Haider Zaman Turk
Hindko Poet and Writer
(1942 to 2021)
Raja Haider Zaman Turk: A Pioneer of Hindko Language and Literature
Raja Haider Zaman Turk, a renowned Hindko language writer, poet, and research scholar, made immense contributions to the language, literature, and culture of the Hazara region over a literary career spanning more than five decades. Considered a pioneer of efforts to promote Hindko in the Hazara region since the early 1970s, he passed away on Saturday, October 30, 2021, in Abbottabad after a protracted illness. He was 79 years old.
Life and Education
Raja Haider Zaman Turk was born in 1942 in his native village of Banda Phagwariyan, Abbottabad, Hazara. He belonged to a distinguished Turk family of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was the son of Raja Ali Zaman Turk, the head of the prominent household.
He received his early education in Abbottabad and went on to obtain a Master’s degree from the University of Peshawar. Subsequently, he earned a second Master’s degree, specializing in Library and Information Science, from the University of Karachi. This academic specialization would prove instrumental in his research pursuits.
Career and Service
After completing his education, Raja Haider Zaman Turk began his service in the Education Department as a librarian. He remained deputed in various parts of the Hazara Division, notably serving in the Higher Education Department, which provided a beneficial environment for his research. He retired from the Education Department in 2002 upon completing 60 years of age.
Literary Contributions and Legacy
Raja Haider Zaman Turk inherited his literary taste from his family elders. He was particularly inspired by his maternal uncle, Raja Jahandad Khan, a distinguished Charbeyna-go poet of the Hindko language. This inspiration led him to write on the traditional poetic form, resulting in the award-winning Hindko book “Hindko Ko Charbeyne De Rang-o-Rang Nadare.”
His major literary contributions are extensive and almost all of his works received prestigious literary awards. These include:
- Sodagar Us Bazaar Da
- Mashal
- Sajray Phal
- Shama te Patang”
- Mubarak Safar-e-Hajj
One of his greatest achievements was the Hindko translation of the Holy Qur’an, titled “Qur’an Majeed Furqan Hameed.”
His book, “Tazkira Tareekh-e-Turkan Kashmir o Hazara” (also referenced as “Tazkira Turkan-e-Kashmir o Hazara”), is considered the lifetime asset of his literary journey. In this book, he successfully aimed to awaken his “dormant nation,” and today the work serves as a source of guidance and representation for the Turk nation in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
Demise
The respected literatus, also known as a septuagenarian, had been bed-ridden for quite some time due to health complications stemming from old age. Raja Haider Zaman Turk passed away on Saturday, October 30, 2021, at 10:30 AM. His funeral prayer was offered at his native village of Banda Phugwarian (also referenced as Banda Phagwariyan) in the Abbottabad district, and he was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard. The last rites were attended by literati and people from other walks of life, reflecting the wide respect he commanded for his profound literary and cultural impact.