Pashto Focus

[Bengal_Tiger]

Chinese Pashto linguist sees languages as medium to enhance Sino-Afghan ties


2015-01-23 10:37XinhuaWeb Editor: Gu Liping

"The Preparation and compiling of the Pashtu-Chinese dictionary has taken 36-years for me and I am hopeful that learning languages and boosting cultural relations will further enhance Sino-Afghan relations," Che Hongcai, a Chinese professor, told Xinhua on Thursday.

Professor Che, 79, who learned Pashto language at Kabul University in 1959, returned to China after graduating and joined the China Radio International (CRI), where he worked as a Pashto translator and subsequently began preparing the compilation of the first-ever comprehensive Pashto-Chinese dictionary, with the objective of helping people of both countries to become more familiar with each other and to increase cultural interactions.

"I began my work on the Pashto-Chinese dictionary in 1978 and finished the work in 2014," the venerable professor said, adding the book contains 2 million words including 50,000 Pashto words and expressions.

Having been teaching Pashto language in the Communication University of China since 2000, the industrious professor expressed hope that the numbers of those studying both languages would increase in the years ahead.

"A total of 13 Chinese students are studying Pashto language in the Communication University of China and I am hopeful that the number of Pashto learners will go up in future," the professor, also a respected foreign scholar in Afghanistan, told Xinhua.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani awarded the professor with the honor medal of Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan in recognition of his services in Pashto field, in a ceremony to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Afghanistan, at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday.

In his remarks, President Ghani praised professor Che for compiling the Pashto-Chinese dictionary, saying the dictionary can help people of both countries to further understand each other.

For Che's part, the scholar said that, "Both the people of China and Afghanistan need this dictionary and compiling the Pashto-Chinese dictionary, I think I have helped the two countries in the cultural exchanges sector and helped enhance cultural relations."

With China's support, the Chinese Language Department or Confucius Institute has been opened at Kabul University, and dozens of Afghan students are currently learning Chinese language there.

"I am hopeful that more youths and students from both countries learn each others' languages and I believe that such cross cultural exchanges and visits will further help the two countries to get closer," the professor said.

http://www.ecns.cn/2015/01-23/152013.shtml

[Bengal_Tiger]

Professor Che in Kabul recently giving a speech.



Professor Che who recieved an award from the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dr Ashraf Ghani.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Transitions: Educationist Professor Unwanuddin Kakakhel passes away

By Our CorrespondentPublished: January 31, 2015




The retired teacher was considered to be an authority on Pashto literature.

PESHAWAR: Celebrated literary figure, educationist and columnist from Mardan, Professor Unwanuddin Kakakhel, passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 69 due to a heart attack. He was laid to rest in Bakhshali later in the day.

Unwan was attending a seminar as a chief guest when his condition deteriorated. He was taken to a hospital where he breathed his last.
The retired professor leaves behind four sons, journalist Fakhar Kakakhel, Aimal Kakakhel, Rohail Kakakhel and Arshad Kakakhel.
During his career, Unwan served as a Pashto literature teacher at Government Postgraduate College Mardan as well as many other educational institutes. He retired as the principal of Government College Khar, Bajaur Agency.

Unwan wrote columns for a number of publications, including Daily Aaj and Roznama Express. He wanted to publish a compilation of all his columns, but was unable to do so during his life.

Unwan oversaw almost all literary organisations of Mardan. He wrote prefaces for a number of books and was considered an authority on Pashto prose and poetry. “Being a teacher at Government College Mardan for several years, Professor Unwan had achieved a high stature among the city’s people.

Writers considered it their privilege to have Unwan write a preface for their books,” said Asar Jan, a history writer from Mardan.
According to Jan, Unwan was one of the founding members of Pashto Adabi aur Saqafat Sanga at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan and led all its activities.

“The people of Mardan have lost a huge source of guidance. He will always be remembered for his educational, literary and cultural services,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/830831/transitions-educationist-professor-unwanuddin-kakakhel-passes-away/

[MENTION=1020]Feroz Afridi[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Yesterday was the death anniversary of the legendary Ajmal Khattak.

