Adabi Karwan (DRSKAK) that was attended by a large number of writers and poets.

Dr Haroonur Rashid, former vice-chancellor of University of Peshawar, Rehmat Shah Sail, Prof Abaseen Yousafzai, Prof Aseer Mangal, Prof Zubair Hasrat and Prof Mohib Wazir also attended the event.

Speakers say Dr Raj Wali Shah enjoyed widespread respect for his unique style

Speakers paid rich tributes to the late poet and said that he had contributed to several literary genres of Pashto and enjoyed widespread respect due to his unique style of expression and vast scholarship.

They said that Mr Khattak was a progressive poet and prose writer with a Sufi thought. They said that he always drew inspiration from the trio of Pashto literature including Hamza Baba, Qalandar Momand and Ghani Khan.

Senior writer Saadullah Jan Barq, who chaired the event, said that Dr Raj Wali Shah Khattak had vast study and deep insight, which made him standout among his contemporaries.

He said that his contribution to Pashto Academy as director was great and during his tenure Pashto script was evolved and many valuable Pashto titles were published.

Rahmat Shah Sail said that Mr Khattak was a research scholar, who had been in the habit doing research work on scientific lines and his poetry was a medley of progressivism and Sufism. He said that the late writer was a humble human being along with a genuine scholar.

Dr Yar Mohammad Maghmoom Khattak said that he and Dr Raj Wali Shah belonged to the same village and remained close friends and would share ideas and concepts regarding Pashto but would also differ on some points related to philosophy and Sufism.

Mushtaq Hussain Sabir, chief of DRSKAK, said that he and his colleagues had founded the literary organisation in 2017 to pay a tribute to the late writer and also to launch literary activities in his name in the area.

“We hold monthly literary sessions regularly wherein young poets and writers show up and take keen interest to promote positive thinking,” he said.

Rishteen Wali Khattak, son of Dr Raj Wali Shah, in his brief speech said that his father always wanted to portray soft image of Pakhtuns and ideas on peace, love for the country, art and culture were sprinkled through his writings.

“My father brought out around 13 books in Pashto, Urdu and English in his lifetime. I have published posthumously a book of my father containing his research articles in Pashto and I am also working on his Urdu and English research papers and a collection of poetry,” he said.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai, Irfan Khalil and Ilyas Thalwaal also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2019