PESHAWAR: Speakers at a function here on Monday called upon youth to find out innovative ways to work for a peaceful and balanced society and spread the vision of Bacha Khan through creative means.

The function was organised on the concluding day of Bacha Khan’s Week at Bacha Khan Markaz here on Monday. The week was concluded after number of workshops, seminars, dialogues, book launches, art exhibitions and debates were held on the role of women, youth and alternative peace education.

Awards and certificates were distributed among the volunteers, who performed well during the Bacha Khan’s Week.

A large number of Awami National Party workers and rights activists attended the function.

Speaking on the occasion, ANP leader Sardar Hussain said that youth should come forward to work get rights for Pakhtuns in accordance with vision and political struggle of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan.

Musical concert, poetry recitation session mark conclusion of Bacha Khan Week

Earlier, a Khudai Khidmatgar museum shelving items in personal use of Bacha including prayer mat, a copy of the Holy Quran and clothes was opened along a corridor displaying portraits of his colleagues in the Bacha Khan Markaz. It was followed by a quiz regarding the life and services of Bacha Khan and Khudai Khidmatgar Tehreek.

A musical concert was part of the event in which popular Pashto folk singers Rashid Khan, Bakhtiar Khattak, Asfandyar Momand and Fayyaz Khan Kheshgi performed and received applause from the audience.

It was followed by peace Pashto poetry recitation in which noted poets MR Shafaq, Prof Abaseen Yousafzai, Aziz Manirwal, Noorul Amin Yousafzai, Rokhan Yousafzai, Shams Buneri, Arshad Jan Shahkar, Taswar Manirwal, Niazak Khan, Ameer Razaq, Afsar Afghan and Qaiser Khan paid glowing tributes to Bacha Khan and also recited poems on other topics.

Yar Akbar Shinwari, a local bookseller, told this scribe that he had set up a bookstall in Bacha Khan Markaz and was surprised to have had a wonderful sale as large number of students showed up and purchased variety of titles. He said that such events would encourage book culture among the youngsters.

Haji Yousaf Khan, an art lover, said that he rushed to Bacha Khan Markaz for purchasing some art pieces for his newly built house in Peshawar. He said that the art pieces reflected typical culture of Pakhtun village life.

“I also enjoyed musical concert and Pashto mushaira but the art pieces showcasing our village landscape done in oil medium are superb,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2020