PESHAWAR: Pashto literary scene remained vibrant and the young poets, writers and researchers particularly took keen interest in conducting literary events throughout the year gone by, despite thin readership and rising prices of paper. A few literary organisations also remained active on social media and private radio and TV channels in sharing their literary pieces.

According to experts and literati, around 2,500 books on a variety of subjects and issues were published in 2016. Romanticism, postmodernism, craving for peace and voice against militancy marked writings of Pashto books.

Former director of Pashto Academy Salma Shaheen told this scribe that it was encouraging that several female writers brought out their literary and research works in 2016. She said that Pakhtun men had sensed the importance of feminine voice. She said that Ruhab Malik, Bushra Khatoon, Farkhanda Liaquat, Bushra Farrukh, Samina Qadir, Shahida Sardar, Kulsoom Zeb, Zari Laiq and a few others published their works.

Official sees bright future for Pashto books

She said that Zari Laiq from Swat brought out her second poetry collection in English. “Female writers should be provided opportunities to bring out their talent. Our young lot has great potential in them,” Ms Shaheen said.

The prose writing trend in Pashto was quite promising compared to previous years. Private publishing houses and literary organisations in Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Bannu, Nowshera, Mardan and Swat published books covering poetry, prose, fiction, travelogue, music, religion, archaeology and education. Makham Khattak, a Karachi-based Pashto writer, brought out six books on different topics under the auspices of Jaras Adabi Jirga, Karachi. He published Pashto translation of Alfred Francis Bacon’s selected essays for the first time.

According to Amir Khan, a young Pashto poet and owner of a printing house in Peshawar, Mumtaz Orkazai and Shaheen Buneri’s one each book in prose and poetry remained the bestselling literary works in the Pashto book market. Several new bookstores and outlets opened up in Peshawar which showed an upward trend of book culture among readers, he told Dawn.

Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar, brought out eight bulky books mostly based on research treaties while work on a comprehensive Pashto -to- Pashto dictionary had been completed. Prof Nasarullah Wazir, director of Pashto Academy, told this scribe that a 13-volmue Pashto-to- Pashto dictionary earlier published in separate parts would now be available in a single volume.

“I see a bright future for Pashto book market because our youth have turned to reading about their history, language, literature, art and culture. Pashto Academy has passed out 16 PhD scholars last year and brought out six HEC-approved research journals. Young writers and researchers are being encouraged to bring out their works on various aspects of Pashto language and people of this region,” Mr Wazir maintained.

Usman Olasyar, a poet from Swat, told this scribe that literary and cultural organisations had conducted numerous events in Swat, including publishing of books. He said that poets and writers of Swat regularly attended literary and cultural events. “Even general public take great interest in such social gatherings and contribute money to conduct an event or bring out a book,” he said.

Dr Salahuddin, a Hindko writer and vice-chairman of Gandhara Hindko Board, said that his organisation had published about 40 books in Hindko in 2016 covering almost all literary genres and 60 other Hindko books were in pipeline.

KP culture directorate brought out 33 books in Pashto, Urdu, Hindko and Chitrali languages in 2016 and has shown intention to continue sponsoring publication of quality books.

Kalim Shinwari, chief of Hamza Baba Pakhto Adabi Jirga, told Dawn that Fata literary scene was still vibrant and lively, as around 50 literary organisations had conducted literary events and brought out books on self-help basis. He said that Fata secretariat should launch a scheme for tribal literati on the pattern of KP culture directorate.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2017