Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Culture and Information Mian Iftikhar Hussein said that the culture department in collaboration with Pashto Adabi Chaman Thall is arranging a 2-day Second World Pashto Literary Convention on 6th and 7th April 2012 in Nishtar Hall Peshawar which would be largely participated by the Pashto scholars and intellectuals from the entire world.
This he said while chairing a meeting regarding the 2nd World Pashto Literary Convention at Peshawar the other day. The meeting besides Secretary Culture, Azmat Hanif Orakzai and Director Culture Pervez Khan Sabat Khel was also attended by the renowned Pashto scholars Dr Raj Wali Khan Khattak, Professor Abasin Yousafzai and Professor Naseer Mangal.
Mian Iftikhar said that Pashto is an ancient language having a history of more than five thousand years. He added that Pashto was not only a language but a civilisation as well as ethical philosophy. He said that as Pakhtuns, we were proud of our language and culture because it is our identity and power.
The Culture Minister continued that presently Pakhtuns are passing through a critical situation, adding that they are in the grip of international terrorism for the last 30 years to which up till now millions of Pakhtuns became its prey. He said further despite great sacrifices the Pakhtuns are still fighting the war of their survival.
The Minister maintained no doubt during the last three decades the Pakhtuns suffered irreparable losses in the war on terror but the Pashto language made a remarkable progress. Due to the importance of this region, Pashto language has become a need of the world and now various Pashto TV and Radio Channels are on the ground, he furthered. He said that the said literary convention is meant for the promotion of Pashto language and literature and spreading of knowledge side by side inculcation a spirit of go ahead.