PESHAWAR, Feb 18: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on Monday laid the foundation stone of the Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari Complex at the site of his grave at Darwazgai, Landi Kotal, in the Khyber Agency at a function held to mark the eight death anniversary of the celebrated Pashto poet, playwright, script and prose writer.

This Rs3.2 million project comprises construction of the Mazar, library and auditorium. The governor directed that a separate hall should be built for the library.

Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari, who had also won the presidential award of pride of performance during the Ziaul Haq government, died after a protracted illness on Feb 18, 1994, and was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard at Ashraf Khel near Landi Kotal. His mortal remains were exhumed after two-and-a-half years, and buried again at the Darwazgai Graveyard.

Hamza Baba, known as the king of Pashto lyric, enjoys a distinct rank among the poets and writers of Pashto. He was also awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz. He was born in December 1907 at Lawargi, Landi Kotal, to Malik Mir Baz Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Iftikar said that after the great Pashto poets Khushal Khan Khattak and Abdur Rehman Baba, Amir Hamza Shinwari enjoyed the most enviable stature among all poets. He lifted the modern Pashto lyric to its zenith, the governor said.

A large number of poets, writers, artists, tribal maliks, elders, elite of the area and his followers attended his death anniversary. Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Aminullah Khan Gandapur, Khyber Agency Political Agent Dr Fida Wazir and other high ranking officials were also present on the occasion.

The governor said the complex was the first project of its kind in the tribal areas. It would go a long way in benefiting the locals and literary figures for a long time to come, he hoped.

In his address of welcome, Dr Masood Hamzavi thanked the governor for taking personal interest in opening construction work of the complex. Murad Shinwari, son of Hamza Shinwari, offered traditional Lungi to the governor.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Masood said Hamza Shinwari was a born artist. When he was studying at a local primary school in class 2, his teacher had severely punished him for drawing portraits on his Takhti (wooden slate), he added.

Then Mr Shinwari was admitted to the Islamia Collegiate School Peshawar, but as he was least inclined towards studies, he left his schooling incomplete in the 10th class.

Amir Hamza has some 400 plays to his credit, most of which had been written for the All India Radio before partition. His first play Zamindar was relayed from the All India Radio in 1935.

In 1941, he went to Delhi to write script and songs of the first Pashto film Laila Majnoon.

Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari was the moving spirit behind the foundation and activities of a number of literary societies— Bazm-i-Adab, Olussi Adabi Jirga and Pakistan Adabi Jirga Peshawar.

Hamza Baba has also translated the lyrics of Iqbal into Pashto and Rehman Baba’s poetry into Urdu.