January 20, 2016 was the 24th death anniversary of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as ‘Bacha Khan’. Sensing that the main problem of the Pakhtun was lack of education and incessant feuds, Ghaffar Khan set up Darul Ulum in 1910 in Uthmanzai and Mardan to give elementary education to villagers. Later in 1921, he set up the ‘Anjuman-e-Islah-e-Afghana’ or the ‘Society for the Reformation of Afghans’. Thereafter, a network of about 70 Azad Islamia Madressahs was established throughout the province to promote education, Pashtu language and literature, patriotism and true love for Islam.
These initiatives were significant in three ways. First, most of these schools were established in villages, which were the main focus of reformers during the early part of the 20th century. Second, all these initiatives were deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition of seeking knowledge and the promotion of peace and good relations. Third, these schools, independently conceived, were nevertheless part of a great focus on indigenous education and social improvement in British India. However, despite Ghaffar Khan’s significant contribution to Islamic philosophy, social reform and political thinking, he is a lost figure in the Pakistani narrative.
Abdul Ghani Chohan
Islamabad
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