Literati urged to promote national cohesion

PESHAWAR: Noted Pashto, Hindko and Urdu literati on Wednesday called upon budding writers and poets to promote the spirit of national unity through writing and boost positive image to the world of a progressive and inclusive society envisaged by the founding Father of the Nation.

The trilingual mushaira was conducted under the auspices of Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL), Peshawar chapter, in connection with Pakistan Independence Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Poets from different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Peshawar participated in the event held at Urdu Science Board Library Hall, Khyber Bazaar.

Noted poet, Asmat Surani moderated the event.

Khan Badshah Nusrat, assistant resident director, PAL Peshawar, in opening remarks said that the PAL regional chapter has been serving local poets and writers within its limited resources since inception with an objective to instill a spirit of national unity among the literati.

Pashto, Hindko and Urdu poets read out poems promoting humanism, national unity, and lasting peace and asked poets to boost the positive image of the country in their poetry.

Prof Owais Qarni, a noted Urdu poet while presiding over the mushaira said that poets and writers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had always expressed peace, unity, and mutual respect in their writings.

He added that even in the freedom movement, poets and writers of KP had played important roles.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is home to linguistic and cultural diversity and poets and writers should come forward to revive the spirit of national unity to strengthen the vision of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Muhammad Iqbal, he said. Prof Arshad Hussain Malik, prominent Hindko poet on the occasion said that poets and writers could best spread national unity. Prof Sher Zaman Seemab, another known Pashto writer, said that educating masses on the right track was the duty of the writers.