HABIB MUHAMMAD KHATTAK
LOWER DIR: The Yousafzai Nadriwala Jirga has finalised the selection of personalities for the Malik Ahmed Khan Baba Awards, which will be presented at a ceremony in Timergara on October 24 in recognition of their services to the Yousafzai community and other Pashtun tribes.
Addressing a press conference at Timergara Press Club on Thursday, Yousafzai tribe district president Malik Farooq Iqbal, chief organiser Malik Shah Naseem and other tribal elders said an eight-member committee had selected the award recipients following a detailed review of their contributions to tribal welfare and community development.
The ceremony will be held at the Dir National Hujra Tent in Timergara, with elders from the Yousafzai community and other Pashtun tribes across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa invited to attend.
The press conference was also attended by provincial vice president Malik Imtiaz Khan, district general secretary Malik Muhammad Sher Khan and founding members Malik Gul Badshah, Malik Azizul Haq and Malik Saeedullah.
The tribal leaders said the awards were intended to recognise the contributions of respected elders, preserve community traditions and encourage younger generations to continue their legacy of social service.
They said the organisation was established in 1986 and had since been working for the welfare of the Yousafzai community and other Pashtun tribes.
The elders maintained that the Jirga represented the interests of Pashtun communities beyond the Yousafzai tribe, both nationally and internationally.
They added that prominent personalities from across the province had been invited to attend the awards ceremony.
Responding to a question, the organisers said the Jirga’s welfare and organisational activities were supported through financial contributions from financially capable members of the tribe.
