Prominent Pashto poet Akmal Lewanay passes away

MARDAN: Noted Pashto poet and Khudai Khidmatgar, Akmal Lewanay, passed away after a prolonged illness on Thursday.

His funeral prayer was offered at Shamozai village in Katlang tehsil of Mardan district, where a large number of people, including writers, poets, journalists, and political activists, gathered to pay their respects. He was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard.

Akmal Lewanay, born in 1946 in Shamozai village, received education up to the second grade but was unable to continue due to familial responsibilities in the fields. Affiliated with the Khudai Khidmatgar movement of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as Baacha Khan, Lewanay began writing poetry at the age of 15, with his first poetry book “Yau Su Guloona”.

Known for his unique style, piercing satire, and humour, Akmal Lewanay promoted book culture through mobile stalls, setting up shop at literary and cultural events to sell his poetry books, including “Lewantob,” “Chapawoona,” “Ajeeba Paigham,” and “Tortam.”

He used to set up stalls at literary or cultural events to sell his books, generating a suitable profit to support his family. His Qul will be offered at Shamozai village on Saturday, marking the final tribute to his life and work.