HYDERABAD, Feb 25: Care-taker Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Abdul Qadir Halepoto has announced upgrading the Shah Latif Excellence Centre to a research centre and Rs2 million grant for the centre.

Speaking as chief guest at a ceremony for distributing Shah Latif Award at Bhitshah Cultural Centre on the concluding day of the 264th Urs celebrations of the Sufi saint, Mr Halepoto said that a committee of eminent scholars would be formed with the objectives of translating the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai into different languages of the world.

He said that the research centre would be responsible for recompiling books of Allama I.I. Kazi and Dr. Gurbakshani on the poetry of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. The centre should initiate the project under the supervision of eminent historian and scholar Dr. Nabi Bux Khan Baloch, he advised.

The chief minister announced regularising jobs of the centre’s employees and issued directives to reactivate the cultural centre.

Mr Halepoto said that despite passage of 250 years, the great Sufi poet was still alive in people’s hearts. Shah had deep knowledge of the history of Sindh, a fact which had made his poetry a beacon guiding people in the past, present and also future, he remarked. He said that Shah’s poetry was helping spread his message of love, peace and affection. He is a universal poet and many foreign scholars have done detailed research into his poetry and spread his message in different parts of the world, he said.

Mr Haelpoto stressed the need for spreading Shah’s message of love, peace and affection in society. He announced Rs100,000 each for Bhitshah and Matiari press clubs and said the media had always played a vital role in spreading Shah’s message.

Later, he gave away Shah Latif Awards to Abdullah Panhwar, Faqir Allah Dino Nizamani, Baanho Khan Shaikh and Ghulam Muhammad Sazinda. He also distributed prizes among Ghulam Sarwar Shaikh, director of Animal Husbandry, Mir Nadir Ali Talpur, director of Sericulture and executive district officer of agriculture Matiari, Syed Sabban Shah for clinching first, second and third positions in the Agro-Industrial Exhibition, which was part of Urs celebrations.

Syed Ali Haider Shah, Fakharuddin Rahujo, Syed Ameer Haider Shah and Jamil Ahmed Memon also received awards for best animal breeders and Rs10,000, Rs7,000 and Rs5,000 went to students Sunil Kumar, Shagufta and Shahzeb Kolachi for clinching first, second and third positions, respectively, in Essay Competition on Shah Bhitai.

Earlier, the chief minister accompanied by provincial caretaker ministers laid floral wreaths and offered fateha at Shah’s shrine and the grave of Shah’s father, Shah Habib and the grave of Shamsul Ulema Allama Umer Din Muhammad Daudpoto.

Caretaker Sindh Minister for Auqaf, Zakat, Ushr and Religious Affairs Irshad Memon, Caretaker Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Jalal Muhammad Shah and Caretaker Sindh Minister for Sports, Culture and Tourism Ms Amber Raza Nancy accompanied the chief minister.—APP