Iqbal’s thoughts influenced Pashto literature: speakers

PESHAWAR: Speakers at an event here on Wednesday said Allama Mohammad Iqbal’s sublime thoughts influenced the modern Pashto literary trends due to his vision and creative imagination.

They said Iqbal had deeply impacted several aspects of the modern Pashto literature as he was well aware of Pashtuns' strategic location, history, love of freedom and moral integrity.

The event titled ‘Iqbal’s impact on Pashto literature’ was arranged by the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) Peshawar chapter at the Urdu Science Board Library Hall, Khyber Bazaar. Poets and writers turned up to mark the 144th anniversary of national poet Allama Mohammad Iqbal in connection with the diamond jubilee celebrations of Pakistan Independence.

Chairing the function, Prof Yar Mohammad Maghmoom Khattak said that the sublime thoughts of Iqbal had greatly influenced modern Pashto literary trends in many respects. He added that he had an unwavering love for Pashtuns and extensively read about the historical role of Pashtuns in the region and especially Khushal Khan’s poetry through the English version.

“It is childish to say that Allama Iqbal had ‘borrowed’ from Khushal Khan Khattak. Iqbal had great love and respect for Pashtuns for their role in history against imperialism in the region and admired Khushal Khan Khattak for his motivating poetry.

Prof Gulzar Jalal Yousafzai in his paper said that the complete works of Allama Iqbal had been rendered in the Pashto language by Pashto writers and scholars in different times which impacted the literary trends of modern Pashto whether poetry, philosophy, prose or research.

“No work of Iqbal stands left untranslated or unexplained as every single piece –Urdu, Persian English has been converted into Pashto and Pashtun readers at large today enjoy a better understanding of Iqbal,” he added.

Iqbal Sikandar, a senior sufi writer said Iqbal always looked to the northwest as he had pinned hopes on the brave dwellers of the mountains. Khan Badshah Nusrat, resident director PAL, Akram Umarzai, and Mohammad Ali Khattak also spoke at the event.