Qissa Khwani firing victims paid rich tributes

PESHAWAR: A literary and cultural organization on Wednesday called for university level research on the April 23, 1930 Qissa Khwani massacre so that the young generation comes to know about the sacrifice rendered in Peshawar for winning freedom.

The British soldiers had opened fire on the freedom-loving citizens in Peshawar city 93 years ago who were protesting the oppressive Colonial policies. As many as 400 people were killed on the day, though the official account put the toll at 179.

A press release said people from various walks of life visit the Yadgar-e-Shaheedan or martyrs memorials erected in historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar in memory of scores of people who either lost lives or were injured in the firing on April 23, 1930. But no major function was held this year due to the Eidul Fitr festival.

Gandhara Hindko Board has always remembered the sons of the soil who lost lives in this gruesome firing by holding rallies, hosting conferences, arranging photographic exhibitions and bringing out publications in the past to highlight the incident.

The members of the board met at the Gandhara Hindko Academy and offered fateha for the departed souls of the Qissa Khwani martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Walled City of Peshawar for the cause of freedom and glory of Islam.

Addressing the participants, Muhammad Ziauddin, a known writer, poet, research scholar and general secretary of the Gandhara Hindko Board, said the Qissa Khwani firing tragedy was an important incident of the Independence Movement but unfortunately it had not been highlighted officially so far.

He said the importance of this incident must be understood for which the government should, in the first phase, observe this day at the official level. Secondly, he explained, the government should facilitate academic research at the university level on the subject so that this great sacrifice by our elders is suitably documented.

Pointing to the publications brought out by the Gandhara Hindko Board on the Qissa Khwani firing, he mentioned a novel “Sham-e-Alam” by Nazir Ahmad, “Azeem Peshawari Sapoot” by Syed Qamar Abbas, “Qissa Khwani Ka Qatl-e-Aam” by Ms Aftab Iqbal Bano, and “Qissa Khwani Firing - The tragedy at a glance” authored by him.

Ziauddin said that efforts should be made to motivate the students at the University of Peshawar and other higher seats of learning to take this important topic for research.“I request Governor Ghulam Ali, who is chancellor of the public sector universities, to ask the vice-chancellors of the state-run universities to encourage students to conduct research on the Qissa Khwani massacre to spotlight the incident which has great importance in the struggle for Independence waged in this part of the country,” he added.