Call to declare Abdul Ghaffar Khan’s home as national heritage

PESHAWAR: Speakers at an event on Thursday asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to declare the ancestral home of freedom fighter and social reformer Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan a national heritage.

“Bacha Khan is a leader of Pakhtuns and he struggled for the cause of Pakhtuns throughout his life. We need to conserve and preserve his house and other belongings for the coming generations,” said Fazal Rabbi, president of the British Pakhtuns Association.

The British Pakhtuns Association, a United Kingdom-based organisation of Pakistani Pakhtuns working for promotion of Pashto language, music and arts, in collaboration with the Karwan Tanzeem had organised the event to celebrate the services of social workers, poets, intellectuals and singers for their services in their field of expertise.

British Pakhtun Association, UK, Chairman Fazal Rabbi, its general secretary Javed Iqbal, president British Pakhtuns Association women chapter Tahira Khan and chairman Karwan Tazeem Khalid Ayub were the keynote speakers on the occasion.

The event had three categories, including poetry, music and social welfare.

Javed Iqbal discussed at length the services of poet Dr Abaseen Yousufzai and social work of Khalid Ayub. Tahira Khan highlighted the services of singer Bakhtiar Khan.

Javed Iqbal gave a detailed presentation about the British Pakhtuns Association, its objectives and social activities carried out under the auspices of the body in UK.

People from various walks of life including poets, intellectuals, literary and social workers, professors, art and music lovers attended the event in a large number.

Muhammad Haroon Sabir of the Karwan Tanzeem played host on the occasion. 

Javed Iqbal said that the association was working for promotion of Pakhtun culture and traditions, adding, it also organised events to promote soft image of Pakhtuns and their culture.

Besides, he said, the association provided assistance to Pakhtuns, particularly students going to the UK for study. He added that it provided the necessary guidance and helped such people in settling in UK.

Javed Iqbal praised Dr Abaseen Yousafzai’s his literary services. A music video based on his poetry was also played.

Tahira Khan said that Bakhtiar Kattak and his friends had given a new positive face to Pashto music both at the national and international stage.

She said propaganda against music was the root-cause that this field and people associated with it were looked down upon.Tahira Khan said music was associated with the West, considered sinful and people associated were derogatorily called Damaan and waste of time. She said this was the reason the people did not support and encourage their children to join this profession.

“This wrong perception about music can be changed by portraying positive image of music. To educate the people about positive impact of music on one’s mind, body, health and its spiritual benefits, music should be taught in schools as co-curriculum activity and there should be increased funding by the government to this sector,” she suggested.

Tahira Khan said that music was a uniting force and can unite the people. It can promote harmony among people of diverse cultures and languages, adding “It tears down the walls of misunderstandings.”

Later, a video documenting the ancestral home of Bacha Khan in Charsadda was played which showed its dilapidated condition and apathy of the successive governments to preserve and conserve the house of historical importance.

Fazal Rabbi said that Bacha Khan was a nationalist leader, a social reformer and champion of Pakhtun rights and his house shoud be conserved and his belongings should be placed in the Museums so the coming generation would know about the struggle and services of the great hero for the Pakhtun nation.