PESHAWAR: The Afghan refugee bards and local Pashto poets gathered at a local hotel to strengthen their call for a permanent peace and political stability in the war-hit Pakhtun belt.

The poets gathered to attend Naranjgul Pashto Mushaira that was organised by Afghan Kulturi Tolana (Afghan Cultural Society), a Peshawar-based organisation of Afghan poets.

Around 50 Afghan refugee bards and 20 local poets recited their poems, focusing on peace, political stability and elimination of militancy from the restive region. Dr Abdul Hameed Jalili, director of ministry of refugees and repatriation of Afghanistan, was chief guest on the occasion while Mastoora Stakanzai chaired the event.

Young music director-cum-poet Shakirzeb stole the mushaira when he rendered his heartrending poem in his velvety voice. The participants gave him a standing ovation and round of applause for his beautiful poetry. He said that silence of the people was tantamount to death of the masses.

“I am neither a politician nor a reporter. I am a poet and singer. I can just share your grief and sing out your sufferings,” he added.

Speaking at the function, Afghan diplomat Mr Jalili stressed the need for durable peace in the region and called upon literati to play their due role in highlighting people’s issues on both sides of the Durand Line.

He said that the voice of people had a great strength and impact, therefore, they should come forward to bring about a substantive change to pave way for political stability in the militancy-plagued Pakhtun belt.

“No change will come unless people raise their voice to demand it for the sake of their prosperous future. Poets and writers can play a role in this regard as they are considered eyes and ears of society. I believe, Kabul and Islamabad better understand their pains and sufferings,” said Mr Jalili.

Ms Stakanzai, chief of Afghan refugee’s woman society and head of an Afghan women college in Peshawar, said that Pakhtuns in both the nieghbouing countries could no longer bear the endless sufferings of war. She said that there should be an end to war, which had killed millions of innocent people and rendered homeless millions of others.

“The world leaders should take pity on us. We have suffered enough. Give us books and pens and help us build schools. Save our children from brutality and bless them with the gift of love and peace,” said Ms Stakanzai.

Amanullah Nusrat, chief of Afghan culture society, said that since large number of Afghan refugee poets could not participate in the Naranjgul Mushaira being held every year in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, he decided to conduct the event in Peshawar to keep the tradition alive. He said that many poets could not attend the mushaira in Afghanistan owing to visa restrictions.

Fazl-i-Muala Toorakai, another Afghan poet, said that Naranjgul Mushaira was held for the first time in 1965 during king Zahir Shah reign in Jalalabad to mark the arrival of the spring season. He said that then it became a regular annual feature.

“Now we need the spring of peace more than flowers on our unfortunate soil. We have lost the manners to celebrate festive occasions. We little know how to laugh but know more how to cry,” he said.

Afsarul Mulk Afghan, a young poet from Shangla, said that such events could help to bring people closer to each other across the border and could prove a ray of hope for peaceful co-existence.

Senior Afghan poets including Nisarullah Hanif, Azizullah Hisari, Ghazi Ajmal Afghan and Mohsin Sadeeqi recited their poems while noted local poets Syed Sabir Shah, Abaseen Yousafzai, Aslam Salik, Shaukat Swati and Aseer Mangal took part at the event.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2017

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