PESHAWAR, Jan 11: The launching ceremony of "Urdu Zaban Ka Makhaz Hindko", a research-based book by Prof Khatir Ghaznavi, will be held on Jan 12 (Monday) here at Nishtar Hall.

According to a press release issued on Sunday, NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah will be chief guest on the occasion. The launching is being organized by the Gandhara Hindko Board while National Language Authority Chairman Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik will preside over it.

The others scheduled to speak on the occasion include Dr Gohar Noshahi, Dr Siddique Shibli, Prof Dr Zahoor Ahmad Awan, Prof Mohsin Ihsan and Prof Dr Sabir Kalorvi. Provinial Minister for Culture Raja Faisal Zaman and MPA Ms Riffat Akbar Swati will be the guest speakers.

Khatir Ghaznavi has served as director-general of the Pakistan Academy of Letters, chairman of the Urdu department of the University of Peshawar, director of the area study center and Pakistan study center. His new book is a research work on the history of Hindko, published by the National Language Authority.