The Pakhtun Cultural Association (PCA) organised a literary reference and a musical evening in connection with the International Mother Language Day "Da Rangoono Makham" (colourful evening), here on Wednesday.

The International Mother Language Day 2020 observed with the theme "Languages without borders".

The PCA arranged the event in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), where rich tributes were paid to the literary services of late politician, great intellectual and revolutionary poet, Ajmal Khattak, on his death anniversary.

PCA Chairman, Shoaib Yousafzai, while paying rich tribute to Ajmal Khattak, said Khattak was a strong voice of the oppressed and the marginalised segments of the society.

Khattak had played a great role in creating awareness among the Pakhtuns about their rights through his poetry, Yousafzai said.

He said that the PCA organised International Mother Language Day every year to motivate people to maintain knowledge of their mother language, while learning and using more than one language to make the learning process easier and preserving cultural identity.

He further said that the PCA's slogan was education, peace and development, and to promote culture and language under the banner of a non-political platform.

"We are peace-loving people and not terrorists as portrayed," Yousufzai added.

The chairman PCA informed the audience about the organization's efforts which was formed back in 1992 to promote Pashto language and culture by rewarding the true Pashtun heroes.

He urged the youth to set-aside their differences and support everyone in good causes.

Yousafzai expressed his grief over the death of senior comrade Lal Khan and one-minute silence was observed in his honour.

This year the Pashtun social media award was given to Shoaib Yousafzai on his remarkable contribution for the promotion of mother language-Pashto.

Former Senator Afrasiab Khattak also spoke on this occasion and highlighted the importance of education in mother language. He also paid tribute to Ajmal Khattak.

Khattak termed the two books of Akbar Sial as a great addition to the poetry and prose of Pashto literature.