At a short distance from main Landikotal bazaar is the shrine of great Pashto Sufi poet and father of Pashto ghazal Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari (1907-1994). He was a multifaceted personality whose contribution to Pashto literature is immense. If a researcher walks up to the Hamza Baba Complex to browse and comb relevant material for his/her research thesis, he/she will find only broken furniture, smashed window panes and empty shelves.

Way back in 1950, Hamza Baba had founded ‘Khyber Pakhto Adabi Jirga’ at Landikotal bazaar. He used to hold regular sessions and created his own literary school of thought.  A large number of poets and writers were groomed up under his guidance who later made tremendous contributions to Pashto language.

To pay a befitting tribute to the Sufi poet Cultural Complex comprising a library and mushaira hall was built in 2003 at a huge cost to boost literary activities in the region but since then the building has been decaying and its once well-furnished library shelves gathering dust as local poets and writers don’t hold literary sessions for fear of militant’s threats to the site.

Unknown miscreants have targeted the complex twice and caused partial damage to its wall boundary and window panes of its library hall. Unfortunately, the authorities concerned have neither initiated any repair work at the lone Cultural Complex in Fata nor they have motivated local poets and writers to make it functional for literary and research activities.

According to sources,  when militants attacked the Hamza Baba shrine a year ago the local political administration deputed more khasadar force to protect the building from further damage but they never looked back to initiate necessary repair work and open the Complex for literary gatherings. “No official literary function has been held at the complex. All the death anniversaries of the Sufi poet have been arranged in Peshawarthe sources said.

At present three each literary organizations in subdivisions of Khyber agency–Landikotal, Bara and Jamrud  while two such bodies in Tirah and one in Mullagory area are holding regular fortnightly literary sessions either at private rented buildings  or hujras. About 400 poets and writers are associated with these literary organisations in their respective stations and are actively involved in promoting Pashto literature.

Kalimullah Kalim Shinwari, research scholar and grandson of Hamza Baba, told Dawn: “I, being general secretary of Hamza Baba Adabi Jirga, walked up the same day a year ago to the Assistant Political Agent (APA) Office at Landikotal and submitted report of the damaged caused to the complex due to militant’s attack  but nobody turned up and contacted me. We hold our literary meetings at private places.”

He said that poets and writers did not visit the shrine for fear of being attacked by militants and even if they did no facility was there to facilitate them. He said the building is not under any particular government department so no official staff has been deputed to help the researchers conduct research or initiate any literary activity at the site. Mr. Kalim  is currently doing PhD thesis on ‘Sufi strains in the poetry of Hamza Baba’ said tribesmen were expecting that  the structure would serve a great purpose  in promoting peace in the troubled tribal regions but it further discouraged local men of letters.

Local residents say that more than a dozen people from Afghanistan and other parts of the country visit the Hamza Cultural Complex on daily basis for different research purposes but being disappointed at the dilapidated condition of the structure they go back.

“Poets are a great national asset such a huge number of them can be exploited for brining peace in the tribal regions. We have time and again taken up this issue with authorities concerned to revive the lone Hamza Cultural Complex, get it registered or attached with either provincial/federal culture departments, provide relevant staff to run it and make it functional for literary functions but they have not given attention to our genuine demands,” Aslam Taseer poet and president Pakhto Adabi Leekwal, Jamrud told this reporter.

He said that more than 100 Pashto poets and writers hailing from Khyber agency have published books on various literary and social issues. He asked why the authorities did not have vision to use this structure as a strong forum for spreading peace message.

Noted young poet Rahmat Shah Lehaz Afridi associated with Hamza Baba Adabi Jirga said when the former KP governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah had built this beautiful structure almost a decade ago, the tribesmen expected it would serve as a place where literary gatherings would be held and scholars would conduct research while motivating tribal youth to engage in positive and constructive activities but unfortunately it is feared they would turn to other forums.

Abaseen Yousafzai, prominent Pashto poet and chairman Pashto department Islamia College, University while sharing his views regarding the issue said: “Hamza Baba being a great literary giant of the 20th century Pashto literature is a symbol of Pashtun identity. It was indeed a great job done by the government to have erected a building attributing it to the Sufi poet to carry on his literary legacy.”

He said during his recent visit he was shocked to see Baba’s shrine in shambles. “It is matter of great concern that a military governor had a vision for the tribesmen while a political governor is yet to revive it. If the structure was not made functional by the government I will seek help from public to re-launch it,” Mr. Yousafzai said.

When contacted, an official in the Political Administration told Dawn: “Soon after the attack, high officials made several visits to the shrine and ordered necessary repair work and also provided sufficient security. A special committee comprising local poets some of them from Baba’s family formed during construction of the complex is still intact. We meet every demand they make”.

He added that political administration was ready to support local poets and writer’s literary activities in the region. “The complex is open for all kinds of literary and research activities. There in neither any restriction on them, nor problem of funds,” he clarified.