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
بېرته شاته
´´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
بېرته شاته