Speakers say Khyber Afridi harbingerof progressive trends

Pak-Emmarat Pakhto Adabi Tolana launches book of late poet

PESHAWAR: The complete works of the late Pashto poet Said Ahmad Jan alias Khyber Afridi was launched at the Iranian Culture Centre here on Sunday.

The Pak-Emmarat Pakhto Adabi Tolana (PEPAT), a Dubai-based Pashto literary organisation had arranged the event. It was largely attended by poets, writers and fans of Khyber Afridi.Khyber Afridi’s elder brother Malik Habibullah Jan Afridi, and his sons Khakan Afridi and Adeel Rishteen were also among participants.

Rahim Bangash, senior vice-president of PEPAT said his literary organisation had sponsored the publication of books of authors who could not afford to do so.He reminded that Khyber Afridi’s poetry volumes were out of market since long but were in great demand. He said PEPAT until now had published eight books of noted Pashto authors including Amir Hamza Shinwari, Nazir Shinwari, Murad Baba, Dr Sahib Shah Sabir and Khyber Afridi.

“Our literary Jirga was founded in 2005. We hold literary sessions in Dubai and also support publication of quality Pashto books to popularise book culture among Pashtuns across the globe,” he added.

Speakers praised Khyber Afridi as a poet of substance and harbinger of progressive thoughts which stood against radicalism. They said his voice was clear and loud among his contemporary literati and enjoyed a distinct place for his unique expression.

Khyber Afridi, they maintained, was not a traditionalist poet but was against the status-quo and wanted to see a progressive tribal society.The speakers said Khyber Afridi had not only contributed to Pashto poetry but also to Pashtun thought to shun outdated traditions and adopt modern way of thinking to pave the way for a substantive change in the society.

Senior poet Aseer Mangal presided over the event while Professor Yar Mohammad Maghmoom Khattak was chief guest.Addressing the gathering, Aseer Mangal said Khyber Afridi had motivated a host of young Pashto poets and writers who carried on his legacy of purity of thought.  He said although Khyber Afridi belonged to Amir Hamza Shinwari’s school of thought yet he was different in many ways from his contemporary poets.

Yar Mohammad Maghmoom Khattak in his speech pointed out that Khyber Afridi did not believe in the tribal status-quo and resisted it in his works on many occasions.  “His style of expression is quite different because he wanted to introduce new trends with a modern thought. He had always advocated peace, romance and tolerance in his writings,” observed Mr Khattak.

Abaseen Yousafzai said he had a long association with Khyber Afridi. He said Khyber Afridi stood like a rock against the oppressive system and raised his voice for the down-trodden and marginalized segment of the society. “He had a bold expression and an impressive voice to blend romance with realism. His diction is soft, fluent and clear conveying a message of humanism, rights and social justice,” he said.Senior writers M. R Shafaq, Noorul Amin Yousafzai, Salim Bangash, Sabir Shah Sabir, Kalim Shinwari, Sher Wali Orakzai and Dr Ali Afridi also spoke at the event.