Transitions: Celebrated radio personality passes away at 76

Tirahwal Mama was a staunch supporter of education for both boys and girls

PESHAWAR:

Using radio to enliven an otherwise gloomy situation, Tirahwal Mama did shows that would entertain and at the same time draw people’s attention towards important matters such as education.

A well-known radio figure and poet from Khyber Agency, he was named Falak Niaz by his family but he later came to be known as Tirahwal Mama. His death on Saturday at the age of 76 was mourned by his three sons, a daughter and thousands of fans from around the agency and other parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas where his radio programmes were broadcasted.

The journey

Hailing from Bara, Mama was a member of the Malik Din Khel clan. Before joining radio, he was a schoolteacher and was prominent for raising his voice for the cause of education, especially for girls.



A broadcaster, Tayyeb Afridi, who did the famous programme Hujra with Mama said his house was set ablaze due to his stand on education for the people of tribal areas. To continue with his cause, Mama moved out of his village in 1967 and settled in Jamrud.

After moving to Jamrud, Mama joined Khyber Radio when it was launched in 2006. He continued to speak for the rights of the suppressed tribesmen, though draped in his humorous style.

In 2007, his programme with Tayyeb Afridi, Hujra, was broadcasted from Khyber FM 91, Jamrud. The show was based on the day-to-day problems faced by the tribal people and filled with humour; it gained popularity by the day, staying on air till 2011.

When his shows were at the peak of popularity every household was abuzz with Mama’s name, said a fellow villager and co-worker, Abdul Qayyum. “He was most famous among women as he spoke for their rights.”

Before Khyber Radio, Mama was associated with Radio Pakistan and was part of a show called Hindara. He remained with Radio Pakistan for around 37 years.

He was an expert of words and explained his deep thoughts in the local Afridi accent, said Tayyeb. “He was the kind of person who could understand people’s psyche.”

Final days

Mama had been suffering from diabetes and other health complications. “He was ill for the last 14 months but no one cared for his medical treatment,” said Qayyum. “Applications were submitted to the political administration for help but no one came forward.”

His contribution to the networks he worked with and the societies he dwelled in would never be forgotten because of his determination to speak for the rights of people despite the harsh security situation in the agency he lived in.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2015.