ISLAMABAD: Pashtun culture has undergone several changes manifested in folklore, art and literature since the advent of violence and fundamentalism in the region, especially after Pakistan’s participation in the US led ‘war on terror’.
Such views were expressed by the speakers in a seminar“Extremism and Radicalization in FATA: Impacts on Culture”held by FATA Research Center here at a local hotel.
Speakers of the seminar opined that incidents of conflict and violence have affected Pashtun culture exhibited in folklore, music, literature or Matal (proverb). Thus, focus of cultural activities has been switched from serenity to security.
A large number of literati, poets, writers, musicians, civil society activists, academicians, researchers and students participated in the seminar while debating the influence of persisting conflict in FATA on Pashtun culture.
Speakers noted that Pashtun culture had been confronted with the new and hard realities of terror, violence and suicide bombings. The romantic and peace inspiring diction is replaced with tragic words like suicide, blast, cries, grief, etc.
While expressing his views on the occasion, the artist and cultural activist Arshad Hussain said that Pashto culture had badly been affected by the persisting conflict in the region.
He said that during last decade, Nashtar hall in Peshawar, the hub of cultural activities had been closed for many years. Many artists became the victim of art and cultural enmity.
“Conflict in the region posed a great setback to our performing art, poetry and music,” he added.
“It is the state’s responsibility to protect the art and the artist,” Mr Hussain demanded of the government.
Speaking on the occasion, a poet-cum-writer Professor Hanif Khalil said that besides its socio-political effects, the incident of 9/11 has the also permanent effect on the literary scenario and literature of the sub continent. As the incident has direct contact with politics, literature, history and geography of Pashtun that is why the effects of this incident can be seen in all the genres of literature created in Pashto language. Both prose and poetry have its effect, but the Pashto poetry is highly affected by the rise of militancy in the region.
Mr. Akbar Siyal the General Secretary Pushtun Cultural Association while talking about the changed landscapes of Pushtun culture said that as a consequence of the conflict the young Pushtun talent now avoids joining the fields of music and the film industry.
Dr. Ashraf Ali, the president of FATA Research Center while giving welcome remarks said that although ongoing war on terror adversely affected the social, political, economic and cultural spheres of life yet it contributed to the great extent to Pashto literature as well.
“The history of world literature shows that the master literary pieces were created during chaos. The romantic movement in English literature emerged only after French Revolution.”
He said that violence and extremism is overcoming the non-violent culture and highlighted the need for revival of Pashtun cultural.
The session was followed by very enlightening questions and comments.
The Story is published in The Lahore times on December 28
http://www.lhrtimes.com/2012/12/28/extremism-and-radicalization-in-fata-impacts-on-culture/
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