Book launched on Peshawar culture

Islamabad:Launching his new book, Peshawar ki Fankar Galliyan: 1980 kay ashry ki yadain aur batain, noted progressive writer Ahmed Saleem lamented the attitude and behaviour of the society and the industry towards women as an object.

“It is unfortunate that we use women's body to sell newspapers, magazines and other products in TV commercial advertisements. This is the stark reality of our society at large, which should be denounced,” he told the launching ceremony organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here.

Ahmed said it was very difficult to get recognition in society and the only thing that remained with one was his or her work. SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said the book provided the evolution and development of art, culture, television and film industry of present Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially Peshawar, since the 1980s.

“The book highlights the relationship of media and society, where Ahmed Saleem, through his comprehensive interviews with the Pakistan Television (PTV) artists of 1980s, tried to present the struggle and difficulties of artists,” he said.

Dr Suleri said sustainable development was firmly linked to art and literature and sustainable development couldn't be realised without promotion of art and literature. Shafqat Kakakhel, the chairperson of the SDPI Board of Governors, said the first part of the book recounted the memories of Ahmed Saleem and highlighted his stay at Peshawar and his relations with writers, poets and television actors.

He said Ahmed Saleem was no less than an institution in itself, as his literary contribution was of no match. General Secretary, Gandhara Hindko Board, Peshawar, Ziauddin said the book preserved the social, cultural, artistic, literary, linguistic and political aspects of Peshawar.

He said Ahmed Saleem re-discovered the hidden treasure of art and artists of Peshawar in his book, which was an excellent contribution to the literature. Political activist Barrister Iftikhar Ahmed said Saleem was no less than an artist, the way he explained and narrated the stories of his time spent in Peshawar.

“I take pride that Ahmed Saleem is my friend, as he is very humble and down to earth person who cares for others,” he said. Senior advisor on chemicals and sustainable industrial development to the SDPI Dr. Mahmood A Khwaja narrated different excerpts from the book and said the book had the characteristic of mystery, which kept the reader's attention till the end.

Urdu Editor and Research Fellow of the SDPI Dr Humaira Ashfaq said the book was a social history of Peshawar, which covered the art, culture and socio-political environment of the 1980s.

She said Ahmed Saleem was determined to his ideology and keep his tradition alive through his writings over decades. SDPI Research Associate Ayesha Ilyas admired Ahmed Saleem's efforts for highlighting and preserving the art and culture of Peshawar.