PESHAWAR: Built in 1955, with an objective to promote and preserve, Pashto language and literature, the Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar, has 1,077 rare and old manuscripts in addition to around 50,000 most valuable books, but now they are gathering dust and experts feared if arrangements were not made well in time, the precious treasure trove from the ancient world would soon go to waste.

Being exposed to biodegradation, bookworms, humidity and hot weather, over 1,000 rare manuscripts related to Pashto language, literature, history and culture were stuffed into shabby wooden cabinets due to lack of space and proper maintenance where it feared, the most precious ancient stock of Pashto scholarship would get annihilated forever, a well-placed source at the Pashto Academy told Dawn.

The sources said that some of the old documents had lost their vitality and at some places had been rendered illegible while a few had been damaged by bookworms. A source added that still some of the manuscripts had been subjected to tampering or editing or change of nomenclature for vested interests. It said that the old manuscripts written in Pashto, Persian and Arabic worth millions of rupees needed urgent attention of the authorities concerned.

It is pertinent to mention here that over a decade ago, following an MoU with USAID, the Pashto Academy had digitised only 376 old manuscripts out of 1,453 but unfortunately the project was shelved after completion of its first phase owing to the alleged mishandling of the plan by the then academy’s officials. Octogenarian Pashto writer, Hamish Khalil while sharing his views stated the Pashto Academy had stored valuable collection of old manuscripts and printed materials but lacked experts who could decipher old writings.

He regretted only a few scholars could understand, Persian, Arabic and old Pashto orthography. He suggested young people should be trained on retrieving, collecting and preservation of such sensitive contents. “I have published around 80 old books and discovered about five old manuscripts including Naam-i-Haq of Khushal Khan Khattak. We need a search team to collect more old manuscripts gathering dust at private collections to enrich our language and to know more about our classical age,” he observed.

Mian Wakeel Shah Faqirkhel, an expert on old manuscripts told this scribe that not only ancient manuscripts should be digitised but should also be published and be made available to readers especially those working on classical documents. He said he had researched and preserved around 30 old manuscripts along with 11,000 rare books at his private library. He said he had already edited and published several old works of classical poets including one by a popular Pashto folk poet, Ahmadin Talib spreading over 600 pages.

“Pashto Academy should conduct substantive research on old manuscripts and should launch a rigorous campaign comprising a team of scholars for collecting and retrieving old scrolls regarding Pashto language, history and culture. I personally believe that more funds should be allocated for digitisation and publication of important manuscripts and out-of-market books instead of unproductive seminars and symposia,” he said.

Mushtaq Majrooh, another research scholar and linguist told this reporter that Pashto Academy would lose a precious treasure in the shape of rare manuscripts if a proper care was taken of its valuable storehouse of ancient knowledge. He said that large number of unsearched old Pashto manuscripts was lying in various libraries of India. He said that recently a copy of Khairul Bayan, the first ever written Pashto book, was reportedly discovered somewhere in India. “Pashto Academy should hire experts on old manuscripts to carefully conduct preservation of the rare contents and may send a delegation to India, Iran and Afghanistan to collect old Pashto manuscripts,” he advised.

Prof Dr Nasrullah Jan, director Pashto Academy, when contacted told Dawn that old manuscripts were in good hands and could be mended to prolong their life. He said that higher education department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had recently approved a PC-I of Rs40 million for digitisation, preservation and publication of old manuscripts.

He said that funds had been released for execution of the said project and groundbreaking ceremony would be held in the near future. He said the multipurpose project would also include extension, updating and digitisation of the existing library.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2017