International Hindko Conference

Promotion of all regional languages, cultures emphasised

By Bureau report

PESHAWAR: Several research based-papers were read out and presentations made Saturday on diverse topics on the second day of the 6th International Hindko Conference which laid stress on promotion of languages and cultures.

The three-day moot is themed “Attaining national unity through promotion of Indo-Aryan and other Pakistani languages.”The Gandhara Hindko Board (GHB) and Gandhara Hindko Academy (GHA) have joined hands to organise the conference which is being attended by delegates from various parts of the country, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and abroad.

A noted Hindko language writer, poet, research scholar, General Secretary of the GHB, Mohammad Ziauddin, and eminent cultural activist and GHB Vice-Chairman Dr Salahuddin, moderated the second day proceedings of the conference, arranged at the Sain Ahmad Ali, Dr Zahoor Ahmad Awan and Dr Elahi Bakhsh Awan halls of the academy.

GHB Chairman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, Senior Vice-Chairman Prof Dr Adnan Gul, executive committee members of the board, literati, linguists, researchers and people from other walks of life attended the second day programme which was divided into four sessions.

Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi presided over the first session. Director General of the Cultural Centre of Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Syed Abbas Famouri, was the chief guest.

The GHB chairman said the board and academy were working for promotion of not only Hindko but also other languages of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “This is why we have brought into print books and publications of other languages as well along with those of Hindko,” he pointed out. The Iranian diplomat made the speech in the Persian language. He said all languages were an asset to humanity which warranted respect and attention. Dr Syed Abbas Famouri praised the literary and cultural activities of the GHB and GHA. Dr Perveen Malik read out her paper on linguistic links of Hindko and Punjabi languages.