SWAT: Speakers at a function here paid glowing tributes to revolutionary poet Habib Jalib and termed him the voice of downtrodden and an untiring activist, who struggled for the rights of poor till his last breath.

The function titled “Bazm-i-Jalib” was organised in the honour of Jalib’s daughter Tahira Jalib on her visit to Swat by Nawey Jwand in collaboration with the culture wing of Awami National Party.

Renowned social activist Haji Zahid Khan presided over the function and Tahira Jalib was chief guest on the occasion. A large number of people from different parts of Swat participated in the event.

“Habib Jalib is actually a progressive movement not limited to a specific time and place but a movement for all times and beyond boundaries. He is our spiritual leader and hero, who stood as a rock against the dictators,” said Haji Zahid Khan.

He said that Pakhtuns in Swat loved him and would love him forever. He said that they were proud to have his daughter and other family members in Swat.

Event held in honour of Tahira Jalib during her visit to Swat

Tahira Jalib in her speech thanked the people of Swat for their hospitality and said that Habib Jalib was not only a good father but also a very good human being, who devoted his whole life to the welfare of poor.

“I have undertaken his cause, moving forward his mission and keeping him alive for which I have established an organisation Fikr-i-Jalib Foundation. The foundation organises various literary and progressive events,” she said.

Ms Jalib said that her foundation was open for progressive people and they could become its members. She also sang one of Jalib’s famous poems and received applause from the participants of the event.

ANP district general secretary Shah Dawran Khan, Sara Khan, Niaz Ahmad Khan, Fazal Khaliq, Dr Tahir Bostan and Ihsan Ali Khan also addressed the event while Shahab Shaheen and Mohammad Farooq recited poems of Habib Jalib.

HOTEL OWNERS: The owners of local hotels held a rally and demanded of the government to allow opening of hotels and tourism industry immediately as they faced huge losses owing to lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Led by president of All Swat Tourism Association Alhaj Zahid Khan, Kalam Hotels Association president Dr Abdul Wadood, Bahrain Hotels Association president Merajud Din, Miandam Hotels Association president Haji Raza Khan, Roidar Malik from Kalam, Said Nawab and scores of hotel owners marched through Mingora Bazaar and gathered at Swat Press Club.

They said that government imposed lockdown at tourist spots and banned entry of visitors to Swat after the outbreak of coronavirus. They said that there was no restriction on the visits of families of government and army officials, who were allowed not only to visit the tourist spots but also some hotels and guest houses were also open for them.

“This is highly hypocritical and based on nepotism that general tourists are banned while families of army and government officers are allowed. Common tourists are stopped at checkposts and returned while the influential people are allowed. This is discrimination and injustice,” they said.

The hotel owners also criticised the district administration for issuing notices to the hotels located along the Swat River. “All the hotels constructed along the Swat River are legal as the owners purchased the land legally and then registered it with revenue department, now the commissioner of Malakand wants to demolish these hotels,” they said.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2020