Terming different languages of NWFP a beautiful part of historical heritage of the province, Governor Ali Mohammad Jan Orakzai has sought suggestions for promotion of Hindko language. He was talking to a six-member delegation of Gandhara Hindko Board, a literary, cultural and social welfare organisation.
Which called on him at the Governor House on Thursday to apprise him of different activities being undertaken by the body for the preservation and promotion of Hindko language and culture since 1993. Chairman of the board, Professor Dr Zahoor Ahmad Awan, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, briefed the governor on the activities of the organisation and the problems faced to further streamline the work.
Dr Zahoor, who has 40 books and publications to his credit, said that the board had held on self-help basis a series of literary and cultural programs and had brought out 17 occasional publications, apart from publishing two Hindko journals, "Hindkowan" and "The Gandhara Voice".
He called for official patronage for Hindko language so that the scope of literary and cultural activities could be expanded. The governor gave a patient hearing to the issues raised by members of the delegation that also included Haji Mohammad Haleem Jan Sethi, Gandhara Hindko Board Chief Organiser, Assistant Professor Dr Adnan Gul, Vice-chairman, Mohammad Ziauddin, Secretary, Dr Mohammad Salahuddin, Medical Wing In-charge and Aftab Ahmad, Media Co-ordinator.
He appreciated the performance of the organisation, adding it was encouraging to note that the board was making constant efforts for the Hindko language and culture promotion. He asked the members of the delegation to put forward the suggestions in writing so that the task was carried forward amicably. Professor Dr Zahoor Ahmad Awan presented to the governor his latest work that was a bulky publication containing biography of the great Hindko mystic poet, Sain Ahmad Ali, and Urdu translation of his poetry.