Work on Hindko pronunciation dictionary in progress

The work on a Hindko pronunciation dictionary and another publication having words shared by Hindko, Pashto and Urdu is in progress and the research-based books would be published soon.
The office-bearers of a literary, cultural and social welfare organisation, Gandhara Hindko Board, said this at a function held at the Civil Officers Mess which was presided over by the organisation's Chairman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi and attended by literary and cultural figures along with industrialists and educationists.
The function was held to review the work done by the Board in the first six months of the year and to discuss the task to be taken in hand by the end of the year.
Senior Vice-Chairman of the Board, Associate Professor Dr Adnan Gul, said an eminent Hindko research scholar and linguist, Professor Dr Elahi Bakhsh Awan, has been working on a Hindko pronunciation dictionary and another book that would have the words shared by Hindko, Pashto and Urdu. He said the books "Hindko Talaffuz Lughat" and "Sarmaya-e-Ishtiraak" would prove to be good addition to the Hindko literature.
Vice-Chairman of the Board, Dr Salahuddin, who also heads the Medical Wing of the organisation, said promotion work on Hindko language is greatly linked with the social service. He said free medical camps for the flood-hit people is a great experience and suggested that the Gandhara Welfare Trust should be made more active.
General Secretary of the Board, Mohammad Ziauddin, said the Board had published 36 books so far along with holding several literary and cultural functions and carrying out social welfare activities. He said "Hindko Conference" held recently at Abbottabad was a great success as that helped the Board interacting with several writers from Hazara division.
Noted educationist Khwaja Mohammad Waseem said it was heartening to note that research-based Hindko publications tally is on the rise. He said another encouraging factor is the growing interest and involvement of the educated segment of the society in language promotion efforts. Representing the business community, known industrialist Khalid Sultan Khwaja, commerce leaders Sharafat Ali Mubarik and Atif Haleem Jan extended all co-operation to the Board.
The gathering was also addressed by Ihsan Elahi, Adnan Zahoor Awan, Sikander Hayat, Ahmad Nadeem Awan, Farzana Maruf and others.
The Gandhara Hindko Board Chairman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi said that he felt honoured to head an organisation that has accomplished a great task within a short span of time and optimum resources under the leadership of Professor Dr Zahoor Awan (late).
"I will leave no stone unturned in the development of the Hindko language as I cannot detach myself from Peshawar whose people gave me a lot of love and respect," said the Board Chairman who also served as Chief Secretary of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Federal Secretary for railways, environment and Special Secretary of the Cabinet Division while in the civil service.