May Allah have mercy on his soul and my thanks to him for writing poetry about the tragic suffering of Bangladesh.




[MENTION=1020]Feroz Afridi[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

In Landi Kotal: A slow death for poetry

Rafia Zakaria Published about 4 hours ago



Pashto poet Ameer Hamza Shinwari (1907-1994).

The news was buried somewhere deep in the pages of the newspaper and really it was surprising that it had been reported at all.

Against the blood and flesh deaths that take up the front and the back pages; this one represents the death of memory and of poetry.

On Wednesday, February 19, a convening was held at the Pashto Department of the University of Peshawar, whose campus has been riven with extremism over the past several years. The solemn men gathered to commemorate the Pashto poet Ameer Hamza Shinwari, a mystic and a visionary who was born in Landi Kotal and wrote about love, at a time when such things were possible.

Unsurprisingly, like so many other memories that do not fit into Pakistan’s ultra purified present, the legacy of Hamza Baba is being erased from the lore of the land.

The scholars gathered in Peshawar this week, lamented just that. The literary center built in Landi Kotal to commemorate the poet’s legacy is being lost to neglect and disrepair, unable to host even the annual poetry gathering that used to mark Hamza Baba’s memory.

Also read: Security demanded for Hamaza Baba shrine

Set against the craggy hills whose barrenness has become synonymous with only gunfire and grenades; the center has long been abandoned.

Now, an apt metaphor for the loss of poetry and literary life in the country, it stands at the brink of death. The scholars who lament its passing and its promise, have urged the Government to take it over, but then, can a Government so unable to save itself, worshippers at mosques or children at schools, save poetry, rescue a literary legacy?

These are questions we do cannot answer in Pakistan.



Hamza Baba was born in 1907 and lived until 1994, writing many collections of verse and over 40 books. As a young man, he dreamt of writing stories that would become movies, the very first was an ode to love, the script for the Pashto rendition of Laila and Majnu.

In his youth, Hamza Baba joined the Chistia Sufi order and his poetry reflected a syncretic blend of Sufi mysticism and Pashtunwali. After the creation of Pakistan, Hamza Baba set his pen to produce narratives of the new country, writing hundreds of plays that were performed on the then nascent Radio Pakistan. He was, at one point, awarded the Pride of Performance Award by the Government of Pakistan for his services to the literary vigour of the country.

Those days are gone. Hamza Baba is dead and the literary complex that tried to embed his legacy in the restive and war torn soil of Khyber stands crumbling.

It is the only such structure in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and even in its sad state still used by over a hundred poets in the region.

Also read: Militants` attack on Hamza Baba shrine foiled

In a country where poetry is fast synonymous with heresy there is little hope of rescue. Four years ago, in July 2011 Hamza Baba’s grave was attacked by the Taliban; its already humble ramparts ravaged by grenades. It has never been repaired.

Dead or alive, forgotten and buried away, poets’ even ones long gone like Hamza Baba are targets.

Killing them once is not enough, their graves and their legacies it has been decided, will be annihilated again and again to insure a complete destruction; a final forgetting, an imagined purification.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1164846/in-landi-kotal-a-slow-death-for-poetry#comments

Interestingly on the comments section there is a post by what appears to be an Indian.

Ramesh Manghirmalani

about 3 hours ago

I spend my time in Landi Kotal learning Phusto

Hamza Baba (rahmatullahi 'alaih) was a Sufi (Islamic mystic) and a poet, many Islamic scholars have condemned the extremist Taliban as a false interpretation of Islam.

Baba Bacha Khan (rahmatullahi 'alaih) was also a Pashtun patriot and was inspired by the life of holy prophet Muhammad (solAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam).

