PESHAWAR: Speakers at an event here on Thursday urged youth to promote peace and tolerance in the society through positive activities.

They said that government should create opportunities for young people to display their latent talent. The event was arranged under the auspices of ‘Mafkoora’ a not-for-profit organisation in Nishtar Hall here on Thursday. A large number of university students, rights activists and civil society members attended the event.

Opening the event, Hayat Khan Roghani, head of Mafkoora, said that the function was arranged to advocate the message of peace and non-violence and educate youth on the significance of art and culture in the society.

“Unless art and culture covering different aspects of visual and performing arts become part of school syllabus, violence and intolerance would continue pushing our youth to the dark corners of militancy, drug abuse and anti-social activities,” he said.

Speakers urge govt to provide opportunities to youngsters to display their talent

Mr Roghani said that several initiatives were launched by his organisation for young people so that they could bring out their hidden talent in their desired fields for making them useful and peaceful citizens.

Prof Samiuddin Arman, Karan Khan and Prof AR Anwar also spoke at the event.

He said that the initiatives included music, painting, local dances and research on variety of topics regarding rights of transgender persons, women rights, girl’s education social norms, traditions and languages.

About 20 artworks of young artists were put on display while instrumentalists and folk singers graduated from Mafkoora were given shields and certificates on the occasion.

The organisers, however, postponed its music function and display of local dance as a token of respect to the soul of a student of Edwardes College Peshawar killed owing to his resistance to mobile phone snatcher on Wednesday not far from Nishtar Hall.

The participants of the event expressed sympathy with bereaved family and asked authorities to arrest the killers as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, a book launching ceremony was arranged by Abasin Arts Council (AAC) in Nishtar Hall.

Poets, writers and book lovers attended the event wherein speakers shared their views on the new Urdu book titled ‘Qissa Khawani Ka Qatl-i-Aam’ authored by Aftab Iqbal Bano.

Abdur Rauf Rohaila, chief of AAC, chaired the function while Prof Safia Ahmed, the vice-chancellor of Shaheed Benzair Bhutto University, was the chief guest. Dr Abdul Jalil Populzai, Hina Rauf and Azra Yasmeen presented critical evaluation of the book.

In another development, Peshawar Teachers Association (Puta) organised its annual Pashto mushaira in Puta Hall on Thursday evening.

Pashto poets from parts Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated in the session. Students, teachers and poetry lovers attended the poetry recitation event. The crux of the event was that youth should devote themselves to achieve their career goals.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2023