Pashto scholar Salim Raz dies of coronavirus

PESHAWAR: Veteran progressive Pashto research scholar and poet Salim Raz passed away here at the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) on Monday.

The octogenarian literatus was admitted to the HMC a month ago after he had tested positive for the Covid-19.His funeral was offered at his hometown in Charsadda and he was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard in Sukkarr village.A large number of poets, writers, right activists and local elders attended the last funeral rites of the deceased.He is survived by four sons, grandchildren and a large number of admirers to mourn his death.

Meanwhile, literary bodies of Pashto, Hindko and Urdu termed the demise of Salim Raz an irreparable loss to the Pashto language, literature and the masses at large.Late Mohammad Salim, aka Salim Raz, had started his writing career in the early 1960s and after completing his intermediate education from the historic Islamia College Peshawar devoted himself to the cause of serving the masses through his writings.

His important works included Zakhmoona Sparlai, (poetry) Tanqeedi Karkhe (research papers), La Bare Tar Baragali (reportage), Za Lamha Lamha Qatlaigum (poetry) and Pashto poetry 50 years (research study).

Late Salim Raz was a recipient of more than 50 awards, including the President’s Pride of Performance Award for his excelling literary contributions. He was a prolific writer and used to contribute to Pashto and Urdu newspapers and journals.