Sindhi poets honoured in Canada

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sindhi Adabi Sangat, the literary association of Sindhi diaspora, hosted a welcome reception for two visiting female writers from Sindh, Irshad Abbasi and Shabnam Moti, at the Brampton Town of Toronto which was largely attended by the representatives of the Urdu-speaking and Punjabi communities as well. 

The speakers at the reception, presided over by a noted poetess, Shoro Shahnaz, talked about the decades old rich literature, culture and heritage of Sindh and vowed to promote it at all levels. They reiterated the need to encourage tolerance and human values through literature and poetry, so essential for a peaceful and harmonious life. 

Irshad Abbasi, a noted poetess and columnist, in her discourse said that she was born in the house of a great progressive politician Qazi Faiz Mohammad who taught his children to resist all ill happenings in the society. 

She was of the opinion that Pakistan in general and Sindh in particular suffered from degradation because of the declining educational standards. Shabnam Moti, also from Sindh, endorsing the views of Irshad Abbasi, regretted that in the Sindhi society woman was still being ill treated. 

“The societies flourish when women folk is granted equal status and equal opportunities so that they work shoulder to shoulder with their male compatriots something which has yet not happened in Pakistan,” she felt. 

Shabnam Moti stressed the need for promoting positive and meaningful literature besides imparting quality education to our kids to prepare them for building an egalitarian society. 

Mohammed Nadeem, Chief Editor, Pakistan Times, published from different cities of Canada and USA, Munir Pervaiz Saami, a poet and Head of Progressive Writers Forum of Canada, and Tahir Qazi, a Punjabi and Urdu writer, also addressed the gathering and appreciated Sindhi diasporas literary and social activism in the North American cities and in Toronto in particular. 

The Secretary of the Sindhi Adabi Sangat Zulfiqar Shaikh welcomed the guests and dedicated the day to great poet of Sindh Ustad Bukhari and legend leader Qazi Faiz Mohammad on account of their anniversaries on program’s day. 

Among others senior leader of Sindhi diaspora Syed Shahnawaz Shah, noted columnist and editor ‘Umeeq’ Magazine, Khair Mohammad Kolachi, President Sindhi Association of North America GTA (Toronto) Chapter Peetamber Lohano and Vishan Lohano also spoke on the occasion. 

Both the visiting poetesses and presiding personality Shoro Shahnaz enlightened the audience with their poetry while Dr Rabia Atiq Abbasi recited the poetry of Qazi Faiz Mohammad.