TIMERGARA, Oct 7: A poetic translation of Diwan-i-Ghalib in Pashto was launched here on Friday. The translation has been made by a young poet from Talash, Lower Dir, Hamdillah Rahi. Addressing the launching ceremony of the book “Diwan-i-Ghalib Pashto Manzoma Turjuma” as chief guest, prominent poet, critic and chairman Pushto department of the Islamia College University Peshawar Abaseen Yousafzai termed the translation as a great addition and asset to both Pashto and Urdu literature.

The PPP central leader and prominent parliamentarian Ahmad Hassan Khan presided over the function.

The function organized by the Dir Pushto Adabi Karavan was attended by poets, writers, educationists, academics and elders of the area. Several poets, writers and speakers, including Rizwanullah Shamal, Tahir Altaf Sarhadi, Ghani Rahman Karavan, Ihsan Bacha Khuglan, Ahmad Hassan Khan, Mufti Irfanuddin and Riazul Islam Saghir presented their critical analysis on the book.

They praised the young Pashto poet Hamdillah Rahi for his work in Pashto poetry on famous Urdu classic legend Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib. With his precious suggestions for further improvement of the book, the chief guest Abaseen Yousafzai appreciated the poet and said he himself faced hardships in understanding Ghalib’s work during his student life.

Mr Yousafzai said he understood some of the Ghalib’s poems after reading Hamdillah Rahi’s book recently.

“Both Pashto and Urdu literature students can benefit from the book,” said Mr Yousafzai, adding institutions working on promoting literature should take advantage of this great effort of the young Pashto poet belonging to Dir, a backward district of the country.

Mr Ahmad Hassan urged teachers and students to read the poetic translation of ‘Dewan-i-Ghalib’ so that they could better understand the great poetry of the famous Urdu legend.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion poet Hamdillah Rahi pointed out that he decided in 2007 to translate Ghalib into Pashto for which he selected poetry. He said though book-loving and the culture of study was diminishing in society yet there had been people who still read books. He said that further improvement in the book and readers’ suggestions would be given due space in the second edition of the book.