Hindko mystic poet Sain Ahmad Ali remembered

PESHAWAR: A function was arranged to mark the death anniversary of great Hindko mystic poet Sain Ahmad Ali.
Known lyricist Syed Saeed Gillani presided over the well-attended programme. Gandhara Hindko Board, a literary, cultural and social welfare organisation, had arranged the event to mark the death anniversary of the sufi poet from the walled city of Peshawar.
A senior poet Farooq Jan Azad was the chief guest on the occasion. Noted film historian from Peshawar, Muhammad Ibrahim Zia, was the guest of honour. Broadcaster Ahmad Nadeem Awan conducted the proceedings of the programme.
Eminent Hindko writer, poet and research scholar, Muhammad Ziauddin, spoke about the life and work of the great Hindko mystic poet who was born in Peshawar in 1842 and died here in 1937, leaving behind thousands of poetic verses.
Ziauddin said Sain Baba became a legendary figure for his apt portrayal of human feelings, command over the arrangement of words, metaphors and allegories.The writer said great mystic was equally popular Pothohar region. “He hailed from Peshawar, but moved to Pothohar region where he lived for a considerable time. His poetry made him popular there as well,” said the literatus who has to his credit a research-based book on the mystic.
Ziauddin said the Gandhara Hindko Board had published several books on the life and poetry of Sain Baba along with producing a documentary film on him.“The board has translated into Urdu and Pashto some work of Sain Baba and published in the form of two books. But a greater part of his poetry is yet to be explored and brought in fine print to take his message to a wider audience,” he added.In the second part of the function, singers Saeed Paaris, Asif Chishti and Shakir Ahmad rendered poetry of Sain Ahmad Ali poetry with music which was liked by the audience.