PESHAWAR: Speakers at a literary function here on Tuesday declared Pashto fiction writer Zaitoon Bano a strong feminine voice saying the octogenarian depicted the plight of women in a Pakhtun society very well.

Tribute was paid to the writer for huge contributions to both Pashto and Urdu literature.

The Academy of Letters, Peshawar chapter, organised the event to honour Zaitoon Bano here at the hall of Abasin Arts Council (AAC).

The speakers said Zaitoon Bano had always raised voice for the rights of Pakhtun women at a time when only a few could dare speak even a word for it.

They said born to enlightened parents, Bano had paved the way for the bright future of women writers and motivated a large number of them to display their talents while fighting for genuine rights.

Speakers say writer bluntly advocates women’s rights

Zaitoon Bano told participants Pakhtun women had been endowed with enormous talents and therefore, they should be given a workable space to bring out their hidden abilities.

She said women should come forward to change their condition through own strength.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai said Zaitoon Bano, being author of several books, TV and radio plays, was a trendsetter in Pashto as she introduced a style of diction peculiar only to feminine expression.

He said the KP culture department recently brought out Zaitoon Bano’s complete works.

“Ms Bano is a symbol of bold expression in Pashto. She gave a vision of freedom of speech to all Pakhtun female writers,” he added.

Noted writer Mushtaq Shabab, who is also honorary secretary of Abasin Arts Council, Peshawar, said Zaitoon Bano being a prolific writer had rendered invaluable services to Pashto and Urdu languages.

He said Zaitoon Bano was a multifaceted personality as she had contributions to almost all literary genres.

“I have rendered a few of her Pashto short stories into Urdu and garnered great fame. The characters of Ms Bano’s stories are drawn from real life. She is bold and blunt when it comes to the rights and role of women in our society,” he said.

Regional director of PAL Said Wali Khial Momand said his organisation had published a book on the life and literary contributions of Ms Bano and would continue celebrating living legends of the soil.

He said literati like Bano were precious asset for the country.

Noted writer Samina Qadir said Zaitoon Bano risked her life even when she had launched her career as a writer.

“Ms Bano became a role model for Pakhtun women writers in KP and Fata. She had taught female writers how to express themselves in a rigid society like ours. “Ms Bano inspired woman writers to bring out their latent talent and use their pen to bring about a substantive change their plight,” she said.

Professor Dawar Khan Daud said although, Zaitoon Bano had displayed her inborn talent in more than fields yet writing short stories remained her strong forte in which she had portrayed a true picture of a Pakhtun woman.

He said not only did Ms Bano depicted women’s role but she also shed light on the character of Pakhtun man in her stories.

“Bano’s writings are a great inspiration for youngsters both male and female as she is not a chauvinist but a realist,” he said.

Other speakers, including Dr Shehla Sardar, Zubeida Zoobi, Tahir Shah, Aziz Ejaz, Professor Sattar Lowaghari, Ilyas Thalwaal and Professor Aseer Mangal, highlighted various aspects of the life and works of Zaitoon Bano.

Published in Dawn October 26th, 2016