'Waris Shah's poetry reflects Punjab's soul'

Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairperson Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan has said that the message of renowned Sufi poet Waris Shah must be spread across society to promote peace, harmony and awareness while rooting out social evils by reconnecting people with their cultural and spiritual heritage.

He was addressing the Waris Shah Conference organized under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).

The event was attended by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali, Faisalabad Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar Chaudhry, GC Women University Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Kanwal Amin, Deep Singh from Oxford University and other distinguished guests.

Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the poetry of Waris Shah serves as a vivid reflection of Punjab's social and cultural life, capturing its emotions, traditions, and human values in a deeply engaging way.

Calling Waris Shah the "Shakespeare of Punjab," he noted that Heer Ranjha is a treasure trove of Punjabi phrases, idioms, and insights into human nature.

"The realistic portrayal of daily life and political conditions in 18th-century Punjab remains unmatched," he said.

UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali urged the younger generation to draw moral and spiritual inspiration from the thoughts of the great Sufi poet.

He highlighted that the Waris Shah Academic Chair, established in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at UAF, is dedicated to promoting Punjabi literature, language, culture, and research based on comparative linguistic studies on Waris Shah's works and philosophy.

Deep Singh from Oxford University emphasized the need to replace conflict with a culture of peace, harmony, and collective efforts to spread the message of Saint poets like Waris Shah.

Prof Dr Shazia Ramzan said the conference aimed to explore the philosophical, literary, and cultural dimensions of Waris Shah's legacy.

Describing his work as an encyclopaedia of Punjabi culture, she noted that it documents the language, idioms, and social life of 18th-century Punjab. She stressed the importance of connecting the youth with their cultural roots and said the university was committed to developing skilled manpower enriched with cultural and moral values.