HYDERABAD, March 27: Senior Sindh Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad has stressed the need for compiling a complete history of Sindh.

He said the government was holding meetings with historians and intellectuals in this connection which would produce positive results.

He was speaking as chief guest at a literary conference on “Sur Desi” organized at the Sindh Museum in connection with the 261st Urs celebrations of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai here on Saturday. Noted scholar Dr G.A. Allana presided over the conference.

Paying tribute to the Sufi poet, Mr Ahmad said Shah Latif could not be restricted to Sindh alone because his poetry and message of love and peace were universal.

Answering a question about Sindhi language, the minister said Sindhi was one of the ancient languages.

He pointed out that “Chach Nama”, written by an unknown Arab historian, was considered the basic document for history of Sindh, which was later translated into Persian. He said many a thing written in the Chach Nama were untrue and needed research.

He disclosed that material and manuscripts on the history of Sindh were available in libraries of Holland, Germany, England and other countries. He said this material should be collected and researched to write an authentic history of Sindh.

Mr Ahmad said he had held two meetings with intellectuals and discussed with them as to which institutions were working on the subject and what their needs were.

He gave an assurance that the government would provide all facilities in this regard, including facilities for research in foreign countries.

Culture and Tourism Minister Shabbir Ahmad Qaimkhani said notwithstanding financial constraints faced by the department, SNEs for various programmes and schemes had been prepared. He said funds for the purpose should be sanctioned.

Conceding that convening of one or two literary conferences in a year was not enough, he said on the occasion of golden jubilee celebrations of the Bhitshah Cultural Centre, a big conference would be held. He said such conferences should be held every two months.

Dr Allana observed that convening one conference or publishing just one book on Bhitai was an injustice to the great poet.

He recalled that the Pakistan People’s Party government had encouraged writers within and outside Sindh and set up the Shah Latif Centre of Excellence for which Rs50 million were approved but after introduction of district governments, every thing fizzled out.

Muslim Shamim of the Progressive Writers Association paid tribute to the saint, saying it was the poetry of Shah Latif which had given impetus to movements in Sindh.

The others who read papers on the life and poetry of Shah Latif included Mazhar Jamil, Dr Abdul Jabbar Junejo, Dr Ali Murad Shauq, Sehar Imdad, Amar Sindhi, Tajal Bewas, Khurshid Abbasi, Mehrunnisa Larik, Dr Afroze Jehan, Dr Hidayat Prem, Agha Saleem and Mohammad Hussain Kashif.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain in his message read out at the conference by the Sindh culture minister urged people to disseminate the message of Shah Latif throughout the world for restoration of international peace and universal brotherhood.

He said history was witness to the fact that Sindhis were never first to resort to extremism and they had lived in peace and harmony for centuries.