[MENTION=18475]marwat[/MENTION] [MENTION=1068]gadoonwal[/MENTION]

[marwat]

hamza baba was a legendary poet, his poetry is widely in circulation nowadays, barbaric talib have problem with everything
hamza dair musalman shta hum kafir shta pa dunya ke,
za ashna da hagha kas yum che rawesh ye da insan de

[Bengal_Tiger]

National language status demanded for Pashto


Sunday, February 22, 2015
From Print Edition


50 0 0 0


Karachi

On the International Mother Languages Day on Saturday, the Qaumi Milli Awami Party (QMAP) staged a rally outside the Karachi Press Club to demand national language status for the Pashto language.

The protesters, including a large number of schoolchildren, took part in the rally carrying placards and banners. They shouted slogans against the government's negligence in giving regional languages their due status.

QMAP Sindh General Secretary Sabreen Khan Chagharzai said when Pakistan came into being it was decided that all its nationalities would have equal rights and the administration of the country would run on parliamentary and democratic system. Sabreen said the Pashto language was considered an international language. Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai had twice addressed the UN general assembly in Pashto. While education at every level was provided in Pashto language in Afghanistan, in Pakistan neither the Pashto language was declared a national language nor it was given the right to be used on official level, he added.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-303030-National-language-status-demanded-for-Pashto

[Bengal_Tiger]

Mother Language Day: Linguistic and cultural plurality celebrated

By Our Correspondents / Photo: Fazal KhaliqPublished: February 22, 2015



Linguists and cultural activists on stage at the seminar organised by Malgari Likwalan.

MINGORA / PESHAWAR: International Mother Language Day was commemorated in different parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) where speakers termed cultural plurality and multilingualism the binding force behind a cohesive Pukhtun society.

Seminars in the provincial capital and Swat Valley were attended by numerous linguists, writers and cultural activists who stressed the need for preservation and promotion of the vernacular.

Poha Foundation put together a symposium at Archives Hall, Peshawar on Saturday. Addressing the attendees, Poha Foundation Head Ayaz Mandokhel said language and culture were neglected throughout history. “Standardising education in regional languages is the only way forward,” he said, announcing the ‘Each one, teach one’ campaign that will work towards the promotion of Pashto.
“What will a child really retain when he hears Pashto at home, but reads and hears Urdu and English in school,” he questioned.
Professor Alamzaib argued the established education system is eroding our cultural bedrock.
Another seminar was organised by Malgari Likwalan in Swat. Renowned poets, scholars, writers, political activists and Pashto linguists from the valley and surrounding districts were invited to deconstruct the cultural significance of the vernacular.
Renowned Pashto litterateur Abasin Yousafzai said the international event is observed in memory of the Bengali students who demonstrated in favour of their mother tongue in present day Bangladesh in 1952. He said language plays a pivotal role in establishing societal standards and upholds both cultural and sentimental values. He said all mother languages are equally important and should be respected and promoted by the state regardless of its ideological tilt.
“The European, Chinese and Japanese civilizations advanced because they emphasised on educating their children in their own languages. Language gives man a sense of belonging and identity,” he added.
According to the UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, almost 70% of Pakistan’s endangered languages are native to K-P, Fata and G-B.
Suvatsu Arts and Culture Association Chairman Usman Ulas Yar said all regional languages should be given the status of national languages. “A Pashto department should be established at the University of Swat,” he urged the government.
Swat Hotels Association President Zahid Khan was of the view that the 5,000-year-old Pukhtun history should be included in the school curriculum and the vernacular should be given importance at par with Urdu and English.
Meanwhile, the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party organised a rally in Swabi district demanding the government to declare Pashto as the medium of instruction at all educational institutions of the province. Party activists gathered at Shagai Pull where local leaders addressed the gathering.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/842137/mother-language-day-linguistic-and-cultural-plurality-celebrated/

*Interestingly this is in Swat, traditionally one of the most pro-Pakistan areas of Pakhtunkhwa.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Transitions: Revolutionary poet Shamsul Qamar Andesh passes away



By Hidayat KhanPublished: March 10, 2015

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Andesh was one of the founding members of OIasee Adabi Tolana Mardan.

