(که سپوره وي که پوره وي نو په شریکه به وي (باچاخان)

Glowing tributes to Pashto literary giants

By Sher Alam Shinwari PESHAWARE: Speakers at a literary reference paid glowing tributes to two literary giants Ajmal Khattak and Dr Sher Zaman Taizi and commemorated their literary, political and social services here at Area Study Centre University of Peshawar. The literary was arranged under the auspices of the Area Study Centre, Prof Dr Azmat Hayat Khan vice chancellor who presided over the event in his remarks pointed out the Ajmal Khattak and Dr Sher Zaman Taizi had immensely contributed to Pashto literature and Pashtuns at large through their powerful writings and unflinching political struggle and cat inedible marks on the minds of the almost three generations of Pashtuns poets, writers and intellectuals. He said the literati had conveyed their message of love, unity, patriotism and mutual harmony to their people and made them aware of the fact how to stand up to oppression and tyranny and to speak out against dictators who were bent upon usurping the rights of the poor and down trodden class. Dr Azamat Hayat Khan maintained that he had learnt many things from late Ajmal Khattak who he said was the beacon of knowledge and scholarship while Dr Sher Zaman Taizi he termed was a great visionary by virtue of his farsightedness and high intellectual calibre. Senior writer Hamish Khalil was the chief guest at the event , he said Ajmal Baba and Taizi had revolutionized Pashto poetry and prose. Dr Sarfaraz Khan director Area Study, University of Peshawar while speaking on the occasion said that if Ajmal Baba was unforgettable for his literary and political contributions, Dr Sher Zaman Taizi would always be remembered for his vast scholarship and intellectual wisdom that he spread among the research scholars. He said Dr Sher Zaman’s dissertation on the ‘Suar Revolution of 1978 of Afghanistan’ has already received widespread appreciation from world research scholars on the region. He revealed that Dr Taizi had conducted his thesis at the Area Study Centre when he was in his 60s with such a high seriousness and hard work that it became an example for the subsequent researchers in the field. Juma Khan Sufi said Ajmal Khattak was a self-made man who started his career as a teacher, did script writing and broadcasting at the Radio Pakistan, Peshawar, became a journalist and wrote progressive and nationalist prose and poetry. He said he then came under the spell of nationalist movement spearheaded by Bacha Khan. “But it was a progressive political and literary movement which raised him above others when he joined the literary movement of Sanobar Hussain Kakajee and his Ulasi Adabi Jirga with Dost Mohammad Khan Kamil, Qalandar Mohmand, Afzal Bangash and others. He blended nationalism and socialism in his thoughts and actions. Da Ghairat Chagha is its finest example,” Juma Khan noted. Juma Khan Sufi said nationalist and progressive credentials of Ajam Khattak were soon acknowledged even by the establishment at an early stage of his life and he was incarcerated. After facing trials and tribulations of jails and torture cells, he strengthened the resolve to struggle for the downtrodden masses against the exploitative system, added the speaker. He pointed out that Ajmal Khattak spent years in jail and his self-exile to Afghanistan in 1973 was not an accident or an act of a disgruntled man. “It was due to concurrence of Khan Abdul Wali Khan and other party leaders and prompted by the Liaquat Bagh firing case,” he stressed. He said Ajmal Khattak as a member of parliament came into contact with the rulers but unlike others, he did not go for ‘easy load’ and remained so till the end of his life. Dr Yasin Iqbal in his reaserch paper told the participants that Ajmal Khattak was not only a great revolutionary poet but also a great thinker and social philosopher adding that Ajmal Baba wanted a revolutionary change in the social set up of Pashtuns, therefore, his maiden poetry collection Da Ghairat Chagha became the mouthpiece of every Pashtun poet. Dr Sohial Inshah while presenting his paper on Dr Sher Zaman Taizi’s life and works said the literary giant was also a great authority on ‘Afghan Affairs’ besides a voluminous fiction writer of Pashto who had penned down six novels each one of then being a master piece and high literary value. Saleem Raz noted writer and chairman World Pashto Conference observed that both Ajmal Khattak and Dr Sher Zaman Taizi were harbingers of peace and enlightenment for the Pashtuns and had suffered great hardships in their literary and political journeys. He said, the writings of both the literary giants had cast great and deep impact on the minds of Pashtuns on both sides of the Durand Line. He suggested to the Vice Chancellor to assign to research scholars to conduct substantive research on various aspects of the two great Pashtun scholars and benefactors at the Area Study Centre and Centre of Pashto Language and Literature. Prof Aseer Mangal, Ikram Gul Ikram, Ejaz Khan Taizi, Prof Dr Ahmed Ali Ajiz and Prof Dr Yar Maghmoom presented their poetic tributes to the late writers. The event was attended by large number of research scholars, teachers, students and fans of the two writers. Aimal Khattak and Riaz Shahid sons of Ajmal Khattak and Dr Taizi were also among the participants. Prof Abaseen Yousafzai conducted the function in a befitting manner. د پښتنو قامی سنګر - بېرته شاته