Folk singer gets ‘Tribal Elders Award’

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The district administration on Tuesday awarded the highest tribal award ‘Tribal Elders Award” to a famous folk singer Shaukat Aziz Shaukat for his contribution to the folk music in the ancient Urmari Barki language.

Commissioner Dera Ismail Khan Dr Akhtar Nazir Warraich presented the highest award to the folk singer at a ceremony held in Tank. Deputy Commissioner, Tank, Ahmad Khan Wazir, District Police Officer Rasool Shah, Assistant Political Officer South Waziristan Muhammad Shoaib Khan, elder of Baki tribe Malik Irfanuddin Barki and others were also present.

Folk singer Shaukat Aziz Shaukat got into fame for singing songs in the centuries-old Urmari language of Barki tribe in South Waziristan. The Urmari language is the language of tribespeople of Barki tribe mostly living in Kaniguram area of South Waziristan Agency.

The local tribespeople fear that the language is on the brink of extinction due to the mass exodus of the native speakers due to the military operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan.

Dr Akhtar Nazir appreciated the efforts started by the local tribal elders, poets and singers for preservation of the old-language. He said that the government was extending all out support to the people who were trying to save the language from extinction. He said the government has allocated Rs20 million in the Annual Development Programme for this purpose.