PESHAWAR: Speakers at an event here on Sunday pledged to continue efforts for promoting literary activities in the province despite unfavourable situation as it would encourage budding artists and literati to come up with innovative ideas and creative concepts.

They said that Peshawar being hub of literary and cultural activities had produced legends in almost every field including literature, arts and music in the past.

The award giving ceremony was arranged under the auspices of Pakistan Writers Guild in Khana Farhang-i-Iran. Poets, writers and research scholars attended the event.

They stressed the need for putting in their efforts for promotion of linguistic diversity.

They said that Rahman Baba, Hameed Baba, Sain Ahmad Ali, Khatir Ghaznavi, Ahmad Faraz, Hamza Baba, Zaitoon Bano, Prof Mohsin Ehsan, Qalandar Momand and other literary figures contributed to their literary magnum corpus.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai, who chaired the function, said it was a great pleasure that PWG was in the position to honour poets and writers on bringing out their best works despite lack of financial support.

He said that initiative never got eclipsed as the efforts carrying the legacy encouraged budding writers and researchers to produce the best of their literary works.

Prof Aseer Mangal, provincial secretary of PWG, said on the occasion that not only his organisation honoured the living poets and writers but also paid tributes to late literati and scholars from time to time so that the young generation could know about the huge contribution of their predecessors.

Pashto books namely ‘Sajda Pa Maikada Kay’ ‘Pa Pakhto Kay Da Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Da Mashoomano Da Adabiyato Samajee Au Kaltori Mutaliya’ “Ramz’ and ‘Imam Da Inqilab’ authored by Samina Qadir, Noorul Basar, Johar Adnan and Yousaf Hiran, respectively, received awards and commendation shields.

Hindko books including ‘Dhukh Chuphwaan Kissara’, ‘Ghazalam Nazmaa Tere Naam’, ‘Mitty Naal Mitty’ and ‘Chunni Naal Bani Kaarian’ written by Mohammad Sabir Nawaz, Ahmad Nadeem Awan, Nazeer Bhatti and Gule Arbab, respectively, were given awards and shields.

Bushra Farrukh, Prof Arshad Hussain Malik and Farrukh Javed also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2024