Caretaker Minister for Culture and Heritage, Jamal Shah, has revealed plans to launch a dedicated heritage channel aimed at promoting the regional literature of Pakistan. The announcement was made during the inaugural session of a two-day conference titled ‘Hum Jugnu Taaray Dharti Ke’ at the Pakistan Academy of Letters in Islamabad.
The proposed heritage channel will feature translated versions of various forms of regional literature, including parables, adages, poetry, and music. The objective is to make this rich cultural heritage accessible to the youth across Pakistan, regardless of their spoken language, so they can grasp the essence of folk wisdom from the nation’s diverse cultural landscape.
In addition to broadcasting, the literature will also be published in the form of books and magazines. To ensure accuracy and authenticity, the services of musicians and linguists proficient in the relevant languages will be enlisted.
Minister Jamal Shah acknowledged the limited tenure of the caretaker government but expressed a commitment to expedite the project’s completion.
He emphasized the importance of raising awareness among the younger generation about their regional languages and the rich lingual identities that make up Pakistan’s cultural tapestry. Celebrating unity in diversity was also a crucial aspect of his message.
The two-day conference in Islamabad focuses on strategies to promote children’s literature in regional languages. Jamal Shah’s extensive contributions to the arts extend beyond his role in showbiz, as he is also renowned as a skilled painter and sculptor. Notably, he crafted the bronze bust of Pakistani Nobel laureate Dr. Abdus Salam, which was unveiled at the International Atomic Energy Agency in the past year.
