PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Minister for Information and Culture, Mian Iftikhar Hussain has called upon the Pashto writers and intellectuals to play their role against terrorism.
Addressing the inaugural session of two-day second World Pashto Literary Conference at Nishtar Hall Peshawar on Friday, he said Pashto was a very respectable language.
The conference was jointly arranged by the Culture Department and Pakhto Adabi Chaman Thall. The conference besides others was also addressed by the President Pakhto Adabi Chaman Thall Malik Maqbool Muhammad, Cultural Attaché of Afghan Consulate Peshawar Parveen Malaal, Hamesh Khan Khalil, Habibullah Rafe, Hidayat Khan Bangash, Salim Raj, Aseer Mengal and Abasin Yousafzai and highlighted the history, importance and need of Pashto language in detail. Beside the Pakhtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan were also participating from the entire world.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain observed that terrorism and militancy in their land was a direct threat to the lives and prosperities of the whole Pakhtun nation. Talking about holding of the said conference, he said by holding such positive activities, they wanted to convey a message to the world that Pakhtuns were a peaceful nation and was against the violence and terrorism. He said Pakhtuns were not the people like they were being portrayed in the world. He added that it was the prime responsibility of the Pashto writers and intellectuals to play their role in portraying the real image of Pakhtun nation before the world.
Mian Iftikhar continued that now the style of their writing and poetry should be changed and instead of highlighting the beauty of people and nature they should focus on the problems of the day, which were being faced by this land and its people for the last 30 years.
He said that it was his utmost desire to work for the promotion of all languages of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Pashto and he from this forum announced that the government was ready to help all those who want to work for promotion of the regional languages.
The Information Minister maintained that literary conferences should be continued in the same way as it would not only prove helpful in promotion of any language but also play key role in bringing people closure to each other and promote harmony.
He said that some elements were intentionally trying to ruin the Pakhtun nation by harming its language and culture.
He however, declared that such elements could not succeed in their nefarious designs and the Pakhtuns nation would remain till the existence of this world.