PESHAWAR:

Beloved Pashto poet, writer and intellectual Shamsul Qamar Andesh passed away on Sunday night in his native village of Mayar in Mardan district.
Popularly known among his admirers as Andesh Baba, he was one of the founding members of the OIasee Adabi Tolana Mardan, and a revolutionary poet who rendered an immense contribution to Pashto literature.
Andesh’s death is arguably the greatest loss to Pashto prose and literature since the death of celebrated poet Ikramullah Gran and writer Qamar Rahi.
Most of Andesh’s oeuvre is unpublished; the only book he managed to publish in his lifetime was Fakhr-e-Afghan, to pay tribute to Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, prominently known as Bacha Khan.
The late poet was also conferred the award of best poet of the country by Pakistan Television (PTV).

Andesh loved his language and he regretted Pukhtuns’ lack of interest in reading and appreciating Pashto writings and poetry. According to Hasan Hasas, a poet who spent a lot of time with Andesh, when he once questioned why the poet did not publish his work, Andesh replied, “Find me Pashto book readers and I will.”

“Andesh Baba loved Pashto and always struggled for its preservation and inclusion in the syllabus,” said Hasas. Andesh was born in 1933 in Mayar and was a graduate from Punjab University; he ran a popular medical store in Mardan.

His father was closely associated with Bacha Khan’s Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, therefore, Andesh was deeply impressed with it, and remained associated with it till the end of his life.

“He believed in objective writing with the purpose of providing guidance to the people,” said Zahid Buneri, who runs a Pukhtun e-magazine Khyber Watch and interviewed Andesh for it.

Buneri added most of Pashto poets cannot publish their work due to lack of financial resources. Andesh was laid to rest in his ancestral village. He leaves behind two daughters and thousands of admirers.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/850438/transitions-revolutionary-poet-shamsul-qamar-andesh-passes-away/

[Bengal_Tiger]

Andesh praised as poet of substance, rich metaphors

BUREAU REPORT — PUBLISHED MAR 13, 2015 06:03AM




Abaseen Yousafzai addressing a literary reference at Pashto department of the University of Peshawar on Thursday.

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a literary reference paid rich tributes to Shamsul Qamar Andesh for being a poet of substance and rich imagery.

Tatara Pakhto Adabi Tolana (TPAT), a literary organisation comprising young poets and writers at Peshawar University campus, held the literary reference at Pashto department, University of Peshawar, here on Thursday to honour the services of Shamsul Qamar Andesh, who died last Sunday.

The participants said that Andesh Baba propagated his revolutionary ideas in ghazal instead of nazm. He was a poet of rich images and substance, they added. They said that the late Pashto poet advocated progressivism, non-violence, substantive social change and a strong voice for poor masses.

“He was voice of the downtrodden. He stood for a Pakhtun society free of violence and repression of womenfolk,” the speakers said.

Dr Akhtar Iqbal Yousafzai, president of TPAT, said that the objective of his organisation was to honour poets and writers, who rendered meritorious services for Pashto language and literature. He said that young literati should come forward to create awareness about importance of peace literature among youngsters.


Noted nationalist poet Rahmat Shah Sail, who presided over the event, said that Andesh Baba had contributed immensely to Pashto literature. He said that he would conduct a seminar on the life and literary-cum-political services of Andesh in near future.

Mr Sail said that being a nationalist to the core, Andesh Baba believed in the unity of Pakhtuns to promote values of social justice, peace and humanism in the society. He said that Andesh Baba was a staunch follower of Bacha Khan’s philosophy of non-violence and wanted his people to stick to their own social values drenched in peace, harmony and forward-looking tenets.

“Andesh Baba romanticised the idea of Pakhtun nationalism in the imagery of his ghazal poetry and this was his uniqueness,” Mr Sail said.

