Afghanistan Times
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AT-KABUL: The Paghman cultural festival was held yesterday at Paghman Palace in a bid to boost up the Afghan culture and to enhance cultural connectivity with the Pashtuns and Baloch tribes living on the other side of Durand Line.
The well-disciplined and joyful event was organized by the Ministry for Borders and Tribal Affairs (MoBTA) and Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) with the close collaboration of civil and cultural societies and Khushal Baba Fikri Bahir.
The festival was inaugurated by the welcome note presented by the Chief of Milli Mehwar Party, Dr. Khushal Ruhi.
Addressing the participants of the event, Abdul Ghafoor Liwal, acting minister of borders and tribal affairs, shaded light over the history of Paghman and termed it a place of disputes resolution. He added that historically the Afghan people through Loya Jirga had made important decisions at this spot which resulted in resolution of national disputes and issues. The Pashtun land and people currently under the unauthorized administration of Pakistan belongs to Afghanistan, he added. Liwal further went on saying that fencing the Durand Line and unilaterally military installation by Pakistan could not divide the Pashtun and Baloch tribes having same language, cultural and race despite living on both sides of the Line. He emphasized on further efforts to be carried out for the sole purpose to improve cultural connectivity with the Pashtun and Baloch tribes living on the other side of Durand Line.
Moreover, acting minister of Information and Culture Ministry, Mohammad Rasool Bawari in his speech stressed on unity of Lar of Bar Afghans, adding that the Afghan people and government would not let the Durand Line to divide two brothers of the same family and tribes living on both sides of the Line. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and Pashtun belt in Baluchistan are integral parts of Afghanistan which must be restored. Adviser to the Academy of Sciences and former minister Suliman Laiq said time has arrived for the Lar o Bar Afghans to feel the joint pain and to strengthen the shoulders of each other against the joint enemy. Besides, the well-known politician and former minister Zalmay Hewadmal, the festival was attended by a large number of government officials, politicians and civil society activists including a delegation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and Baluchistan, composed of male and female activists.
Pashtun poetry contest was the second and musical show was the third part of the festival which provided an amazing environment to the participants.
