ISLAMABAD: Speakers on Wednesday paid rich tributes to poet and progressive writer Ahmad Salim in a session dedicated to him at the ongoing Sustainable Development Conference.

The session titled ‘Ahmad Salim: A Life and Legacy’ was attended by a number of writers and intellectuals.

Former caretaker information minister Murtaza Solangi remembered Ahmad Salim as a true Punjabi and Pakistani.

He recalled that he had been an active participant of the Anjuman Taraqqi Pasand Musanafeen movement back in 1985.

He said in Ahmad Salim’s view, Pakistan was a nation and the provinces were its part.

He said prior to 1971, Bengal held an important place in Ahmad Salim’s life, adding that the best thing about him was that he could mould himself according to the place he was in. He could be a Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi and Pakhtun whenever he wanted, Mr Solangi said.

The former minister said Ahmad Salim had the ability to link literature, culture and all other genres.

“When he died last December, I read a poem which was dedicated to him, which reflected on his love for books,” Mr Solangi said.

Poet Nuzhat Abbas said Ahmad Salim had worked on the issues facing minorities, adding that he dreamt of a society where no one was exploited.

She said Mr Salim was a great poet and a writer, possessing a progressive mindset.

Ms Abbas said Ahmad Salim wanted all nations living in Pakistan to lead a peaceful life based on equality.

In the yesteryears, he carried a pain for Bangladesh and in the present times, he felt greatly for Palestine, she said.

SDPI Executive Director Abid Qaiyum Suleri said Ahmad Salim spent the most time with SDPI and had become a face of the organisation. “Whenever we introduced the organisation, it would be with his name,” he said, adding that he always kept his resignation letter in his pocket, and did not work for money.

Paying tributes to him, Mr Suleri said Ahmed Salim had worked on research, poetry and prose writing as well as human and labour rights.

In a nutshell, he was an institution in himself, Mr Suleri added.

Poet Abid Hussain Abid talked about Ahmad Salim’s love for books.

He was an active member of the progressive movement therefore his relation with books was strong, Mr Abid said.

He said the late poet was committed to his point of view, talked less and wrote more, adding that he had never heard negatively about him.

Barrister Naseem Ahmed Bajwa said Mr Salim supported autonomy for the Bengalis and wanted Pakistan to be made a federation.

He had a great fascination for books, Mr Bajwa said.

Niaz Nadeem from ICF Sindh said Ahmad Salim always spoke about the oppressed people and whenever there was talk about promoting language, his name would figure out on the top.

Writer Panah Baloch from Balochistan said Ahmad Salim’s poetry always focused on the oppressed people, provinces, labourers and the entire country.

When Balochistan’s situation deteriorated in 1993, he dedicated an entire book on the province, Mr Baloch said.

In her closing remarks, Dr Humaira Ashfaq from International Islamic University Islamabad said they had held a memorial reference after his death. “Now we have to live with his ideology to keep him alive,” she said, adding that we also have to follow his thoughts, way of life and adopt his objectives.

Dr Ashfaq said they had compiled the research undertaken by Ahmad Salim and uploaded it on sarrc.org.pk for the benefit of new researchers.