PESHAWAR, Nov 2: NWFP Governor Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai has stressed the need for exploring and preserving heritage of the province and its adjoining tribal belt through literary work for next generations.

He was addressing the launching ceremony of a book — Frontier Facets — written by scholar and writer Athar Tahir at the Governor’s House here on Friday. Besides the writer, Wapda chairman Shakil Durrani, writer Faryal Ali Gohar and Zahoor Durrani, representing the tourism industry, also spoke on the occasion, says a handout.

The governor said the Frontier province and Fata had rich culture which could not be explored even 10 per cent, adding that it should be explored through research and reading habit for coming generations.

About the law and order situation, Mr Aurakzai said it was a temporary phenomenon and the entire world was suffering from this situation. “We must show the courage and face the circumstances,” he added.

Appreciating efforts by the author, Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai said the book could be described as one of the best pieces of its nature in the history of the province.

The governor particularly mentioned the British era in this respect and said they (Britishers) despite being aliens had recorded almost each and every aspect of life and culture of this area.

He expressed the hope that the writer would be able to bring out more editions of the book.

Shakeel Durrani said the NWFP had various facets and it was a fact that whosoever had served the province in any capacity had remembered it during his entire life.

Faryal Ali Gohar said it was a remarkable book. She mentioned the role of the people of the Frontier province and Fata in the freedom movement and said the book was not just a tribute to great personalities for their services and sacrifices, but it also provided opportunities to the readers to understand the complex historical facts and life of the region.

Zahoor Durrani said the book was a highly splendid literary work. He said the province was host to a tremendous wealth in the shape of historical buildings, sites of archaeological importance and cultural heritage and “we must preserve these precious assets”.