HYDERABAD, Jan 10: Noted scholars and educationists while paying rich tributes to late Shaikh Ayaz for his services in the cause of Sindh, Sindhi language and literature, have urged the youth to study the life and works of legends like Shaikh Ayaz.

They said, specialization in any area was useful but for human development and to bring about positive changes in the society the study of literature was also a must.

They were speaking at a one-day Shaikh Ayaz international conference on language and literature organized by faculty of arts, University of Sindh, at Allama I. I. Kazi campus, Jamshoro, here on Wednesday.

The chief guest of the inaugural session, the vice chancellor of University of Karachi, Dr Syed Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, in his speech said that Shaikh Ayaz was not only a great revolutionary poet but also a great intellectual and thinker.

He said, universities needed scholars of high calibre not only for education but also for the development of society.

He said in his poetic works, Shaikh Ayaz always gave top priority to the development of society. He said, language, literature and social sciences played a vital role in the development of society. He emphatically said that language, literature and social sciences should not be ignored at any cost.

He said, a competent professional must also be necessarily a good human being. He said the universities were now ready to achieve their goals due to the availability of funds and political will.

He lauded the services of Sindh University and said that it is what it is today is due to the towering personalities like Allama I. I. Kazi, Dr N. A. Baloch, professor Ghulam Mustafa Shah, professor Ilyas Abro, Mr Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, Shaikh Ayaz and their likes.

The vice chancellor, University of Sindh, Mr Mazharul Haq Siddiqui in his speech said that there is a general feeling in the country that the specialists in humanities and social sciences have become a rare commodity. He said, the services of Shaikh Ayaz in the area of literature, education and humanities could never be forgotten.

Mr Siddiqui said that arts, social sciences and humanities are not only very important branches of knowledge but they are also the soul of societies. He said, Sindh University was, therefore, organising conferences under the aegis of faculty of arts to promote those disciplines, which are of vital importance for human development.

He also highlighted the academic programme of the university specially four-year programme.