Remembering the great Pashtuns

ANP-W holds conference to celebrate Bacha Khan,Wali Khan and Ajmal Khattak’s political struggle

Karachi

Highlighting the non-violent and democratic principles of Bacha Khan, Wali Khan and Ajmal Khattak, political and civil society activists declared the three historic personalities of the sub-continent, at a peace conference organised by the Awami National Party – Wali (ANP-W) at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.

The conference, held to commemorate anniversaries of the three, was attended by a large number of ANP-W activists from across the city’s Pashtun neighbourhoods.

Head of the ANP-W Begum Naseem Wali, prominent political leader Sardar Sherbaz Mazari, MQM’s Gul Faraz Khattak, former National party president Abdul Hai Baloch, Pakhtunkhwa Awami Milli Party’s Sikandar Khan Yosafzai, renowned poet Prof Sahar Ansari, and ANP – W central general secretary Aurangzaib Kasi spoke at the conference.

The speakers observed that the region would not have been a hub of militancy and extremism in the world had the state’s leadership sought guidance from the teachings of the three.

Begum Naseem Wali while addressing the conference said it was four decades ago that Baacha Khan had observed that international forces were eyeing Afghanistan in order to reap profits.

“Today, the entire world has realised that his prediction was true,” she said.

“Pashtuns in the region, be they from Afghanistan, Khyber Pakhunkhwa or Karachi, have been the prime victims of terrorism and only by adopting Baacha Khan’s practice of non-violence would they be able to save themselves,” Begum Naseem Wali added.

She also stressed for the nationalist forces in the country to unite and launch a joint movement to
bring peace and obtain their due rights.   

Praising the Khan family’s contributions to the country’s politics, Mazari said the three leaders had struggled tirelessly to make this country democratic and peaceful. 

Gul Faraz Khattak while lauding the three Pashtun leaders said they were implicated in conspiracies and dubbed as Indian agents.

“Today the MQM is facing the same conspiracies, but like Baacha Khan and Wali Khan, the MQM leaders are also ready to brave the conspiracies,” he said.