Caretaker Minister of Federal Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi Saturday said that the contribution of great poet and writer Shaikh Ayaz in the democratic journey of Pakistan could not be ignored.
He was addressing a special event to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Shaikh Ayaz. The event organized by the Education Ministry in collaboration with the National Heritage and Culture Division and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, was also attended by federal ministers Murtaza Solangi and Jamal Shah.
Madad Ali Sindhi said that Shaikh Ayaz’s role in the intellectual awakening of the youth of country in general and those of Sindh in particular could not be overlooked.
He said that intellectuals like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Habib Jalib and Shaikh Ayaz had done great service for the country.Shaikh Ayaz continued his service to the people of Sindh and Pakistan even in the most oppressive times of dictators, he added.
He said that his devotion and hardwork laid the foundation of democracy which “we have in the country today. The basic human rights that the people enjoy today stem from the sacrifices of Shaikh Ayaz.”
Madad Ali said that after partition for years the people of Sindh did not have true political representation, and that void was filled by the revolutionary poetry of Shaikh Ayaz. Madad Ali said that Shaikh Ayaz went to prison numerous times due to his ideals.
He said After Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Shaikh Ayaz would be the second who would be remembered for his services for democracy in Sindh. Madad said that Shaikh Ayaz was not only a Sindhi language poet but a prose writer and former Vice Chancellor of University of Sindh.
He said that Shaikh Ayaz could counted as one of the prominent and great Sindhi poets of Pakistan in general and Sindh in particular. He said that he had authored over 50 books on poetry, biographies, plays and short stories in both Sindhi and Urdu languages.
“His translations of Shah Jo Risalo, which was written by the 18th-century Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif, from Sindhi to Urdu language established him as an authority in his domain”. He received Sitara-i-Imtiaz for his literary works and was regarded as a “revolutionary and romantic poet”, Madad Sindhi concluded. It is worth mentioning here that in 2018, a university, Shaikh Ayaz University, was also established.
