Hamish Khalil hailed as authority on Pashto classical literature

PESHAWAR: Speakers on Sunday hailed senior literatus Hamish Khalil as an authority on the Pashto classical literature.

They were speaking at a gathering arranged at the Pakhtun Cultural Museum Hall, University of Peshawar. Kulsoomzeb, a noted poet and chief of the Khwendo Adabi Lakhkar, Haseena Gul Tanha, Prof Zubair Hasrat, Saidul Amin Kheshgi and Iqbal Hussain Afkar were also among the participants. Prof Nasrullah Jan Wazir, Director, Pashto Academy, Idrees Asar poet and Director National Police, Islamabad and Ismail Gohar, Chairman, Pashto Academy, Hazara were the guests of honour. Speakers shed light on various aspects of life and literary services of Hamish Khalil for the last six decades.

Prof Hanif Khalil said Hamish Khalil had contributed immensely to the Pashto literature, adding that he could be rightly placed on the top list of pioneers of research along scientific lines especially on Pashto classical text and also Pashto fiction, poetry and prose.

“Hamish Khalil has researched, edited, compiled and published about 80 books and left no stone unturned in serving his mother tongue, he deserves a lifetime achievement award and an honourary PhD degree,” he suggested. Prof Zubair Hasrat said that Hamish Khalil despite being nonagenarian was still busy in research pursuits.

Akhtar Hayat Qamar, Abdul Wadood Ashanghari, Prof Khakilur Rahman, Amjad Ali Khadim and Prof Nasrullah Jan Wazir also spoke at the event. Hamish Khalil thanked the participants and said that the motivation behind his work was the service of his own land and people and also to build an identity of hard work, truth and devotion. Pashto Academy Hazara awarded cash of Rs10,000 and a shield titled Mohsin-e-Pashto to Hamish Khalil. A Pashto mushaira where 20 poets paid tributes to the senior writer.