نوي ژوند يــو نـــوې خوږ داستان دے

I share a verse dedicated to my nephew whom I think the world of. May Allah keep him in care, prosperity and happiness. Ameen. Written by Feroz Afridi, especially at my request. Dera Manana Feroz Mashra!.

ما چې کله اوريدلې دا نويــــــــــد دے

چې واده د ګران باچا عاصم رشيد دے

زړه مې ډير زيات دے خوشحاله بې حسابه

لکه زيـــرې په روژه پســــې د عيد دے

دا د نوي ژوند يــو نـــوې خوږ داستان دے

چې د نوې ژوند په خپلو کښې وعيد دے

زما ټولې دعاګانـــــــــــــــــې ورسره دي

چې د کور د خوشحالو په کښې تجديد دے

د باچــــــا نو کورنـــــــــــئ دي وي اباده

نن باچــــا تـــور خــــان پکښې سعيد دے

Tor_Khan تور خان

Catastrophe

'It's a catastrophe... and that's no overstatement',
Adam Mynott, BBC

The worst floods in Pakistan's history have hit at least 14 million people, the government relief agency says. According to Gen Nadeem Ahmed, of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), that figure only covers Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Punjab provinces. The full figure is likely to be much higher, with at least half a million evacuated in Sindh.

"We have an atom bomb, but we have no helicopters and boats for rescue, no machinery to clear the roads and build temporary bridges quickly. We are just not geared to enable people in a crisis,"

Mohammad Haroon, Lawyer, Nowshera, BBC

This poem in the video was penned by the honourable Feroz Afridi and is recited here by a friend.

Kha Yam ښۀ يم

In many ways we come full circle, because the lines that I quote from يا قربان - سندره د پښتنون that appear in the first posting in this blog were penned none other that Feroz Khan Afridi. Feroz Jan who has taken time to visit this blog, has given me permission to share a contemporary poem from his collection.

فيروز جان - ډیره ډیره مننه

Tor_Khan تور خان

Enjoy this ghazal entitled Kha Yam (I'm Okay)

ښۀ يم
فيروز اپريدے

چې په ښۀ لګمه ښۀ يم
چې په نه لګمه نه يم

زه چې څه يمه په تا يم
بې له تانه به زه څه يم؟

ستا په ساه کښې زما ساه ده
ته چې نه ئې زه به نه يم

ستا دا مهر چې په ما وي
ستا د نوم سره به زه يم

چې د بل په غم کښې ژاړي
ټک د غم چاودلې زړه يم

په خطا لاره په نه ځم
چې په پل د ستا د پله يم

مسافر د کوره تللے
مرور د خپل کاله يم

ما رانيسه زما ياره
زه فيروز درنه په تله يم

Pa Khair Raghley پخېر راغلې

پخېر راغلئ

Starey Mashaye

Salaam. Welcome to Tor Khan's blog ...

... to introduce me - I'm a son, a brother, a father, a husband, an uncle, a nephew, a cousin, a neighbour, a friend and an educationalist.

I'm also a slightly displaced Pashtoon who has lived most of his years amongst the rolling hills of Yorkshire. Some years ago, I made the break and since then have lived and worked in Doha, Minnesota and Abu Dhabi, travelling a little and returning for short stints to Bradford between each venture. Right now I'm in the UAE, but life's a journey ... and I'm a traveller ...

Here you'll find postings to things of interest, musings and captured moments that tell their own story. You'll also find a good dose of joy, wonder and contemplation.

I'll leave you with a couple of lines from Rahim Shah's Sandara Da Pukhtoon (Song of the Pashtoon):

Kabul, Ghazni, Paktia ka Kandahar,

De tolo Pukhtano Afghanistan de Mor auw Plar

(click to see the video)

Kabul, Ghazni, Paktia or Kandahar,
For all Pashtoons, Afghanistan is mother and father.
(penned by Feroz Afridi)

Take care and enjoy.

Da Khudai Pa Amaan.
د خداى په امان

Tor_Khan تور خان