PESHAWAR, Oct 9: Speakers paid tribute to German orientalist Dr Anne Marie Schimmel and highlighted her achievements at a special reference held in her memory by the Pakistan Academy of Letters, Peshawar chapter, on Thursday.

They said she was a popular exponent of Islamic thoughts drawn from Maulana Roomi, Ibn-i-Arabi, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast and Allama Iqbal.

They said Dr Schimmel, who was conversant with 19 languages and author of 110 books, served as a bridge between the East and the West.

Former chairman of the academy, Prof Pareshan Khattak presided over the reference.