Govt asked to support literature, culture

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a function arranged here in the Iranian Cultural Centre have asked the government to support literary and cultural organizations so that literature and culture flourish in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They praised a Peshawar-based literary body, Karwan-e-Hawa, for arranging the fourth excellence awards ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Hall of the Khana-e-Farhang Islami Jamhoori Iran, where seasoned writer Uxi Mufti was the chief guest.

Director General of the Iranian Cultural Centre Dr Hossein Chaghomi and Mushtaq Shahbab were guests of honour of the programme, which was presided over by Prof Dr Nazir Tabassum, a senior Urdu and Hindko writer and a recipient of the presidential award.

Karwan-e-Hawa Chairperson, Bushra Farrukh, said that the purpose of presenting awards in the name of famous literary figures was to remember these eminent personalities and to introduce them to the new generation.

Uxi Mufti, Mushtaq Shabab, Dr Hossein Chaghomi, Dr. Nazir Tabassum and Bushra Farrukh distributed awards on the occasion.Ahmed Faraz Award was given to Professor Shujaat Ali Rahi of Kohat, Shahid Zaman and Dr Ali Kamil Qazilbash of Quetta.

Khatir Ghaznavi Award was given to Fauzia Taj of Haripur, Arham Rohan of Islamabad, and Professor Malik Nasir Dawood of Abbottabad. Mohsin Ehsan Award was given to Dr. Aamir Sohail of Abbottabad, Dr. Haroon Rashid of Sargodha, Ayesha Masood Malik of Islamabad.

Ghulam Muhammad Qaaser Award was given to Salma Qaser of Islamabad, Syed Ali Tanha of Layyah and Professor Jahan Zeb Shoor. Parishan Khattak Award was given to Dr Ahmed Ali Ijaz and Zahida Tanha.

Ahmad Ali Sain Award was given to Syed Mahmood Gilani and Professor Sabih Ahmed.The Khushhal Khan Khattak Award was given to Dr. Gulzar Jalal and Dr. Hanif Rasool of Karak. Hassan Bin Thabit Award was given to Professor Abdul Majeed Chatha of Lahore, Noreen Talat Aruba based in the US, Tahir Sultani of Karachi and Muhammad Yaqub Firdousi of Sargodha.

Lahore’s Farah Javed, Shaheen Qureshi, Nilofar Sami and Dr. Seema Shafi were the recipients of the Fatima Jinnah Award. Masood Anwar Shafqi Award was given to Salma Sarfaraz, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi and Khawaja Yawar Naseer.

Lala Ameer Siddiqui Award was given to Atiq Ahmed Siddiqui, Nayyar Sarhadi, and Sher Alam Shinwari. Karwan-e-Hawa special awards were given to Dr Shaheen Umar, Dr Basmina Siraj, Prof Dr. Khalid Mufti, Maryam Bibi, Noshaba Khan, Farah Asad, Rubina Siddiqui and Prof Malik Arshad Hussain. In his address, the chief guest, Uxi Mufti, urged the government to patronize such organizations so that literature and culture flourish in the province.