BHIT SHAH: National and international scholars, writers and researchers at a conference on Sunday emphasised the need to spread the essence of the poetry of Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, which was abundant with human values of peace and love for all. They said that not only the existing Shah Latif Chairs established in the universities should work better to achieve their defined goals but also the local as well as international educational institutions should establish Shah Latif Chairs to promote peace, love and humanity. The conference was held at the HT Sorley Hall in connection with the 274 Urs celebrations of the Sufi saint. In his address, keynote speaker Jami Chandio said, “Though this is 274th year since the departure of Bhittai no any scholar could negate the multidimensional and deeply diverse aspect in his poetry, as every year scholars present their new researchers on Shah, and every generation finds something new in his message… so it is still unfolding and guiding to every coming generation.” He said that Shah Latif, in his poetry, did not lay emphasis on destination, but on the journey. “Many a time in his poetry, he inspires us to concentrate on the journey and not on the destination,” he elaborated. He said that no satisfactory output was seen from the Shah Latif Chairs established in different universities. “They should strive to improve their performance. Not only the existing chairs but also new chairs/sections of Shah Latif be established in different domestic as well as international universities,” he demanded. Chandio said that although Dr Hotchand Molchand Gurbakhshani had pioneered the compilation and interpretation of ‘Shah jo Risalo’, Shaikh Ayaz also did marvelous work on Shah Latif. He also spoke about Rumi and opined, “Rumi had confined his poetry into divine lines but Shah Latif was a master sculptor, as he polished the contemporary local folklore and made them immortal, and in this way, his message of love was more humane than for divinity.” Addressing the conference, Syed Waqar Hussain Shah, the gaddi nasheen (caretaker) of the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, said that Shah Latif was a symbol of love and peace for the world, as his message was beyond the borders and regardless of caste, creed and religions. He said that Shah Latif was the greatest proponent of women as evident from ‘Shah Jo Risalo’. “We find the characters of different women presented as ‘heroines’ in his Risalo. So today if Emily Hauze of the US and Pie-ling Huang of Taiwan are here in Shah’s love, they along with other countless inspirational women are the heroines of Shah Latif.” Published in Daily Times, November 6th 2017.