HYDERABAD, Feb 9: The Pakistan Academy of Letters conferred the first Shah Latif and Mysticism Award (1999-2001) upon eminent scholar and educationist Dr Nabi Bux Khan Baloch at a ceremony, held in Jamshoro on Saturday.

The ceremony was jointly organized by the academy and the Institute of Sindhology, University of Sindh.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Baloch thanked the academy for giving him the award and vowed to continue to serve the nation.

The former Sindh University vice-chancellor and emeritus professor called upon scholars to contribute towards promoting literature and raising quality of education.

He said the prize of Rs100,000, given to him by the academy, would be spent on promotion of literature and books.

The SU vice-chancellor, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, lauded the services of Dr Baloch in the cause of education, folk literature and research.

He said the scholar had worked for the last 30 years and produced 10 volumes on Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.

The academy chairman and noted poet, Iftikhar Arif, said bibliography of Dr Baloch could be published in different languages if the Institute of Sindhology provided material to the academy.

He said Dr Baloch’s work on Shah Latif was a great asset, not only for people of the country but also for lovers of the Sufi poet living all over the world.

He said it was an honour for the academy to offer the first Shah Latif award to a scholar of international repute who, was an authority on the poet.

Prof Ejaz Qureshi said Dr Baloch had produced 225 books on different topics in Sindhi, English, Urdu, Persian and Arabic languages.

He said the services of Dr Baloch would always be remembered.