Condolence reference: Late trilingual writer Nazir Bhatti paid rich tributes

PESHAWAR: Speakers paid rich tributes to a senior trilingual writer from Peshawar, Nazir Bhatti, who passed away recently in his early 80s.

They were speaking at a condolence reference arranged by the Gandhara Hindko Board at the Gandhara Hindko Academy in memory of the eminent octogenarian literatus who authored books, wrote screenplays, film stories and produced movies apart from contributing columns to newspapers.

A known lyricist, Syed Saeed Gillani, presided over the function. Senior writer and intellectual specializing in Sufi poetry, Iqbal Sikandar, was the chief guest.

Broadcaster and Joint Secretary of the board, Ahmad Nadeem Awan, facilitated the proceedings of the programme.

The speakers talked about the life and achievements of late Nazir Bhatti who left this world for eternity on July 26, last month, after serving Hindko, Pashto and Urdu through his books, screenwriting and productions.

A Hindko language research scholar, Muhammad Ziauddin, said late Nazir Bhatti was a veteran writer from Peshawar who selflessly served three languages.

“Late Nazir Bhatti sahib had command over Hindko, Pashto and Urdu and earned a name by contributing to the literature of these languages,” explained Ziauddin, who is the general secretary of the board, chief of the executive committee of the Hindko Academy and has 21 books and publications to his credit.

The writer said the Gandhara Hindko Board was proud of publishing 15 Hindko books of late Nazir Bhatti from the Gandhara Hindko Academy platform.

“The novel “Sham-e-Alm” (Evening of grief) was among those publications which recently won a national literary award,” said Ziauddin while mentioning the book penned by the late writer which highlighted the April 23, 1930 massacre carried out by the British security forces at Qissa Khwani in Peshawar.

Gandhara Hindko Academy Director Muhammad Aadil and Research Officer Ali Awais said late Nazir Bhatti was generous to share his knowledge with others, especially juniors.

They said the academy had acknowledged the literary and cultural services of the late writer by dedicating to him a special volume of its regular journal, “Hindkowan Surkhel (Hindkowan luminaries).

The senior lyric writer, Syed Saeed Gillani, a close friend of Nazir Bhatti, in his address talked about his early days of life with the late writer and his contributions to the cinema.