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Pushto literature to come in 2011

By Sher Alam Shinwari Despite unfavourable conditions, financial constraints and thin readership many literary books and journals in Pushto are expected to come out in 2011. Some 200 Pushto literary organizations hold literary gatherings and also bring out 100 journals on regular basis every month. Senior progressive writer, critic and chairman World Pushto Adabi Conference Salim Raz shares his views with the readers. ´´Pushto has never been a court language, so it has never been patronized by even Pushtun kings. It´s only the poets and writers who have always upheld the cause of Pushto language and literature. They would prefer Persian over Pushto in their courts for official proceedings. In act it is an orphanage language but still rich in literary expressions. Making Pushto as medium of instruction by Khyber -Pakhtunkhwa government will have a trickling effect,´´ Raz observes. Regarding expected literary books he says, ´There has always been a self-publication tradition in Pushto, however, Centre for Pushto Language and Literature, University of Peshawar, Pushto Adabi Board, Baacha Khan Trust , University Books Agency and Danish Kutabkhana publish quality Pushto literary and research books adding that mostly budding poets venture to bring out their collections. The unfortunate thing Raz says is that poets gift their books to their friends and acquaintances most of whom don´t brows those books. Instead they should market their books so that readers could buy them, since one pays a price for something one gives importance to it. Baacha Khan Trust will bring out only two literary titles namely Ajmal Khattak Fun Auo Shakhsiat , Mir Mahdi Shah Baacha fun Auo Shakhsiat by Prof Dr Zubair Hasrat
while Pushto Adabi Board has planned to publish a prototype dictionary of Pushto proverbs and idioms ´ Sailab´ in addition to its research works on Pushto folklore for which Rs 5 million has already been allocated for it , the board will also launch a series of audio cassettes and CDs profiling the literary contributions of the great literary figures of Pushto literature. Similarly, Centre for Pushto will bring out ´Pukhto, Pukhtun Auo Pakhtunkhwa-a research work on the literary, social and political history of Pushtuns. Also the Centre will launch a pure literary journal ´Takhleeq´ for encouraging creative writing in Pushto. Besides, it has planned to publish some 10 Ph D theses carried out by its own students on literary issues this year. Danish Kutabkhana a private Publishing House in Peshawar owned by an Afghan national brings out hundreds of Pushto books every year, Salim Raz says that this year too it will publish poetry collections, fiction and non –fiction while University Books Agency founded 52 years ago in Peshawar will bring out some reprints in Pushto. Talking of the new literary trends in Pushto Raz says that Pushtun poets and writers are very responsive to the new emerging geo-political situation in their terror stricken region. The Shuaib´ sons Publishers in Swat had published 13 Pushto titles last year, most of them versifying the situation of the militant´s hit valley while poetry collection ´ Nah´ by Amjad Shahzad will be formerly launched. The same publisher will launch Pushto titles including Kurbanah Khialoonah by Abdur Rahim Roghanai, Da Ehsaas Awazoonah by Mohammad Nazeer Shamozai, Zaigoon by Qasim Sarhadi, Da Zsuand Qisa me La Tamaama Nah Dah by Mohammad Salam AkhundKhel, Da Ehsaas Lala me Rangoonah Sparee by Atta-ur- Rahman Atta, Swat Par Har Par Har (The Wounded Swat) by Juma Dost Nangialai, Darman by Saifullah Khan Saif. A considerable number of Pushto poets are highlighting the present volatile situation and people´s problems in their writings. ´´Most writers cannot afford publication of their books because of their weak financial position. I have manuscripts of fifty books on variety of issues but my kitty does not allow me to publish it. Same is true many other senior writers and poets,” he regrets. Pushto poetry lovers will see reprints of poetry collection of popular Pushto poets Abaseen Yousafzai and Dr Rajwali Shah Khattak´s collections- Alwat and Sungzaar´s 9th and 4th editions respectively. Pushto books are published in Karachi, Quetta, Mardan, Peshawar and Swat. Last year, Salim Raz says more than Pushto 100 titles mostly poetry were published while this year the number could be doubled, there is need for a close coordination among different institutions to not only patronize publishing of Pushto books but also make it sure that they become available to readers.
Sunday, 02.01.2011 Photo from khyberwatch د پښتنو قامی سنګر - بېرته شاته