Pakhtun Cultural Association (PCA) organised a literary reference and Pashto musical evening in connection with International Mother Language Day titled "Da Rangoono Makham" (colourful evening).
International Mother Language Day 2019 is being observed with the theme "Indigenous languages matter for development, peace building and reconciliation."
The PCA arranged the event in collaboration with Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) to pay tribute to the legend Pashto poet Khushal Khan Khattak.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Farman, former Senator Afrasiab Khattak, MNA Ali Wazir, Ayaz Mandokhel, Mushtaq Khan, PCA Chairman Sohaib Yusufzai, General Secretary Akbar Sial, Salim Khan Advocate, Latif Afridi, senior officials of PNCA and a large number of people from different walks of life participated in the event.
Speakers highlighted the importance of mother languages with an aim to protect and preserve these indigenous languages. They also highlighted the life and work of renowned Pashto Poet Khushal Khan Khattak.
Addressing on the occasion, KP Governor Shah Farman assured the organisers that all of their demands would be taken on priority to promote awareness of linguistic, multilingualism and cultural diversity. He asked PCA to submit their demands for early implementation.
Shoaib Yousafzai said that PCA organises 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 PCA's slogan is 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.
Senator Afrasiab Khattak appreciated PNCA and PCA for organising the literary reference on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.
According to speakers, the number of books written by Khushal Khan Khattak is more than 200. His more famous books are "Baz-nama", a manual of falconry, "Swat-nama", a description of a journey to the beautiful Swat Valley, "Fazl-nama", a handbook on religious and social duties, "Tibb-nama", a book on homely medicinal recipes, "Farrukh-nama", a dialogue between the pen and the sword, and "Firaq-nama", a lament of his separation from his homeland during captivity.