PESHAWAR: Speakers at ceremony here said that poetry being the best tool of expressing feelings and emotions stirred up positive thinking and aroused sense of humanism in people.

The ceremony was held at Bacha Khan Markaz the other day to reverberate the Awami National Party head office with national rhymes and rhythm and open the centenary celebrations of Khudai Khidmatgar Tehreek launched by Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan commonly remembered as an icon of non-violence philosophy to liberate subcontinent from British Raj.

ANP workers, social activists and music buffs attended the event. Khadim Hussain, ANP provincial culture secretary, in his opening remarks said that poetry and music being inseparable helped to inspire and motive people to celebrate peace laden with pluralism and blended in universalism towards building a forward looking society.

Centenary celebrations of Khudai Khidmatgar Tehreek to begin on 20th

He said that Kaudai Khidmatgar Tereek centenary celebrations would kick start from January 20 with different events from poetry recitals, musical concerts, seminars and stage plays to public debate and much more.

“Bacha Khan encouraged poets, writers and artists to play their due role. He provided a platform to literati and artists where they were able to speak out their hearts and minds. It also paved the way for resistance poetry, prose and fiction with valuable substance,” he said.

Mr Hussain said that ANP still believed in the strength of art and culture. He added that the party owned poets, writers and artists across the board.

Young Pashto poet Mufti Maaz on the occasion said that poetry being the best vehicle of expressing one’s feelings and emotions stirred up positive thinking and aroused sense of humanism.

He said that poets and affiliated with Khudai Khidmatgar Tehreek contributed a lot to the critical thinking of Pakhtun youth.

Groups of young enthusiasts tuned to Waziri and Khattak dance in several rounds and garnered thunderous applause from the participants of the event.

Poets in their poems recited that literati should hold up the responsibility to enlighten the youth but also spread the message of Bacha Khan. They said that the art of poetry was worthy of nothing if it didn’t share and depict issues and problems of people.

The event was divided into two sessions. The first session was devoted to Pashto poetry recitation that set the tune for the second one of musical concert in which noted singers Rahman Gul, Shuakat Aziz and Shuakat Swati sang popular numbers of Ajmal Khattak, Ghani Khan and Rahmat Shah Sail.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2021