266th annual urs celebrations at Bhitshah: National Adabi Conference for promoting Shah Latif's message of love, affection

The writers and intellectuals of the country have said that huge investment is needed to translate the Shah-Jo-Kalam in different languages of the world to promote his message of love and affection while more research is needed to discover the still remaining parables and riddles of Shah-Jo-Kalam.
This they observed while addressing the National Adabi Conference held at Bhitshah on Monday on 2nd day of 266th annual urs celebrations of great saint poet Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA).
The writers were of the view that Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) was visionary poet who in his poetry speaks for farmers, poor and oppressive class of people of Sindh and also prayed for the whole world as well. They also observed that still there are many aspects of his biography verses and Raag of Shah Sahib, which needed more research to resolve these riddles in his poetry and personal life.
The renowned writer, historian and intellectual Dr Nabi Bux Baloch in his presidential speech said that Shah-Jo-Risalo and Shah-Jo-Raag were the only legacies of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) which were unique in the world.
He said that we had researched about Shah-Jo-Kalam but has not initiated serious work on Shah-Jo-Raag which is equally important to understand Shah Sahib. Supporting the advice of Dr Javaid Chandio came from Bahawalpur for translation of Shah-Jo-Kalam in Siraiki language Dr N. A. Bloch said that translation of the poetry or literature of any language is difficult job and it to be entrusted to the person who must know both languages with norms of culture and literature of the translated language. He said that in subcontinent in modern age only Allama Iqbal had referred Maulana Roomi but Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) referred Maulana Roomi more than two centuries before as such we has established Aiwan-e-Roomi here at Bhitshah.
He said that it was good omen that Provincial Cultural Department has published Shah-Jo-Risalo after authentic research to avoid any mistake and added that more investment is needed to get Shah-Jo-Kalam translated in more languages of the world.
Sindh Minister for Culture, Sassui Palijo while addressing the National Adabi Conference as chief guest said that her department had launched six books on the eve of annual anniversary of Shah Sahib last year and is launching seven books today which include translation of Shah-Jo-Risalo into French and publication of 4th Urdu addition of Shah-Jo-Kalam.
She said that next year more than seven books would be launched which include translation of Shah-Jo-Kalam in Gur Mukhi language. She said that Siraiki is our language to whom we are historical and emotionally connected as such we already have demanded for giving status of national language to the Siraiki and announced that Shah-Jo-Risalo would also be translated into Siraiki language. She said that though Shah Sahib had been familiar from other languages which proved from his references from Arabic and Persian languages and attachment with Maulana Roomi but Shah Sahib preferred to only Sindhi language for his poetry. She said Shah Sahib gave message of patriotism, love, affection and struggles and has chosen the women for his verses. She said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was also the follower of Latif Sahib and sacrificed her life for the cause of country.
She said that Culture Department within two years has launched 13 books on Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) and to intensify this pace of work in future. She said that a Research Centre on poetry of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) is being inaugurated today at Bhitshah, while scheme has been prepared to establish Culture Centre with Research Centre at each district of the province. She said that Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) was different from other saints as he has advocated for the cause of poor and oppressed class of the people.
The Secretary General PPP, Taj Haider in his address said that translation of Shah-Jo-Risalo in Urdu has put good impact and has been proved as gateway for others to read and learn from Shah-Jo-Kalam. Lauding the efforts of Culture Department for gathering intellectuals from whole country, Taj Haider advised for organising such events such as Jashan-e-Latif, cultural gathering, seminars at Karachi regularly. He also advised for launching weekly Latif lecture on PTV. He said that at present there are three strong centers in Sindh which include Culture Centre at Bhitshah because of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA), Spiritual Centre at Sehwan Sharif due to spiritual preach of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA) and third Political Centre at Garhi Khuda Bux due to sacrifices rendered by Bhutto family for the restoration of political rights of the people. He advised to the people to follow these centers to ensure love, affection, unity and prosperity of the country.
Taj Haider also condemned the educational policy of Karachi University under which the doors of education have been closed for the students of interior Sindh and said that it is discriminative attitude of administration. He questioned that when the students of interior Sindh can study in UK, USA and other countries in Europe then why not in their own country? He said Karachi blast and killing of innocent people was the conspiracy to pitch the people against each others.
Javaid Chandio from Islamic University Bahawalpur in his speech said that history proved that saints of Sindh had been remained in touch with the saints of Seraiki belt in Punjab. He claimed that the maternal parents of Shah Sahib had also relations with saints of Multan but the researchers had specified Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) only in Sindh. He stressed for translation of Shah-Jo-Risalo into Siraiki language to benefit 40 million people of this belt.
Syed Jamal Shah, Tahir Tounsvi, Ahmed Saleem, Agha Saleem, Dr G A Allana, Muslim Shamim, Mazhar Jamil, Fahmida Riaz, Dr Fahmida Hussain, Dr Fatima Hassan, Shakeel Ahmed Tahir, Abdul Jabbar Junejo, Gul Muhammad Umani, Ghulam Nabi Sudhejo also spoke on this occasion.
During the proceedings of National Adabi Conference, seven books published by Provincial Culture Department on the poetry of Shah Sahib were launched. These new books were include Sur-Pirbhati written by Dr Muhammad Ali Manjhi, Shah-Je-Risaley Jee Sujjani by Muhammad Hussain Kashif, Aien-e-Khana Shah Latif (Urdu) by Dr Tahir Taunsvi, Life and Thoughts of Shah Abdul Latif by Dr N A Baloch and complied by Gul Muhammad Umrani, translation of Shah-Jo-Kalam in French language by Faiz Khoso, Shah-Jee-Shaeri Mein Islami Qadar and 4th addition of Shah-Jo-Kalam in Urdu translated by Shaikh Ayaz.
The Excellence Centre of Bhitshah was decorated with painting and pictures prepared by Gul Muhammad Khatri, Zafar Kazmi and Kazi Khizar Hayat while Calligraphy of the verses of Shah Sahib by Raaz Nathan Shahi.