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

Political administration launches week-long sports festival in agency.

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.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2015.