Words shared by Urdu, Hindu and Pakhtu to be published soon Work in progress on Hindko pronunciation dictionary

The work on a Hindko pronunciation dictionary and another publication having words shared by Hindko, Pashto and Urdu is in progress andthe research-based books would be published soon. A literary, cultural and social welfare organisation, Gandhara Hindko Board, office-bearers said this at a function held at the Civil Officers Mess which was presided overby the organisation chairman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi and attended by literary andcultural figures along with industrialists and educationists. The function washeld to review the work done by the board in the first six months of the yearand discuss the task to be taken in hand by the end of the year. Senior Vice-Chairman of the board, Associate Prof Dr Adnan Gul, said an eminent Hindko research scholar and linguist, Prof Dr Elahi Bakhsh Awan was working on a Hindko pronunciation dictionary and another book that would have the words shared by Hindko, Pashto and Urdu. He said the books “Hindko Talafuz Lughat” and “Sarmaya-e-Ishtiraak” would prove to be a good addition to the Hindko literature. Vice-Chairman ofthe board, Dr Salahuddin, who also heads the Medical Wing of the organisation, said the Hindko language promotion work was greatly linked with the social service. He said free medical camps for the flood-hit people was great experience and suggested that the Gandhara Welfare Trust should be made moreactive. General Secretaryof the board, Mohammad Ziauddin, said the board had published 36 books so far along with holding several literary and cultural functions and carrying out social welfare activities. He said “Hindko Conference” held recently atAbbottabad was a great success as that helped the board to interact with severalwriters from Hazara division. Noted educationist Khwaja Mohammad Waseem said it was heartening to note that research-based Hindko publications tally was on the rise. He said anotherencouraging factor was the growing interest and involvement of the educatedsegment of the society in language promotion efforts. Representing thebusiness community, known industrialist Khalid Sultan Khwaja, commerce leaders Sharafat Ali Mubarik and Atif Haleem Jan extended all cooperation to the board. The gatheringwas also addressed by Ihsan Elahi, Adnan Zahoor Awan, Sikander Hayat, AhmadNadeem Awan, Farzana Maruf and others. The GandharaHindko Board Chairman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi said that he felt honoured to head an organisationthat had accomplished a great task within short span of time and optimumresources under the leadership of Prof Dr Zahoor Awan (late). “I will leave no stone unturned in the development of the Hindko language as I cannot detach myselffrom Peshawar whose people gave me a lot of love and respect,” said the board chairman who also served as chief secretary of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, federal secretary for railways, environment and special secretary of the Cabinet Division while in the civil service.