LARKANA: Speakers at a seminar on Sufi Faqir Jannan Chan held at Arts Council Larkana on Sunday said that the Faqir was a pioneer of modern approach to mysticism who brought it out of four walls of the shrine and propagated its true message among masses.

They said at the moot organised by Faqir Jannan Chan Welfare Organisation that a true mystic was one who always laid stress on action.

Custodian of Faqir`s shrine Faqir Jannan Chan junior said that there was no conflict in Faqir`s words and deeds.

He was a good poet and always put into action whatever he referred to in his poetry and made theme of his work, he said.

He said that only wearing a saffron scarf for a few hours did not make one a Sufi. A true Sufi always remained in search of one`s self and worked for the betterment and welfare of human beings without regard to their caste, creed and colour. He said that some pseudo-intellectual friends kept propagating that Sufism was equal toescapism from the harsh realities of life and society. `I strongly reject it and call it an absolutely wrong propaganda,` he said.

He said that Sufism had never barred one from participating actively in society. A Sufi always stood for legitimate rights of fellow humans and did not flinch from sacrificing his dear life in the struggle for righteousness and rights of the people, he said.

Writer and journalist Nisar Khokhar said that Sufism was in the very essence of Sindhi culture. Sindh strongly opposed violence of any kind and its historical proof could be found in Moenjodaro where no deadly weapons had been unearthed, he said.

Instead, he said, a statue of dancing girl was found which testified to Sindh`s love for art and peace. Some quarters tried to spread violent culture in Sindh by spreading religious extremism but people rejected it by adhering to the message of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, he said.

He said that educated youth understood Faqir`s message and the day was not far when whole of Sindh would be immersed in saffron colour whichsymbolised Sufism, love, peace and tranquillity.

Poet Ahmed Ali Sabir Chandio said that Faqir took part in the struggle for peasants` rights in his life which was launched by Comrade Haider Bakhsh Jatoi and created awareness among people through his poetry.

Former taluka nazim of Warah, Manzoor Ahmed Marfani, said that though Faqir himself belonged to a very poor household he never excused himself from working for the welfare of common people. Faqir`s poetry urged strong resistance to exploitation of all kinds, he said.

Advocate Ghulam Nabi Chandio said that in modern world many nations were trying to amass atomic weapons but in Sindh thousands of followers of Sufism were spreading lesson of love and peace.

Deedar Ali Chan, Zulfikar Brohi, Ali Bakhsh Dhakan, Sabir Soomro, Noor Ahmed Jatoi, and Sardar Ali Nawaz Jalbani also spoke at the programme which was followed by a Sufi music concert in which singers Faqir Samaan Ali Manganhar, Khadim Ali Khaskheli and Deedar Ali Chan sang poetry of Faqir Jannan and other Sufi poets.