Cultural icon: Bab-i-Waris Shah construction approved

Decision taken at meeting of Waris Shah Memorial Committee

LAHORE: The Waris Shah Memorial Committee on Tuesday approved the construction of Bab-i-Waris Shah on Sheikhupura-Jandiala Sher Khan Road as a tribute to the classical Punjabi poet.

The committee met at Civil Secretariat Lahore with Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khawaja in the chair.

Vice Chairman Raja Jehangir Anwar, Punjab Council of the Arts Executive Director Chaudhry Muhammad Asif Pervaiz, Punjab Institute of Language, Arts and Culture Director General Syed Tahir Raza Bukhari, Sheikhupura DCO Arqam Tariq and the non-official members of the committee, including former federal secretary Shahid Rafi and Oriya Maqbool Jan were also present.

The meeting decided to republish a book, first published in 1985, titled: Heer Waris Shah, compiled by Muhammad Sharif Sabir. “The book has gigantic cultural importance. It has been out of circulation for quite some time now,” the officials said.

The meeting also decided to launch CDs of some Heer-Khwaans. A soft copy of Heer Waris Shah will also be uploaded on facebook. The meeting decided to approach the Punjab University to establish a Waris Shah Chair in the Department of Punjabi Language at Oriental College Lahore. “Research theses written so far by PhD scholars on Heer Waris Shah and its impact on the Punjabi society should be published on a large scale after combining the research material in a consolidated form,” the officials said.

The meeting also approved the schedule from September, 2016 to August, 2017 to commemorate the life and work of Pir Syed Waris Shah, including various events for the 218th urs of the poet at Jandiala Sher Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2016.