07 March 2005	Monday	25 Muharram 1426

PESHAWAR, March 5: Speakers at a seminar here have said that literature is a mirror reflecting contemporary issues of a society and becomes the language of the aspirations of the public.

The seminar on 'The role of Literature in the Changing World' organised by the Academy of Letters, Peshawar, at Archives Library Hall on Saturday, was followed by distribution of Khushal Khan Khattak awards among Pushto poets and writers of the NWFP.

Pushto and Urdu prose writers and poets hailing from the NWFP, includingZaitoon Bano, Dr Salma Shaheen, Mukhtar Ali Nayyar, Dr Raj Wali Khattak and Prof Nazeer Tabassum, read their papers on the changing world and the role of literature and writers.

The speakers were of the view that the role of writers was of great importance as their writings reflected the true picture of the society. "Literature is a spokesman of the age and the emerging issues faced by a society," they said.

The speakers said that a writer should be bold, open-minded and have an eye which could see all that others could not observe easily and be able to articulate the feelings of the people in a beautiful manner.

They said that in the age of globalization, there was a need of understanding and tolerance among nations and the literature of the modern era should address the issue.

Dr Salma Shaheen, a poetess and director of Pushto Academy; Peshawar University, said that role of literature and writers was very important for apprising the society of the problems and dangers.

Dr Raj Wali Khattak, former director of the Pushto Academy, stressed that topics should be contemporary.

Zaitoon Bano said that literature was an important pillar of society and as time change, topics should also change.

Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, who was chief guest, said thatit was impossible to have a civilized society without literary people.

The governor gave away Khushal Khan Khattak awards to Zahir Shah for his poetry Zeegoon; Syed Abid Jan for Falsafa de Janoone ao Janaan; Dr Israar for De Takal pe Takal Kay, Dr Salma Shaheen for Ze Hum Haghasay Warah Wai, Rehmat Shah Sail for Dard Chey de Sreeko Sangay ospardalay, late Nazir Shinwari for Mazal, Qamar Rahi for Serah, Salim Raz forTanqeedi Karkhay , Ghazi Sayyal for Zama Sandaray sta de para .