Organisation launched to promote Pashto literature and culture

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Adabi Majlis, a new organization, was launched here on Sunday for promoting Pashto literature culture to boost the image of the Pakhtun community.

The body arranged its first provincial convention for promoting literary and cultural activities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and beyond.

Delegates of writers from Sindh, Balochistan and Islamabad participated in the event which was held at the Iranian Cultural Centre.

KP Minister for Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash was the chief guest. A former federal minister Ghazi Gulab Jamal and DG Khana-e-Farhang Peshawar, Mehran Iskandariyan were also among the participants.

Addressing the event, Kamran Banagsh said the KP government always extended support to such efforts and would continue to do in future. He said poets and writers played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion.

Around 36 representatives of QAM were administered oath who undertook to work for promoting the cause of peace and positive values boosting the image of the Pakhtuns.

Ismail Gohar, chairman of QAM, said his organization wanted poets, writers and artists to work in unison for educating the masses through writing. He added that an inclusive and comprehensive body was long due to work for reviving literary and cultural activities with an objective to provide a healthy forum to budding writers so that literary and cultural standards could be improved.

Amjad Ali Khadim, another writer, said joint efforts of the writers would bring about a substantive change in society. He said the QAM would work for the improvement of literary and cultural activities, adding a standard literary magazine would be launched in the coming days.

An artiste, Asfandyar Khattak, performed Khattak dance while a Pashto rendition of a Persian book was also part of the event.

It was followed by grand mushaira where poets read out verses and received applause from the audience. Prof Aseer Mangal, Hasina Gul, Prof Zubair Hasrat and Kalsoomzeb also spoke on the occasion.