Glowing tributes were paid to veteran politician Ajmal Khattak and noted writer, poet and intellectual Dr Sher Zaman Taizai at a literary reference held here on Friday. Area Study Centre University of Peshawar had arranged the event to pay homage to the two Pashtun intellectuals.
The speakers including Juma Khan Sufi, Dr Yaseen Iqbal Yousufzai, Salim Raaz, Aseer Mangal, Dr Mian Sohail Insha and Hamish Khalil said death of Khattak and Taizai was a big loss to the Pakhtuns as their contributions to the Pashto language and literature had no match. They said both were like institutions that benefited and guided a large number of people.
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 Sanubar Hussain Kakajee and his Ulusi Adabi Jirga with Dost Mohammad Khan Kamil, Qalandar Mohmand, Afzal Bangash and others. He blended nationalism and socialism in his thoughts and actions. DaGhairat 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.
Paying tributes to Taizai, Dr Yaseen Iqbal and Dr Sohail said Sher Zaman Taizai was well-versed in several languages including Dari/Persian, Urdu, English and Pashto and was translator par excellence. They said he authored 40 books, 16 in Pashto, one in Urdu and 22 in English and was a research scholar on Afghanistan and Central Asia and owingto his meritorious services was decorated with the prestigious award, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz on March 23, 2009.
They also highlighted his journalistic career, his work for the tribal people and his services to spread education through the radio. Dr Sohail said Gul Khan was Dr Taizai’s first Pashto novel and Karkechan the last one. Sufaid Posh is the last contribution he completed some days before his death, said Dr Sohail.
Dr Azmat Hayat, vice chancellor of UoP, who presided over the reference and Dr Sarfaraz Khan, director of the Area Study Centre, recalled Taizai as talented and hardworking PhD student who completed his scholar’s degree at an advanced age and his thesis attracted foreigners seeking information from his research, especially about Afghanistan.
Noted writer, poet, researcher and critic Hamish Khalil who was chief guest on the occasion, paid tributes to both the intellectuals by recalling their services for the cause of the Pakhtuns.
Ahmad Ali Ajiz, Ejaz Taizai, Ikram and Prof Yar Muhammad Maghmoom paid poetic tributes to the late leaders. Prof Abaseen Yousufzai, Aimal Khattak and Riaz Shahid Taizai, sons of Ajmal Khattak and Sher Zaman Taizai, respectively, were also present.
The speakers including Juma Khan Sufi, Dr Yaseen Iqbal Yousufzai, Salim Raaz, Aseer Mangal, Dr Mian Sohail Insha and Hamish Khalil said death of Khattak and Taizai was a big loss to the Pakhtuns as their contributions to the Pashto language and literature had no match. They said both were like institutions that benefited and guided a large number of people.
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 Sanubar Hussain Kakajee and his Ulusi Adabi Jirga with Dost Mohammad Khan Kamil, Qalandar Mohmand, Afzal Bangash and others. He blended nationalism and socialism in his thoughts and actions. DaGhairat 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.
Paying tributes to Taizai, Dr Yaseen Iqbal and Dr Sohail said Sher Zaman Taizai was well-versed in several languages including Dari/Persian, Urdu, English and Pashto and was translator par excellence. They said he authored 40 books, 16 in Pashto, one in Urdu and 22 in English and was a research scholar on Afghanistan and Central Asia and owingto his meritorious services was decorated with the prestigious award, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz on March 23, 2009.
They also highlighted his journalistic career, his work for the tribal people and his services to spread education through the radio. Dr Sohail said Gul Khan was Dr Taizai’s first Pashto novel and Karkechan the last one. Sufaid Posh is the last contribution he completed some days before his death, said Dr Sohail.
Dr Azmat Hayat, vice chancellor of UoP, who presided over the reference and Dr Sarfaraz Khan, director of the Area Study Centre, recalled Taizai as talented and hardworking PhD student who completed his scholar’s degree at an advanced age and his thesis attracted foreigners seeking information from his research, especially about Afghanistan.
Noted writer, poet, researcher and critic Hamish Khalil who was chief guest on the occasion, paid tributes to both the intellectuals by recalling their services for the cause of the Pakhtuns.
Ahmad Ali Ajiz, Ejaz Taizai, Ikram and Prof Yar Muhammad Maghmoom paid poetic tributes to the late leaders. Prof Abaseen Yousufzai, Aimal Khattak and Riaz Shahid Taizai, sons of Ajmal Khattak and Sher Zaman Taizai, respectively, were also present.
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