Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) celebrated Sheikh Ayaz, and his poetry, at a national literary conference organised jointly by Pakistan Academy of Letters and the Shah Latif Cultural Organisation, here on Tuesday. Shaikh Ayaz (1923-1997), was one of the most prominent poets of Pakistan.
In his presidential address, Ayaz Gul, Chairman of the Shaikh Ayaz Chair, said that Shaikh Ayaz's poetry have high aesthetic value and recalled the great master of Sindhi literature introduced new trends in Sindhi literature. As a great patriotic poet he loved his soil but expanded the range of his vernacular by sponsoring the Sindhi poetry as well as his own work in many international languages. He also asked the authorities to include his works in the national curriculum.
PAL chairman, Iftikhar Arif evaluated the Sindhi poet as one of the pioneers in advancing the traditions of Shah Abdul Latif, particularly on the Shah's message, his love for the downtrodden and his sense of justice for realising justice for the poor. His love for Shah Latif also inspired Shaikh Ayaz to champion human values.
Dr Haider Sindhi, Aman Memon, Sumaira Bukhari, Dr Noor Muhammad Larrak and Abdul Majeed Vaiser also expressed their views.
The proceedings were conducted by Zahid Jatoi, who dwelt on other varying elements of Ayaz's poetry as well as his love of music. His prose work is equally elegant in which he speaks of beauty but also talks of many shadows of death, which fills the readers with sorrow.
As for Dr Haider Sindhi, he spoke of Sheikh Ayaz as one who struggled for upholding the truth, and interpreted that his poetry was full of human sentiments.
Aman Memon, recalled that Ayaz not only spoke the truth but also suffered hardships and pain and thus his work occupies a high place in Sindhi literature, which is also inspiring to the common man.
Dr Noor Muhammad Larrak described the Sheikh's poetry memorable while Qasim Haider repeated Sheikh Ayaz's stature as a towering man of letters. Abdul Majeed Vaiser, Sumaira Bukhari and Zahid Jatoi spoke on metaphysical elements of Shaikh Ayaz's poetical works.