Where I stand: How my father died for peace

Muhammad Ali Khan Mohmand took a stand against militants in Shabqadar.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) are in a state of war. Citizens, including politicians, are bearing the brunt of state policies which they have no role in forming. Amongst this lot of politicians, was my father, Muhammad Ali Khan Mohmand shaheed. An MPA from Shabqadar, Charsadda, he was well known in K-P and Fata, but few know his story in the rest of Pakistan.

Muhammad Ali Khan was elected as an MPA from Shabqadar in 2008 on a Pakistan Peoples Party-Sherpao (now Qaumi Watan Party) ticket. His victory delighted us all, but we could never have imagined this epoch would be the start of a painful journey.

In 2009, my father was attending a public gathering in Shabqadar when he received an urgent call from the then deputy inspector general of Peshawar Safwat Ghayur advising him to leave Shabqadar immediately for Peshawar. No reasons were given.

My father waited till the end of the meeting and then left for Peshawar to meet Ghayur, who cautioned him to stop visiting the village for a few weeks. On further inquiry, Ghayur revealed an assassination plot targeting my father had been uncovered by security agencies. Yet, this failed to deter my father and he continued to visit the village.



With the persistent efforts of Ghayur, the assassination plot was later foiled with the militants responsible arrested. This episode was kept a secret by my father. That was the mark of the man; he would tackle all obstacles on his own, shielding his loved ones all the while.

Taking a stand

A seemingly ordinary date, June 16, 2010 corresponds to a day in my life which makes my heart wrench to this day. My elder brother, Babar, was travelling to Peshawar from Shabqadar when he was abducted by a band of armed militants. We were traumatised upon receiving the news and the days spent without him were agonising and grim. But Allah blessed us once more and returned my brother safely after 10 days. After this incident, my father resolved to act against these terrorists and decided to permanently reside in the village.

In the last week of February 2012, my father received another threat. On March 3, 2012, after attending a public gathering in Shabqadar, my father, Aftab Sherpao and Sikandar Sherpao were en route to Peshawar in a jeep when they was targeted by a suicide bomber in Kangra. My father suffered grave injuries to his head and chest.

He never fully recovered and was afflicted with illnesses for eight months. But despite his illness and scars from the blast, he still frequented gatherings. He embraced martyrdom on November 2, 2012. His bravery and dedication never allowed him to be influenced by the cowardly acts of terrorists. He could not be separated from the people despite the fact that he and his party were on a militant hit-list. He attended every gathering, whether to mourn or celebrate with the people of Charsadda.

Muhammad Ali Khan’s legacy

Muhammad Ali Khan was a passionate political worker. Due to his efforts, the Qaumi Watan Party gained a stronghold in Charsadda, allowing the party to win four out of six provincial seats in the recent elections.

Within our fold, we lost a father, husband, brother and our armour, all in one man. The backbone of our household was ripped from us. He will be missed with every beat of my heart.

My elder brother, Babar Ali Khan Mohmand, won the by-elections for the Shabqadar seat. We thought we would be safer this time, but notions were misplaced as the militant agenda had not yet been satisfied.

In the third week of March 2013, a bomb was planted outside the back gate of our hujra. After two days, militants attacked our home but we managed to fend them off with help from our guards. After three days, our home was under fire once again. This time, the terrorists resorted to using heavy artillery like rockets, but we successfully deflected the attack once again. No one was injured in any of the three attacks by the grace of Allah.

I am proud of the sacrifices my father gave in his struggle for peace. In narrating this tale, I pay homage to the thousands of lives claimed by terrorist activities. They are unsung heroes who shed their blood in the battle to restore peace in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2013.