Hindko is a sweet and ancient language of this region which needs efforts for its preservation and promotion. This was stated by Syed Hassnain Gillani (Syed Agha), an eminent religious figure of Peshawar while delivering a special address at an open-air Hindko Naatia Mushaira, arranged by the Gandhara Hindko Board here at the Yakatoot Chowk on Saturday. He said language was to a civilisation what was soul to a body."
Those civilisations die with time which have no developed languages", said the spiritual leader while exhorting the Hindkowans to work for their mother language and converse with their children in Hindko.
Shedding light on the importance of Naat, Syed Agha said respect for and obedience to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was an article of our faith. "Naat is one form of showing reverence to the Holy Prophet (PBU)", said the scholar while praising the Gandhara Hindko Board for regularly arranging the Hindko Naatia Mushaira in the holy month of Ramazan.
Earlier, the poetic sitting started with recitation from the Holy Quran. As many as 35 poets from different parts of the province recited Naats and won acclaim.
Khwaja Yawer Nasser was the chief guest on the occasion while a prominent Hindko poet, prose writer, research scholar and laureate of the Pride of Performance Award, Professor Khatir Ghaznavi, presided the event.
Malik Arshad Hussain, a lecturer in English who has translated prominent English classic poets works into Hindko, compared the programme.
In their brief speeches, vice-chairman of Gandhara Hindko Board Assistant Professor Dr Adnan Gul and Secretary Mohammad Ziauddin welcomed the guests and announced to hold such gatherings in the last part of Ramazan every year.
Chief Guest Khwaja Yawer Naseer termed languages an asset to humanity, saying these must be preserved and promoted without any prejudice. He said Naat showed respect to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Gandhara Hindko Board had done a noble task by arranging such function.