Ans: Pushto:
. Pushto is the language of valiant KPK people. It is spoken in the area
between river Indus right bank and Hindu Kush Mountains, as well as some
pockets of Balochistan province. This language probably originated 5000
years back in the Bakht area of Afghanistan, its name Bakhtu or Pushto has
been derived from the same connection.
. Before the advent of Islam in this region Pushto was written in Khroshti
script. During the reign of Mehmood Ghaznavi, a scholar Saifullah converted
Pushto to Arabic script; this script is still in use. No prose was written in
Pushto before 19th century. Oldest available book in Pushto is Fata Khazana
which was written in the mid of the eighth century.
Ameer Kafor (8th century) is the first regular Pushto poet. Famous writer
. Akhund Daryuza and the immortal Pushto poets Khushal Khan Khatak and
Rahman Baba were born in the 16th and 17th centuries respectively. Khushal
Khan Khatak is known to be the greatest Pushto poet of all times and he
wrote 360 books.
. The modern phase of Pushto literature began in the 18th century. During this
period Pushto writers played important role in organizing resistance against
the British imperialist rule. Pushto writers created excellent literature during
1965 Indo-Pakistan war.
. The process of collection and preservation of the Pushto literature started in
the twentieth century, Pushto Academy Peshawar, Peshawar Radio and
Peshawar Television played important role in the promotion of Pushto
literature and folklore. Pushto grammar and dictionary was compiled in the
20th century. Pushto writers started writing short story, novel and drama. In
the KPK, Hindko, Pahari, Gojri and many other dialects are also spoken.