Gandhara Hindko Board and Gandhara Hindko Academy organised a three-day International Hindko Conference at Archive Hall Peshawar which concluded on Monday. The moot was attended by writers, poets, researchers and scholars from the country and abroad. Delegates from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Turkey, United States of America, Germany and Canada also attended the conference.
Papers were read out to highlight various aspects of Hindko language and culture. Two research based Hindko books were launched, Hindko Cultural Museum inaugurated, cultural paintings exhibition was arranged, poetry recital session conducted and Hindko folk music rendered on the occasion.
Minister for Mines and Minerals Anisa Zaib Tahirkheli was the chief guest on the first day of the conference. A writer, poet and KP former chief secretary Ejaz Rahim, presided over the conference, while Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mehtab Ahmad Khan was the chief guest on the second day of the conference. The governor praised the board and academy for arranging the conference. He also announced Rs one million grant for the promotion of the Hindko language and culture. Turkish scholar from Istanbul University, Professor Dr Halil Toqer, who has authored a book on the Hindko language grammar, a linguist from Germany, Professor Reetz, Professor Dr Syed Amjad Hussain, writer and broadcaster from Canada, Aftab Iqbal Bano, Professor Khalid Sohail Malik, Ejaz Qureshi, Associate Professor Dr Adnan Gul, Dr Salahuddin, Muhammad Ziauddin, Khwaja Yawer Nasir and Ghayyur Sethi were the prominent speakers of the conference.
The 265-page book "A practical guide to Hindko Grammar" by Professor Dr Halil Toker of the Istanbul University and 325-page "Inter-cultural Pakistan: Taxila and Hindko Region" by Professor Anwar Dil of the Language Science and Communication at the Alliant International University, California, USA, were launched on the occasion.
The first book was published by Gandhara Hindko Board and the second publication was brought into print by the newly launched Gandhara Hindko Academy. Other dignitaries were a former governor Khalilur Rehman, Senator Rubina Khalid and former minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah. A Hindko Book Festival ("Kitab Mela") was also arranged. The board, academy and Art & Designing Department of the University of Peshawar joined hands to arrange "Cultural Paintings Exhibition" on the sidelines of the conference. A video documentary "Khakh See Lakh" was screened that highlighted the efforts made in the last quarter century for the promotion of Hindko language and culture.
The Hindko folk music evening was arranged where folk singers rendered songs and performers played the local instruments. The performance was well received by the audience that also comprised of a good number of women and children. A Hindko poetry recital session was another part of the conference. The poets were from various districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kahsmir where the Hindko language is spoken.