PESHAWAR: Remembering nationalist leader and noted Pashto poet Ajmal Khattak on his eighth death anniversary, speakers here on Monday termed him a strong voice of Pashtun’s objectives and desires.

ANP leader Bashir Ahmad Khan Matta, who presided over the ceremony, said Ajmal Khattak was a revolutionary poet and political visionary. He said that Ajmal Khattak’s struggle served the masses.

The event was held at Bacha Khan Markaz by ANP. Poets, writers, political activists and fans of Ajmal Khattak attended the event.

The speakers said that since his school days, Ajmal Khattak had been gifted with a spirit to lead and guide his people through many hardships. They said that he was a restless soul with qualities to educate his people on many fronts.

Speakers say he was gifted with a spirit to lead people

They said that his resistance poetry and journalistic efforts brought about a substantive change in the outlook of Pakhtun youth. “He instilled a new spirit of progressive thought and inspired an enlightened vision among Pakhtuns,” they added.

Eng Ejaz Khan Yousafzai said that Ajmal Khattak was a multi-faceted personality encompassing several qualities of a poet, fictionists, playwright, politician and a journalist.

He said that he had fought in all those capacities to fulfil aspirations of Pakhtuns.

Prof Fazal Rahim Marwat threw light on his long associations with Ajmal Khattak and said that he had always wanted Pakhtuns to be progressive, tolerant and pluralistic.

He said that Mr Khattak inspired a host of Pashto poets and writers to use their talent for boosting the true image of their land people. He said that the late poet would never comprise on the cause of Pakhtuns and their genuine rights.

“Being a powerful voice, Ajmal Khattak was not a man to backtrack on his stance regarding rights of his people. He used his strength on every forum including politics, poetry and journalism to advocate the case of people,” said Mr Marwat.

Prof Khadim Hussain said that Ajmal Khattak was known to people only as politician and poet. He said that his maiden Pashto poetry collection ‘Da Ghairat Chigha’ changed the course of Pashto poetry. “His short stories, plays, poems, and articles speak volumes about his lofty thoughts. He resisted radicalism in all its manifestations, he said.

Main Iftikhar Hussain said that Ajmal Khattak’s personality was marked by many noble features. He said that the late poet and political visionary was born with a creative imagination as he believed in humanism, enlightenment and progressivism.

He said that Mr Khattak’s political struggle and literary contribution were for the great cause of Pakhtuns. He said that he raised voice for vulnerable segments of the society and preached through his writings that aspirations of Pakhtuns were to be fulfilled despite hurdles.

Jameela Gilani, Muazzam Jan, Masal Khan Atish, Haroonur Rashid Khattak, Rokhan Yousafzai, Fitrat Buneri, Faisal Faran and Hayat Roghani also spoke and presented their poetic tribute to Ajmal Kattak.

Later, Fayyaz Khan Kheshgi, a noted Pashto singer, sang popular numbers of Ajmal Khattak and won appreciation of the participants.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2018