Dr Yasin Iqbal Yousafzai, a Pashto poet and chairman of department of physics, University of Peshawar said that Shamsul Qamar Andesh was influenced by Khudai Khidmatgar Tehreek and remained committed throughout his life to the non-violence ideology of Bacha Khan.

He said that the late poet was a true voice of his own thoughts and didn’t believe in borrowed ideas. “He would never attend any function unless an invitation addressed to him was written in Pashto. He was not only committed to his mother tongue but also to his own people,” Mr Iqbal said.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai in his remarks said that Andesh Baba was one of the nationalist Pashto poets, who changed the diction of traditional Pashto ghazal poetry. He said that other progressive poets included Qalandar Momand, Qamar Rahi, Dr Israr, Khyber Afridi, Saifur Rahman Salim and Ikramullah Gran Bacha.

He said that Andesh Baba had a mastery over imagery that set the tone for other poets to camouflage their resistance in a non-violently manner.

“His poetry is not billed as a simple didacticism but a treasure trove of his new vision with a modern world view,” Mr Abaseen said.

Sadiq Zarrak, a young research scholar, in his speech said that Pashto poets and writers affiliated with Khudai Khidmatgar Tehreek had a vision to bring about a substantive change in the Pakhtun society.

They, he said, were not just wordsmiths but bards of real change in thoughts and actions of their people. “Andesh Baba belonged to the galaxy of literati, who had envisioned a progressive society with space for other communities to embrace change in the status-quo,” he said.

Dr Abdul Wahid, Dr Sher Zaman Seemab, Dr Javed Khalil, Dr Shakil Ahmad, Syed Zafarullah Bakhshali, Faisal Faran, Naqib Ahmad Jan, Tariq Pakhtunyar, Javed Juandoon, Sher Ahmad Khalil, Liaquat Seemab and Attaullah Atta also spoke on the occasion.

Shaukat Swati, a young scholar at Pashto department, recited some popular poems of Andesh Baba and got a round of applause from the participants.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1169295

[MENTION=1020]Feroz Afridi[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Its all in words: Poets gather in Mohmand to observe International Poetry Day

By Our Correspondent / Photo: Mureeb MohmandPublished: March 22, 2015



Elders also participated in a kulah, lungi competition.


GHALLANAI: Poetry can play a significant role in restoring peace in the region, said poets who gathered at Jirga Hall in Ghallanai, Mohmand Agency to commemorate International Poetry Day on Saturday.
The event was attended by poets from across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal belt, including Shams Buneri, Rokhan Yousafzai and Israr Atal. Mohmand Agency Political Agent (PA) Waqar Ali Khan was the chief guest at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Buneri said a concerted effort needs to be made to preserve Pashto poetry. “We must encourage our poets to continue to preserve the cultural identity of Pukhtuns,” he said.
Atal urged the government to provide stipends to poets every month to encourage them to write. “The government needs to realise that poets are working towards an important cause,” he said.

Moreover, the political administration also launched a sports festival at the same venue. A series of sporting contests, including kabadi, wrestling, cycle racing, donkey racing, as well as cricket and hockey will take place over the coming week.

During the occasion, PA Khan said they decided to hold these events in an attempt to restore normalcy in the agency.
A large number of residents present at the ceremony lauded such efforts to bring peace and stability to a region plagued by militancy.
Malik Muhammad Ali Haleemzai, a local, told The Express Tribune the event serves as welcome proof of a positive change in the region. “The sports festival shows that Mohmand Agency isn’t just a breeding ground for militants but a place where peace-loving people live,” he added.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/857038/its-all-in-words-poets-gather-in-mohmand-to-observe-international-poetry-day/

[Bengal_Tiger]

Packing up: Lack of interest prompts Gulzar Alam to shut down music academy

By Hidayat KhanPublished: March 23, 2015



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The 60-year-old musician established Awaz in October 2014. The academy was meant to encourage young people to take lessons in Pashto music classes.

If the scourge of militancy in the province was not enough to bring the performing arts industry to its knees, a lack of support from peers and authorities is proving to be the final death knell.

