SWAT: Members of the literati on Saturday paid tribute to Pashto poet and writer Shah Wali Khan Saiduwaal over his works and demanded their publication by the culture department.

During a condolence reference meeting held here to remember Saiduwaal, who died on Friday at the age of 75 years, poets and writers from different parts of the country said the deceased made valuable contributions to Pashto literature by writing poems, novels and dramas but most of his works was unpublished.

Brother Bakht Biland said Saiduwaal spent most of his life in Karachi, Quetta, Iran and Afghanistan and returned to Swat three years ago.

“My brother was a very humble and kind person, who loved Pashto literature. He liked solitude during his last years. He left behind two big boxes of unpublished literary works,” he said.

Condolence reference held for Shah Wali Saiduwaal

Hasrat Bunery, a longtime friend of Saiduwaal and general secretary of the Ittefaq Pashto Adabi Tolana, Sindh, said the deceased was the founding member of his organisaiton and was actively involved in literary activities during stay in Karachi to promote Pashto literature.

He said Saiduwaal wrote hundreds of Pashto books and contributed articles to Pashto magazines, including Jaras and Palwshey.

Dr Rahim Khan Hamraz, who is based in Karachi, said Saiduwaal was a learned man and a true Pakhtun, who wanted his community’s members to do away with the tribal and feudal system.

Pashto writers and poets from Swat Usman Ulasyar and Attaullah Jan said Saiduwaal was a high-class poet and prose writer, whose death was a big loss for Pashto literature.

The participants demanded of the government, especially Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, to order the culture department to publish the deceased’s poems and prose to benefit young members of the literati.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2021