PESHAWAR: The Fata Secretariat will make Hamza Baba Cultural Complex functional and provide all required facilities to it.

Addressing a ceremony, held here on Tuesday to commemorate the 20th death anniversary of renowned Pashto poet Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari, Fata PND Secretary Shahzad Bangash said that the mystic poet was a true spirit of the age, who portrayed a soft image of Pakhtuns in his sublime poetry.

The ceremony was organised by Fata Secretariat in collaboration with some local NGOs.

Mr Bangash said that the poetry of Hamza Baba carried the message of love, peace and humanism. He should be explored and researched so that the young generation could draw lesson of tolerance, social cohesion and universal brotherhood from his writings, he added.

Regarding renovation of the Hamza Baba Cultural Complex located in Landi Kotal, the official said that a detailed visit would be paid to reassess the situation on ground at the shrine of the legendary poet.

Fata Secretariat would take every possible step to make the Hamza Baba Cultural Complex functional and provide basic facilities including books to its library and caretaker staff to launch literary activities.

Tahir Bukhari Bacha, the spiritual successor of Hamza Baba, said on the occasion that he was a genius poet, who like great Khushal Khan Khattak and Rahman Baba transmitted the message of humility, peace and tolerance to his nation through his inspiring poetry, prose and fiction.

Hamza Baba’s message needed to be spread, Mr Bacha said. He added Pakhtuns should popularise spiritual message of Hamza Baba.

Dr Rajwali Shah Khattak, poet and former director of Pashto Academy, in his remarks pointed out that Hamza Baba should have been properly explored because he was a social reformer in addition to being a Sufi poet and philosopher.

“It is very unfortunate that we don’t bother to take such poets and writers serious to get inspiration from their thoughts. Hamza Baba being a prolific writer was an amalgamation of Khushal Khan Khattak and Rahman Baba. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of Pakhtun nation,” Mr Khattak said.

Earlier, a Pashto mushaira was held on the occasion wherein some 40 poets from Kohat, Nowshera, Bannu, Swat, Charsadda, Mardan and tribal areas recited their poems.

They paid glowing tributes to Hamza Baba and praised his meritorious services in the field of literature. Prominent poets Abaseen Yousafzai, Prof Aseer Mengal, Prof Kalimullah Kalim, president of Khyber Adabi Jirga and grandson of Hamza Baba, Rahmat Shah Lehaz Afridi, Iqbal Shakir and Ilyas Talwal read out their poetic pieces and received appreciation from the audience.

The mushaira was followed by Sufi poetry of Hamza Baba. Noted singer Fayaz Kheshgi sang a few popular Sufi numbers of Hamza Baba and mesmerised the participants.

Young poet Haroon Shinwari, also president of Hamza Baba Literary Society Peshawar, conducted the event in a befitting manner.