Bacha Khan’s services remembered

Participants of the Bacha Khan Conference on Sunday passed resolutions, saying the security of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa be handed over to the police and the Pak-Afghan trade routes be opened.

“Ensure proper implementation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, 9th and 10th NFC awards are passed, missing persons are produced before courts and MNA Ali Wazir is released,” the other resolutions passed at the conclusion of the two-day conference in Islamabad said.

The Awami National Party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Pakistan Peoples Party as well as leaders of other parties were in attendance.

Addressing the conference, provincial ANP President Aimal Wali Khan said that Bacha Khan spoke of humanity. “He (Bacha Khan) said that the greatest religion is humanity.”

Aimal said, “Ali Wazir is being treated inhumanely … tolerance is over in today's politics while Bacha Khan's philosophy is hit me on the other cheek but I will not give up my right.”

He said the chains of slavery had not been broken in Afghanistan. “Afghanistan is still a slave of the US. The previous Afghan government was based on votes, while the current one is based on the slaves of the US.”

Addressing the conference, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that he was representing PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the event.

“Bacha Khan and Wali Khan are credited for the political and economic awakening of the Pashtun nation. Their personalities can be erased but their ideas, mission, vision cannot, as ideological people live forever.”

Addressing the conference, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that he had come to the conference to represent PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

“Bacha Khan's ideology is non-violence. The ideological struggle continues and no one can deny the services of Bacha Khan,” Dar said while saluting his services.

He said that financial order was very important to get out of economic difficulties. “Unfortunately, important political figures also became victims of terrorism. We fought a successful war against terrorism with our own resources.”

He was of the view that negotiations were the only solution to all problems. “We have to learn from past mistakes and move forward as our forces are sacrificing their lives for the protection of the country,” he said, adding that the focus of “our politics should always be public service”.

The resolutions were presented at the end of the conference. The participants clapped and voted in their favour.

The other resolutions said that the first right of gas should be to the same area from where it originates and free and independent foreign policy of the state of Pakistan should be made.

The resolutions condemned the inhumane treatment in Afghanistan and demanded that missing persons should be brought before the courts.

Speaking at the conference, Sindh United Party President Zain Shah paid rich tributes to Bacha Khan, saying that GM Syed wrote that Bacha Khan was a “statue of morality, an idol of simplicity, has great courage and is a sincere national worker”.

“I say without any exaggeration that among all the politicians in Pakistan, his record and role is the highest.”

He said, “His concept of politics is worship which should be done through service.

“The work that the Prophets and their companions used to do, today, the political national workers have to do that work.”