Print Print edition: 2017-02-23

PCA arranges literary reference, musical event

Published February 23, 2017 Updated February 23, 2017 12:00am

Pakhtun Cultural Association (PCA) on Wednesday organised a literary reference and Pashto musical evening in connection with International Mother Language Day "De Rangoono Makham" (colourful evening). The event was arranged in collaboration with Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) to pay tribute to the legendary Pashto poets Khushal Khan Khattak and Dr Abdul Khaliq Ziyar.
Senator Afrasiab Khattak, MNA Shahabuddin, Senator Sajid Hussain Turi, Senator Farhatullah Babar, Inspector General of Motorway Police Shaukat Hayat Khan, Akhunzada Chattan, Pashtu poet Rehmat Shah Sahil, PCA President Akbar Sial, Sohaib Yusufzai, senior officials of PNCA and a large number of people from different walks of life also participated in the event.
The speakers highlighted the works of renowned Pashto poets and scholars Khushal Khan Khattak and Dr Khaliq Zayar. Senator Afrasiab Khattak appreciated PNCA and Pakhtun Cultural Association for organising a literary reference in connection with International Mother Language Day. The speakers highlighted the importance of mother languages in the event. They stressed the improvement of mother languages of the country with an aim to protect and preserve these indigenous languages.
The speakers presented their copies on the literary work of Khushal Khan Khattak and Dr Khaliq Ziyar. Khushal's poetry consists of more than 45,000 poems. According to speakers, the number of books written by Khushal Khan Khattak is more than 200. His most famous books are 'Baz-nama', a manual of falconry, 'Swat-nama', a description of a journey to the beautiful Swat Valley, 'Fazl-nama', a handbook on religious and social duties, 'Tibb-nama', a book on homely medicinal recipes, 'Farrukh-nama', a dialogue between the pen and the sword and 'Firaq-nama', a lament of his separation from his homeland during captivity. Khushal also wrote many 'ghazals' in Persian under the pen-name Ruhi and a Persian 'qasida' on the futility of the world. Later, renowned Pashto singers Haroon Bacha and Rahim Dad performed at PNCA auditorium and enthralled the audience. The participants lauded the PNCA and the PCA for organising a colourful Pashto musical evening.