PESHAWAR: Pashto writers and intellectuals gathered here on Sunday to pay tributes to noted poet Dr Khaliq Ziar on his third death anniversary and termed him a staunch proponent of a progressive and forward-looking Pakhtun society.

The event was organised at Bacha Khan Markaz. A large number of literati, research scholars, political and rights activists attended the event.

Speakers said on the occasion that Dr Khaliq Ziar was a medical doctor by profession but he in fact diagnosed issues of the marginalised and oppressed segments of the society and it became a great mission and rationale for his writings to serve the cause of humanity.

They said that he practiced what he preached and would always advise others to translate their rhetoric into action. They said that he excelled in every discipline including poetry, translation, politics and social work.

ANP general secretary Main Iftikhar Hussain in his brief speech said that Dr Khaliq Ziar was a multifaceted personality and wanted to change the society through his vision and practical works. He said that poets like him never died.

Waheed Jan, a physically challenged person, on the occasion said that most people knew Dr Khaliq Ziar as a poet or nationalist but he was more than that. He added that Dr Ziar was a great humanist and supported him and about 15 other physically challenged persons in his village in Malakand.

“Ziar Sahib picked us up from our homes, got us admitted in school and paid out all our fees till our graduation. He used to teach us basics of Pashto, general science at his clinic. He was an angel for many like me,” Mr Jan said as his eyes welled up.

Noted poet Shams Buneri said that Dr Khaliq Ziar was a true follower of Bacha Khan and his writings and actions exhibited what he believed in. He said that he used talent of writing for serving the cause of Pakhtun nationalism.

Mukaram Khan Saba, chief of Malakand Adabi Jirga, said that Dr Khaliq Ziar had mastery over literary genres and would stress poets and writers to come up with motivating ideas. He said that he would charge only Rs50 as fee from his patients and used to advise other medical practitioners to help the poor patients.

Zeba Afridi, a young poet, said that Dr Khaliq Ziar was a strong advocate of women rights.

Sadiq Jan, the elder brother of Dr Khaliq Ziar, Yasir Ali Bacha, Naizak Khan, Amir Alam, Imran Ashna, Hayat Roghani and Tariq Pakhtunyar also addressed the event.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2020