PESHAWAR: Speakers at a cultural event here on Thursday evening advised the students to promote the spirit of social interaction, mutual respect, tolerance and human values towards a balanced society.

The function titled ‘Yousafzai cultural evening’ was organised under the auspices of Yousafzai Students Society (YSS) at a local hotel in University Town.

Noted Pashto folk singers including Fayyaz Kheshgi, Kifayat Shah Bacha, Bakhtiar Khattak and Rashid Khan performed live and received great appreciation from the audience.

Malak Ubaidullah Khan Yousafzai, chief of YSS, in his opening remarks said that keeping in view the success of the last year event, he and his colleagues were encouraged to arrange another cultural function to create awareness regarding cultural identity and inculcating the spirit of social service among students.

Folk singers receive applause for live performance at cultural evening

A large number of students, teachers, social activists and youth hailing from Yousafzai tribe participated in the event.

Speakers highlighted various aspects of Yousafzai tribe in historical perspective and asked students to appraise themselves of the role of their heroes and own positive values and disown negative attitude because culture was a dynamic phenomenon and having a world view would help them widen their scope towards a universal brotherhood and national integration at large.

Sufiyan Khan Yousafzai, general secretary of YSS, presented a brief paper in which he traced back the profile history of Malak Ahmad Baba, chief of Yousafzai tribe, who died in 1535.

He said that he was 14-year-old when the elders of the tribe were killed in the court of Kabul Governor Ulugh Beg Mirza, who conspired to trap them by inviting them to a feast.

Malak Ahmad Baba later brought his tribe to the Peshawar valley and led it to victory over the Dilazak tribe.

He later gained control of parts of Malakand, Swat and other districts and found Pakhtunkhwa independent state.

He stated that Bhaku Khan, Gaju Khan and Kalu Khan were also great heroes as Yousafzai tribe produced great poets, writers, academicians, politicians.

He added that in the modern day, Malala Yousafzai would continue to be the symbol of bravery and peace.

Noted poet Prof Abaseen Yousafzai, who chaired the event, said that students should always try to concentrate on their studies and prepare themselves for combating future challenges through positive thinking and modern education.

He asked them to promote good human values and create harmony irrespective of tribe, race and ethnicity.

Malak Jahan Alam Yousafzai, a social activist, said that students had great potential in them and they should exploit those qualities so that everyone around them could reap the benefits of social interaction, harmonious relationship and peaceful coexistence.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2020