Hamza Baba Complex becoming a ramshackle structure: Murad Shinwari

Sher Alam Shinwari

Publishing Date: Wednesday, August 3 2005

PESHAWAR: Murad Shinwari a prominent Pashto poet and son of Baba-e-Pashto ghazal Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari has demanded of the provincial cultural department to allocate funds for the munificence of Hamza Baba Cultural Complex and also for Baba's annual grand mushaira.

Talking to the statesman on Tuesday Murad Shinwari said that former NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah had built the Hamza Baba Cultural Complex in 2004 at Charwazgai, a place half kilomtre away from main Landikotal city, to pay a tribute to the legendary Sufi poet. The project spreading over of 1500 sq.ft, containing a mushaira hall and Baba's tomb cost Rs3 million

He said that the governor had promised to allocate maintenance funds and provide a librarian, watchman, peon, caretaker for the proper utilisation and protection of the shrine.

Murad Shinwari regretted that for last few years annual grand Hamza Baba mushaira could not be held due to non availability of funds.

"The shrine of Baba needs protective measures. It should be handed over to a responsible government body with adequate maintenance funds and staff for its proper functioning. Hamza Baba Pakhto Adabi Jirga has no office and no funds for arranging grand annual Hamza Baba mushaira.

Rahman Baba's Tomb in Peshawar - � Rahman Baba

I have several times held Baba's mushaira on my own expenditures but I can not afford it any more as I draw a meagre pension and do not have any other source of income.

The provincial culture department should also provide books for the library, presently it contains only less than 200 titles; also the library hall has no chairs. Even Baba's own books are not available in the library. If a proper care was not taken, then like Rahman Baba Complex, Hamza Baba Cultural Complex will too crumble down and will be rendered useless within a short time thus causing huge loss to government money," Murad regrets. He maintained that the complex was founded with the objective to spread the teachings of the mystic poet and also to explore the hidden aspects of his life and works but sadly enough nothing of the sort was done despite tall promises.

The local administration he said had provided only one Khasadar for the shrine which he complained was not enough. "The tube well was dug deep but water could not be found. There should be arrangement to provide water from somewhere else. I appeal to all the literary institutions, poets, writers and fans of Hamza Baba to donate books for this library.

I also demand of the Governor Khalilur Rahman to take interest in the matter and direct the cultural department to solve the problems regarding the cultural complex," Murad demanded. He observed that most often the cultural department erects complexes in the memory of poets and writers but then leaves them at the mercy of the public and the so- called literary Jirgas.

He feared if the same happened to Hamza Baba Cultural Complex it would badly affect the image of the government and that of Baba as well.

"After establishing the said complex at Landikotal, the local elders thought that it would boost and enhance the literary activities in the area but the cultural department probably failed to provide adequate and required facilities to the cultural complex.

"The NWFP governor should take notice of the whole situation and direct the culture department to ensure the safety, maintenance and proper functioning of the magnificent cultural edifice so that the researchers and fans of Hamza Baba could carry out a substantial research and an in-depth study on the different aspects of the mystic poet," Murad Shinwari suggested.

This Article Appeared in Daily the Statesman on 3rd August 2005