PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information and Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani said on Tuesday that provincial government would promote all native languages without any discrimination.

He was speaking as a chief guest at a function arranged at Gandhara Hindko Academy. The event was organised by Gandhara Hindko Board.

Mr Ghani likened the languages spoken in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to a cluster of flowers. “Every flower has own distinct fragrance which needs to be felt,” he said. He said that PTI-led provincial government fulfilled a longstanding demand of people by setting up Gandhara Hindko Academy last year. He said that all languages required attention and serious efforts for promotion.

“Languages should not die; these must live. That’s why government wants all native languages developed without any bias,” said Mr Ghani. He added that Hindko was the second main language of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the government would back its promotion along with other languages.

Responding to the suggestions made by the literati present on the occasion, he said that proceedings of provincial assembly should be conducted in Hindko language as well along with Urdu, Pashto and English. He also promised to improve the standard of Hindko language productions at the state-run radio and television.

Earlier, general secretary of Gandhara Hindko Board Mohammad Ziauddin and vice chairman Dr Salahuddin briefed the special assistant to chief minister and journalists about the work done by the board and academy so far.

Mr Ziauddin said the academy had published 50 books to date and as many publications were in the pipeline. He said that the academy was bringing out regular publications as well such as Hindko Adab, Surkhail, The Gandhara Voice and Taarey, etc besides holding conferences and seminars to raise awareness about language and culture.

Mr Ghani also launched a Hindko book “Rehmatan Dee Baarish” penned by Nazir Hussain Shah Kaselvi of Abbottabad.

A number of Hindko writers and poets including Nasir Daud of Mansehra, Akhtar Naeem of Havelian, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Sadiq Saba and Sikandar Hayat attended the function.

Published in Dawn October 5th, 2016