PAL chief promises efforts to promote Khowar language

CHITRAL: Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) Chairperson Dr Najeeba Arif on Wednesday assured continued efforts to promote the Khowar language and literature.

She held out the assurance while speaking at a literary function arranged on the bank of the Chitral River.The programme was hosted by the Anjuman Taraqi-e-Khowar which was attended by writers and poets of the Khowar language which is spoken in Chitral and parts of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Senior poet, writer and research scholar of the Khowar language, Professor Israruddin, welcomed the PAL chief and introduced the literati present there to her.Anjuman Taraqi-e-Khowar President Shehzada Tanveerul Mulk spoke about the Khowar language books published jointly by his organization and the Pakistan Academy of Letters.

Dr Inayatullah Faizi thanked the PAL chief for her efforts to support the writers and poets in their works.Professor Mumtaz Hussain, Iqbaluddin Ashar, Muhammad Irfan, Inayatullah Aseer, Professor Shafeeq Ahmad, Jinahuddin Parwan, Afzalullah Afzal, and others spoke on the occasion.

The PAL chief appreciated the efforts being made by the literati of the Khowar language.“The PAL has benefitted from the Khowar language writers’ work since 1985 and has made endeavours for language promotion. These efforts will continue,” she promised.

Dr Najeeba Arif asked the Khowar language writers to contribute to the Literary Museum of the PAL by gifting it with audio-visual material to introduce the Khowar language and the Chitrali Culture to a wider population. Later, the PAL chief visited the Shahi Qila-a fort in Chitral that is stated to be 400 years old.