Earlier this month, Pashto folk singer Gulzar Alam decided to close down Awaz Music, his academy and audio studio, in the provincial capital due to the absence of support from musicians and the public.

The 60-year-old musician established Awaz in October 2014. The academy was meant to encourage young people to take lessons in Pashto music classes.

After he established Awaz, Alam was searching for a suitable ustad (teacher). However, very few musicians took an interest in the initiative. Within five months of its existence the idea of setting up an academy had fallen flat on its face.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on Sunday, Alam said the initiative was aimed at preserving Pashto culture. However, the academy failed to generate interest among musicians and the public.

“The fear of militancy will always remain in the minds of the people,” the Pashto singer says. “Even if the threat is eliminated, its aftereffects will continue to loom large and have an adverse impact on art, culture and music.”

According to Alam, this is the second time his plans to start a music academy have backfired on him. “I had set up an academy earlier in my career,” he says. “However, I ended up closing it down.”

No sound of music

Having decided to shelve the project completely, Alam is back to square one.
On March 23, 2012, he received the President’s Award for Pride of Performance for his services in the field of music. Now, exactly three years later, he spends his days at home as there are very few opportunities to pursue a career in music in Peshawar. However, unlike other musicians, Alam is reluctant to move to another city or leave the country.
“I cannot even think of leaving Peshawar, not under any circumstances,” he says, “I have pursued a career in music in the city for 30 years now.”
“In better times, talented musicians would not have hesitated to support a venture like Awaz,” he explains. “Unfortunately, in these difficult days, they aren’t willing to work to preserve their cultural identity through music.”
Alam has recorded countless songs which have been widely appreciated. He has immortalised the works of many classical Pashto poets through his mellifluous voice. However, all these achievements have been rendered meaningless in these changing times. Musicians no longer enjoy a special place in society and have been forced to live under challenging conditions.
“The K-P Directorate of Culture has fallen into the wrong hands,” he says. “Officials have misused funds and ignored the needs of the musicians in the province.”
However, the Pashto folk singer fears the situation is likely to take a turn for the worst.
“A new censorship bill is being tabled in the K-P Assembly,” he explains. “It seems as though they want to revive policies which were introduced during General Zia’s era. Steps must be taken to protect the interests of musicians.”

http://tribune.com.pk/story/857409/packing-up-lack-of-interest-prompts-gulzar-alam-to-shut-down-music-academy/

*This is really sad, tragic.

I don't know if it's due to lack of interest from the Pashtun public, or if it's more of a fear of the security situation in participating in a non-essential activity.

If it's the latter then what's the point in blaming Punjabis for the plight of Pashtuns?


[MENTION=18475]marwat[/MENTION] [MENTION=1201]Toramana[/MENTION] [MENTION=1068]gadoonwal[/MENTION] [MENTION=1028]Yousafzai Pakhtun[/MENTION] [MENTION=1020]Feroz Afridi[/MENTION] [MENTION=1234]Smarty[/MENTION] [MENTION=17016]proud_pashtun[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Signs of progress: Pushto culture, literature celebrated in Amankot

By Fazal KhaliqPublished: March 29, 2015



Such events can help the youth of both countries stay rooted to their origins, says Aimal Safi, cultural activist from Kunar, Afghanistan


MINGORA: The significance of literature for society was discussed at ‘Reimagining the value of education in literature’ festival organised by Alif Ailan and Innovative Youth Forum in Amankot on Sunday.

“Literature reflects the rise and fall of a society,” said Dr Jawab Iqbal, president of the Innovative Youth Forum and representative of Alif Ailan, at the session. He added, “Our writers and poets should write progressive literature so it boosts the development of our nation.”

Artists and scholars from Afghanistan and Pakistan participated in the event where poetry sessions, cultural display and Pashto food entertained guests. Scholars present on the occasion said the role of literature is indispensable if positive change is to be brought about in a society.

