GHALANAI: Hujra (guest house) plays a vital role in the Pakhtun society as it serves as a community centre where people share their views with each other.

This was stated by speakers during a programme “Qadam Pa Qadam” organised by Radio Pakistan at Mohmand Press Club on Thursday.

Besides renowned drama writers Noorul Bashar Naveed, Islam Gul Afridi and Munir Hazarwi, Tehsildar Mohammad Miraj Khan, Ghulam Hussain Mohib, Mir Afzal Mohmand, Malik Haji Baghi Shah, Malik Nader Manan Kodakhel and Mohib Ali Mohib, the local poets, elders, youth and journalists participated in the programme.

Addressing on the occasion, the speakers highlighted the importance of hujra in the Pakhtun society. Huja is a guest house, wedding club, a local council and a shared house,” they added.

They said that hujra was a community club situated in each village, each street and sometimes owned by a well off family but shared by the whole community.

“People spend their spare time at hujra to listen to stories of elders and raise issues while children keep playing around, waiting for a call from one of the elders to take a message or bring fresh tea,” said an elder.

Mir Afzal Mohmand said that hujra still survived as a building in almost every village of Fata but the institution was losing importance. “The institution of hujra has been affected by various reasons in tribal areas. One reason of it is access to social media and Internet and second is militancy that has ruined the tribal system,” he added.

Other speakers said that hujra played important role in promotion of Pashto language as it helped in teaching Pashto literature to the new generation. They urged the youth to fallow Pakhtun traditions and strengthen the institution of hujra in the tribal areas.

At the end of programme, Noorul Bashar Naveed and Islam Gul distributed prizes among the participants.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2016