By Fazal Khaliq 

MINGORA: As many as 95 amateur singers participated in the fourth round of ‘tappay’ singing competition ‘Ya Qurban’ held at Wadudia Hall on Sunday.

Organised by the directorate of culture, the event is aimed at reviving ‘tappay’, an important genre of Pashto folk music. The organisers said that response of the programme was highly encouraging which would promote the new talent towards successful career.

“This programme held here at Saidu Sharif, Swat, is the fourth in the series of ‘Ya Qurban’ competition to give exposure to those singers or artists who remained behind the scene. The provincial government wants to bring their talent to fore,” director culture Abdul Basit said. He added that the top three singers in the competition would participate in the final which would be held from February 25 to 27 next in Peshawar.

He said that the militancy-affected province highly needed such programmes to revive peace and harmony.

Rashid Khan clinched first position, Mohammad Aslam Salik second and Nabila Wadood third in the ‘tappay’ singing competition.

Nabila Wadood, a young singer from Banr, said that she waited for the event for long time and prepared herself. “I want to make singing my profession and this event will play a vital role in taking me successfully to the world of music,” she hoped while talking to this scribe.

Another young singer, Kashif Jan, who had come to participate in the competition, said that several good singers participated in the event which could help them in future.

Some of the participants said that the cultural programmes were essential to attract the young generation towards folk music as the youth had been distracted from it in the wake of western music.

“Tappay is our centuries-old folk music and this event is a good attempt to revive this genre of Pashto music,” said Samiullah, another young singer.