PESHAWAR, May 27: Writers, poets and intellectuals play an extraordinary role in creating political and social awareness, especially with regard to national movements and promotion of nationalism, according to provincial president of the Awami National Party Afrasiab Khattak.

He was addressing a reference held in memory of renowned Pashtun poet and researcher Dr Sahib Shah Sabir here at the Baacha Khan Markaz on Sunday. He said that ANP always held poets and scholars in high esteem, adding that no nation could survive without its language, literature and culture and poets and writers were custodians of literary heritage.

He said that no movement could survive or flourish without the active support of poets and intellectuals and Pakhtuns scholars had always played their due role in political and social movements.

He paid glowing tribute to late Dr Sahib Shah Sabir and said that his death was great loss to the people and Pashto literature.

Speakers highlighted Dr Sahib Shah’s contribution in research, poetry, academics and politics.

The reference was held under the aegis of the Baacha Khan Trust and was addressed by ANP’s provincial general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Rehmat Shah Sail, Dr Rajwali Shah Khattak, Dr Mohammad Azam Azam, Sadullah Jan Barq, Salim Raz, Dr Israr, Dr Khaliq Ziar, Ikramullah Gran, Prof Nasir Ali Syed, Noorul Amin Yousafzai, Dr Fazl Din Khattak, Akbar Sial, Amin Tanha, Noorul Basher Navid and Zahira Bibi.