Seminar held in Quetta on literary services of Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi

QUETTA: A special seminar was held on the life and literary services of the eminent Balochi poet and scholar Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi, as part of events in his memory.

The event was organised by the Balochi Labzanki Diwan and the Directorate of Culture and Tourism Balochistan.

Opening session

Balochi Labzanki Diwan Chairman Yar Jan Badini delivered the welcome address and greeted all the distinguished guests and participants. He stressed the importance of keeping Hashmi’s philosophy alive by studying his works and benefiting from them.

Former Chief Minister and chief guest Dr Malik Baloch paid rich tribute to Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi. He said Hashmi was a pillar of the Balochi language who took Balochi poetry to great heights and devoted his entire life to serving the language.

Parliamentary Secretary for Energy Mir Asghar Baloch paid tribute to Hashmi and called him “the Shakespeare of the Balochi language”. He urged young people to adopt and promote Hashmi’s intellectual legacy and philosophy. Dr Abdul Khaliq Dad thanked all the guests and participants for attending the seminar.

Academic session, mushaira and gifts

During the academic session, several scholars and writers presented research papers on different aspects of Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi’s literary work.

In the second part of the programme, a multilingual mushaira was held. Prominent poets in Balochi, Brahui, Pashto and Persian entertained the audience with their kalam.

At the end of the event, Mir Asghar Baloch and other dignitaries, on behalf of the Syed Zahoor Shah Academy, distributed commemorative gifts and books among the guests and participants. These included publications of “Fikr-e-Nau”.

Photo: courtesy DGPR Balochistan