Bacha Khan: restitution and expiation

Human history seems janus faced: a lifeless, moribund chronicle of events and facts or a storehouse of knowledge and wisdom, if one learns from it. Unlearning from history condemns one to repeated commission of its mistakes.

Similar is the case of men and women who open new paths of human thought or endeavour but stand condemned and rejected by the powers or systems confronted.

Many still are indecisive about the place in history of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan aka Bacha Khan, the legendary Pashtoon social and political reformer whose endeavours spanned a lifetime, in which he spent nearly 30 out of 95 years incarcerated.

Bacha Khan swore allegiance to Pakistan and made his maiden speech in the 1^st Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in Karachi on 23^rd February, 1948. True to his creed he renounced violence and chose reconciliation, despite the fact that on the 22^nd of August, 1947 his brother, Dr Khan Sahib’s majority government in NWFP was removed through a questionable executive order.

Few recall the imperative points of that bold, frank and reconciliatory speech.

In the prelude he stated, “I admit that I was not in favour of the division (like Maududi, Mufti Mehmood, Nawabzada Nasrullah, Khizar Hayat Tiwana, Sikandar Hayat et al: author) but now that it has taken place the dispute appertaining to it has also finished… I wish to openly reiterate that I do not wish the undoing of this country… I have openly declared that in the effort of the Pakistan government striving for the welfare of the people and the country, it would receive (my) unreserved support …”

On the issue of Pakhtunistan the words of Bacha Khan were unequivocal: “What do we mean by Pakhtunistan? The people who live in Sindh are known as belonging to Sindh (province); similarly in Bengal and Punjab (province) there are Bengalis and Punjabis living. In the NWFP too, the Pashtoons reside. This is our native soil. So we want people to know that Pashtoons live in this province. Is such a unIslamic? People of Hind call us Pathans whereas those of Faras call us Afghans. Our real name is Pakhtoons and that is why we (our province) need a name of Pakhtunistan.” (brackets: author)

He struck a prescient note when he emphasised: “Governments are run on the basis of trust and not mistrust… I told the Muslim League that we will accept your government given reconciliation... we believe that all parties should resolve their differences through trust and compromise.”

Despite the aberrant replacement of Dr Khan’s government, on 3^rd September, 1947 the Khudai Khidmatgar (KK) Loya jirga in its meeting resolved: “The Khudai Khidmatgar regards Pakistan as their own country and pledge to safeguard its interests… The dismissal of Dr Khan Sahib’s ministry is undemocratic but since our country is passing through a critical stage the KK shall take no step which might create difficulties in the way of the government.”

In order to reduce the majority of Dr Khan’s government, skulduggery, arm twisting and inducements were used and through contrived floor crossings, the ML government gained a majority.

As a sign of supreme statesmanship, despite the irregular dissolution of the NWFP government, Bacha Khan took up an invitation from Jinnah during his stay in Karachi. From all accounts the two had a convivial and promising meeting with Jinnah appreciating the social, educational and political struggle, including women empowerment, of the KK Movement, evincing a keen desire that the two of them should join forces and unite to usher welfare in the country.

Jinnah was invited to the KK Markaz in Sardaryab, Charsadda on his next visit to NWFP where Jinnah would address the party leaders, whereafter Bacha Khan’s party would announce wholehearted support and endorse Jinnah’s overtures to enable the Muslim League and KK and the two stalwarts to jointly dedicate themselves to ushering an era of plural democracy, inclusion, regional and cultural diversity, fair and just economic development based upon equitable access to natural resources. Had such a political and social entente been possible, we may have been spared the horrid litany of disturbances in NWFP and Balochistan following removal of NAP-JUI governments during the 1970s.

Unfortunately, the aspirations for an alliance never saw the light of day, not for lack of commitment of two great leaders. A lifetime prospect was overturned due to the shortsighted machinations of spoilers and detractors.

The powerful men of the day spared no effort to thwart the visit of Jinnah to the Sardaryab party office of the Khudai Khidmatgar. A police officer was despatched to the office of news daily Sahar of Peshawar forcing the editor to publish a fabricated item on behalf of Bacha Khan in which he was imputed with the statement that, “Pakistan is a castle of sand which can be demolished with one kick.” The wife of the editor, later in a court statement, corroborated the story of her husband being coerced to publish the statement.

The news item was despatched to Jinnah to poison his mind against Bacha Khan.

Reports were generated indicating a threat to the life of Jinnah if he visited HQs of KK party. II Chundrigar, Ambassador to Kabul, was asked to write a letter warning the government of Pakistan of a “ threat to the life of Qauid e Azam.”

During his October 1948 visit to Peshawar, before his meeting with Bacha Khan to discuss the already arranged visit of Jinnah to KK Markaz, Sardaryab for which extravagant arrangements, welcome gates and buntings, throughout the route from Peshawar to Sardaryab, had been made, Abdul Qayyum Khan, CM NWFP, reportedly planted a few Muslim League firebrand to shout anti-Pakistan and pro-Pashtunistan slogans when Jinnah addressed the Islamia College students to slander Bacha Khan and dissuade Jinnah from visiting Sardaryab.

The intrigues succeeded and Jinnah canceled his visit to KK headquarters. A peerless opportunity for trust and cooperation in the country was lost. In June 1948 Bacha Khan was arrested and charged with sedition. On 12 August 1948 the infamous Babra incident in which nearly 600 people were killed occurred in a rally protesting Khan’s arrest. Can we be bold enough to own our mistakes starting with Bacha Khan: the state restituting and expiating for its omissions as a moral and national obligatory?

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2024.

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