“Such gatherings are indicators of progress as history shows developed nations see the significance of their language, culture and literature,” said Bacha Khan Trust Education Foundation Managing Director Khadim Hussain.

A cultural activist from Kunar, Afghanistan, Aimal Safi, said such events can help the youth of both countries stay rooted to their origins. Chairperson of Suvastu Arts and Cultural Association Usman Ulasyar reiterated similar views, saying such events also highlight one’s culture and can also boost the Pak-Afghan unity.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/860991/signs-of-progress-pushto-culture-literature-celebrated-in-amankot/

[MENTION=18681]AgriculturalJake[/MENTION]

A Safi from Kunar.......hmmm....

[Bengal_Tiger]

Sputnik News Agency Goes Live in Pashto



© Sputnik/ Alexey Filippov

PRESS INFO

12:30 10.04.2015

Sputnik Multimedia Group launched its Pashto-language website on Friday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The pashto.sputniknews.com news website features a wide range of perspectives on key international events. The site also provides access to an online radio station in Pashto.


Sputnik reflects the different views of our multipolar world, presenting audiences with a variety of alternative opinions. The new website will provide the world's Pashto-speaking community with diverse perspectives on leading international topics of the day.

The Pashto-language website joins the family of Sputnik news portals already operating in English, French, Serbian, Portuguese, Arabic, Hindi, Polish, Italian, Czech, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Farsi, Urdu, Dari, German, Spanish, Chinese, Turkish, Kyrgyz and Abkhaz.

The Pashto language portal pashto.sputniknews.com will be updated 24/7 with new and high-quality content by a team of experienced journalists. The website delivers diverse content, including infographics, video, photo galleries, live streaming, and online polls. In addition to up-to-the-minute news, Sputnik offers analytics, exclusive interviews, and expert opinions.

Sputnik Multimedia Group is a new brand of news agency and radio network with news hubs in dozens of countries. Sputnik broadcasts through its websites, analog and digital radio, mobile device apps and social media. For subscribers, Sputnik news wires operate around the clock in English, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese.



Read more:

http://sputniknews.com/agency_news/20150410/1020702433.html#ixzz3Wubc3m3i

[Badlun]

[QUOTE=Bengal_Tiger;758582]Its all in words: Poets gather in Mohmand to observe International Poetry Day

By Our Correspondent / Photo: Mureeb MohmandPublished: March 22, 2015



Elders also participated in a kulah, lungi competition.


GHALLANAI: Poetry can play a significant role in restoring peace in the region, said poets who gathered at Jirga Hall in Ghallanai, Mohmand Agency to commemorate International Poetry Day on Saturday.
The event was attended by poets from across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal belt, including Shams Buneri, Rokhan Yousafzai and Israr Atal. Mohmand Agency Political Agent (PA) Waqar Ali Khan was the chief guest at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Buneri said a concerted effort needs to be made to preserve Pashto poetry. “We must encourage our poets to continue to preserve the cultural identity of Pukhtuns,” he said.
Atal urged the government to provide stipends to poets every month to encourage them to write. “The government needs to realise that poets are working towards an important cause,” he said.

Moreover, the political administration also launched a sports festival at the same venue. A series of sporting contests, including kabadi, wrestling, cycle racing, donkey racing, as well as cricket and hockey will take place over the coming week.

During the occasion, PA Khan said they decided to hold these events in an attempt to restore normalcy in the agency.
A large number of residents present at the ceremony lauded such efforts to bring peace and stability to a region plagued by militancy.
Malik Muhammad Ali Haleemzai, a local, told The Express Tribune the event serves as welcome proof of a positive change in the region. “The sports festival shows that Mohmand Agency isn’t just a breeding ground for militants but a place where peace-loving people live,” he added.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/857038/i...al-poetry-day/[/QUOT

Writing in Pashto seems to be a taboo in Pakistan. Look at the banner, written in Urdu NOT in Pashto . This is beyond comprehension why Pashto is not written by Pakistani Pashtuns even in Pashto literary and cultural events.