Hindko is a cover term for a diverse group of Lahnda dialects spoken by several million people of various ethnic backgrounds in several areas in northwestern Pakistan, primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
Daud Kamal ) was a Pakistani poet who wrote most of his work in the English language.
Ameer Hamza, commonly known as Hamza Baba, was a prominent Pashto and Urdu language poet. His books are taught on master levels in University of Peshawar. At least 5 scholars did their Ph.D research thesis on him. He is considered a bridge between classic Pashto literature and modern literature. He founded Khyber School of thought in Pashto literature. Most notable poets of this school of thought like Nazir Shinwari, Khatir Afridi, Khyber Afridi were his pupils.
The publishing industry in Pakistan is hampered both by a low literacy rate (65%).
The Pashto media includes Pashto literature, Pashto-language newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations, as well as Pashto films and Pashto internet. Pashto media involves the Pashtuns of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Pashtun diaspora around the world.
Hindkowans, also known as the Hindki, is a contemporary designation for speakers of Indo-Aryan languages who live among the neighbouring Pashtuns, particularly the speakers of various Hindko dialects of Lahnda. The origins of the term refer merely to "Indian speaking" people rather than to any particular ethnic group. The term is not only applied to several forms of "Northern Lahnda" but also to the Saraiki dialects of the districts of Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, and Dera Ismail Khan, which border the southern Pashto-speaking areas.
Bushra Farrukh, is a Pakistani poet. She was born in Peshawar. She is one of the female Urdu poets of Pakistan. She has served Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan as an announcer. She is the artist of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa who has performed in four different languages Urdu, Pashto, Hindko and English at television and radio. Bushra Farrukh has performed many radio and television programs. All her programs have been enjoyed especially among the youth.
Rasheed Naz was a Pakistani film and television actor. He started his television career in 1971 in a Pashto television play and worked in several Pashto, Hindko and Urdu-language plays.
Hazarewal is term used for the multi-ethnic predominantly Hindko-speaking community belonging to the Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hindko speaking Hazarewals include the Swatis, Jadoons, Karlals, Abbasis, Sayyids, Awans, Mughals, Tanolis, Turks, Qureshis and Khokhars. A large number of Hindko speakers in Hazara Division are also Pashtuns. Majority of these Pashtuns speak Hindko as their mother tongue and do not speak the Pashto language anymore. These Hindko speaking Pashtun Hazarewals include the Tahirkhelis, Swatis, Yusufzais, Jadoons, Dilazaks and Tareens. The Hazarewal or Hindkowans, are not to be confused with the ethnic Hazara people inhabiting parts of Balochistan province in Pakistan or areas of neighbouring Afghanistan. The Hazarewals have, over the last few years, found themselves increasingly in favour of separation and autonomy from the rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on linguistic basis.
Hafiz Mehmood Shirani (1880–1946) was an Indian researcher and poet during the British era and father of Urdu poet Akhtar Sheerani. He started teaching Urdu at Islamia College, Lahore in 1921. In 1928 he moved to Oriental College, Lahore. He was a researcher and his popular theory was "Punjab Mein Urdu" which made him famous. Hafiz Mehmood Khan Shirani died in his native town of Tonk.
Muhammad Parvesh Shaheen is a Pakistani historian and author from Manglawar, Swat. Muhammad Parvesh Shaheen has preserved Library of about 30,000 Books including Journals and Digests etc. He is the author of more than 45 books in Language Pashto, Urdu and English.
Abaseen Yousafzai is a Pashtun poet from Pakistan. He is the chairman of Pashto Department in Islamia College Peshawar. Yousafzai has had his poetry published across the Durand Line. Abaseen Yousafzai joined the Islamia College Peshawar as a lecturer of Pashto in 1993.
Raj Wali Shah Khattak , commonly known as Raj Wali ShahKhattak, was a Pashto-language poet, critic and writer from Pakistan. He was conferred Tamgha-i-Imtiaz for his contributions to Pashto-language literature.
Riaz Tasneem, was a Pakistani poet, literary critic and research scholar who primarily wrote poems in Pashto and Urdu language throughout his literary career. He is believed to have played a significant contribution to Pashto language and literature.
Salma Shaheen is a Pakistani poet, fiction writer, researcher, and the first Pashto-woman novelist, who also served as the first-woman director of Pashto Academy of University of Peshawar. She primarily wrote poems in Urdu and Pashto languages since started her literary work. Shaheen is recognized one of the prominent women writers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who is believed to have made a significant contribution to Pashto language, culture and to its literature.
Syed Nusrat Zaidi was a British Indian and later Pakistani poet who primarily wrote classical tradition poems in Urdu language. He also participated abroad in poetic concerts during his visits to Los Angeles, Iran, Canada, and Dubai.
Ahmad Shah, known by his pen name as Farigh Bukhari, was a Pakistani multilingual poet and progressive writer. He wrote books, including poetry on various subjects such as literature, social issues and politics in Hindko, Pashto and predominantly in Urdu language. Some of his publications appears about universal values and humanism.
Professor Dawar Khan Daud was an English professor, Pashtu folklorist, writer, poet, researcher, lecturer, member of Pashto Adabi Board (PAB) and president of Rahman Baba Adabi Jirga (RAJ), a literary organisation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In 2004, the president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf awarded him Pride of Performance award in the field of art and literature.
Zaitoon Bano, also spelled Zaitun Banu, was a Pakistani poet, short story writer, novelist, broadcaster, and advocate of women's rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She primarily wrote in Pashto and Urdu languages. Sometimes, she was referred to as Khatun-e-Awal or "first lady of Pashto fiction", an honorary title awarded to her in recognition of her contribution to women's rights of Pashtuns. She wrote over twenty-four books, including her first short story titled Hindara (Mirror) which appears one of the prominent writings of Pashto language.
Ahmad Ali Saayein was a Hindko sufi poet from Peshawar. He was a contemporary of the Urdu and Persian poet Muhammad Iqbal.
