Poetry recital session held to mark Int’l Women’s Day

PESHAWAR: A colourful function was held to mark the International Women’s Day besides launching books and organising poetry session at the historic Sethi House, here.

Jointly organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority and the Karvaan-e-Hawwa, a literary forum, the event was aimed at reviving literary tradition and motivating aspiring women to ensure creativity in poetry in accordance with the global trends to promote art, poetry and literature.

Many poetesses turned up to the event and presented their poems, including Roshan Hazrat, Humaira Aslam, Salma Qaiser, Dr Salma Shaheen, Shaheen Ameen, Nadia Raza Ali, Rani Sabeeh and Ghazla Yasmeen.

The literati enthralled the audience with their beautiful poetry, which reflected the prevailing trends in the society, traditions and rich culture as well as feminine expression and perception was pretty visible in their poetry with deep aesthetic touch. Karvaan-e-Hawwa president Bushra Farrukh in her speech said that every aspect of a woman’s role is beautiful and every woman is gifted with the nature of beauty and aspiration.

She said that women in Pakistan were more aware of their rights and the way to protect them and be stronger.

Former Director Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar (UoP) Dr Salma Shaheen shared her views that women were not weak rather they had an extraordinary patience and courage gifted them by nature.

Prominent poet and writer Anwar Sultana said that women were playing an important role in social, economic and political sectors. “Women are playing a significant role in the development of society through their knowledge and skills,” she said, adding that women writers were contributing tremendously towards the development and promotion of literature and the society as well.

On the occasion, various books of different languages were launched including “Staray Makham” of Dr. Shahida Sarwar, “Hasya Khial” by Nusrat Naseem, “Baad az Buzurg toi” by Bushra Farrukh, “Haia Al Alfalah” by Syeda Ume Rubab, “Peshawar se Karbala Taak” by Tabinda Farrukh, “Haar Jane Ka Hosla Hai Mujh Main” by Syeda Atya Parveen and “Wilayat Chaltay Hain” by Musharraf Mubashir.

The event was also attended by president Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Azra Jamshed, president Hayatabad Lion’s Club Fouzia Inyat, Manager Events Haseena Shoukat, Provincial Ombudsman Rakhshanda Naz, Professor Dr Riaz Anwar, adviser to CM on Sports and Culture, Khyber Bank Managing Director Muhammad Gulfaraz, Professor Dr Ejaz Hassan, Vice Chancellor Hazara University and prominent Pashto poet and writer Professor Abasin Yousafzai.

Later, literati, including Perven Azeem and Farheen Chaudhry, Musharraf Mubashir, Rani Andleeb and Atya Praveen, Dr. Izharullah and Khalid Rauf, Qamar Hamdani and Dr Awais Qarni, Abdur Rauf Rohila and Amjad Aziz Malik, Dr Syed Zubair Shah and Hamad Hassan, Dr Salma Shaheen, Prof Ejaz Khattak and Aurangzeb Ghaznavi and Iqbal Sikandar were given awards for their contributions to the society and literature.