|
 By Bushra Gohar
Khan Abdul Wali Khan died this morning after suffering a stroke, leaving behind a rich legacy of a life long struggle for the rights of the oppressed nations, peace in the region, resolution of disputes through political dialogue, provincial rights and autonomy. He stood against usurpation of power by the military regimes and the suppression of political spaces and voices in the country. A man of great knowledge, courage and determination undeterred by the pressures to bow down to the illegal powers, is viewed by the Pukhtuns throughout the world as a pillar of strength, leadership and wisdom. The Nation has no doubt lost a
great leader. May Allah rest his soul in peace and give his supporters the vision, understanding and strength to carry forward his legacy with a new zeal.
Bushra Gohar
Demise of Khan Abdul Wali Khan – A Great Loss to
Pakistan
by Sarah Saba
Khan Abdul Wali Khan, the legendary politician died today’s morning after suffering a stroke, leaving behind a sincere life-long struggle for the rights of the oppressed segments of society. He stood against usurpation of power by the military regimes and the suppression of political spaces and voices in the country. A man of great knowledge, courage and determination undeterred by the pressures to bow down to the illegal powers, is viewed by the Pukhtuns throughout the world as a pillar of strength, leadership and wisdom. The Nation has no doubt lost a great leader. Below is given his biographical summary for the members.
Background Khan Abdul Wali Khan was one of the most politically active sons of Badshah Khan. Wali Khan is a senior politician in Pakistan. He served as President of the National Awami Party, National Democratic Party and Awami National Party (ANP) for many years and now acts as the ideological mentor (rehbar) of his party. Political Career in Brief
1970 elections Elected from to both National Assembly and Provincial assembly from Charsada 1988 elections, Khan Abdul Wali Khan elected Member of National assembly from NA-5 after defeating Nisar Muhammad Khan. He became the leader of opposition in the National Assembly in which Benazir Bhutto was the leader of the house. 1990 general elections Khan Abdul Wali Khan was defeated at the hands of Maulana Hassan Jan of JUI(F). After his defeat, Khan Abdul Wali Khan was offered a seat in the Senate by the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif or the offer of contesting for the National Assembly from Lahore. He instead chose to retire from
politics. Early Life Born on January 11, 1917 in Utmanzai town of Charsadda District, he received his early education from Azad Islamia High School and later shifted to Irish government's Deradun Public School. He completed his Senior Cambridge in 1933 and started his political career by joining Khudai Khidmatgar Movement in 1942. The movement was launched by his father prominent Pakhtoon freedom fighter Abdul Ghaffar Khan, commonly known as Bacha Khan. Early Politics Prior to the creation of Pakistan, in 1947, Wali Khan remained member of the All India Congress Committee and was provincial joint secretary of the party. His early politics after Pakistan's creation were said to be influenced by his uncle Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan (known as Dr Khan Sahib). Dr Khan Sahib preferred a more pragmatic approach to Pakistani politics and advocated a political reconciliation with Pakistan. His Uncle's assassination in front of a young Wali Khan in 1958 influenced him considerably.
After the first Military regime of Ayub Khan came to power in 1958, Wali Khan along with many other politicians at the time was imprisoned and
disqualified from contesting elections or participating in politics. Prisoner of Conscience Wali Khan served several stints in prison during his 48 year long political career. The first was when he was arrested under the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) by the then British Raj in 1943 for his role in the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. In 1948, he was once again arrested this time by the new Pakistani government and he was released in 1954. His third stint in prison was fter Ayub Khan's Military government came into power. Which followed by another brief arrest after Yahya Khan ousted Ayub Khan. His final stint in prison was considered a more bitter experience. Arrested on the orders of Prime Minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, accussed of treason and put on a trial for his alleged role in the "Hyderabad Conspiracy" along with close party colleagues, his party was banned and a brutal crackdown was launched against his family and friends. In his book Facts are Sacred, he wrote of his various stints in prison with a tinge of bitterness: "MUCH of this book was written during two spells in Jail, one under Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub khan 1n 1969 and next during the time of Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1973. I was handicapped by the fact that I could not obtain the reference books I needed. During the second term especially, I regretted the time wasted. I was mostly in solitary confinement, and could have wholly devoted myself to writing. But under Bhutto, even pen and paper were often not available, leaving alone books." Traitor He has been criticized for backing separatist ideals as well as social unrest in Pakistan. His critics also blame him for alienation of Pashtuns from rest of Pakistan and for supporting anti Pakistani forces. He remained tagged with the title of traitor by the state run Media and Pakistan's ruling
establishment for much of his political career. His supporters disagree and believe he promoted left of centre progressive and secular politics in Pakistan. Prior to his arrest in 1974 he was in fact striving for a more National role more in line with his position as Leader of the Opposition in Politics and he had started campaigning heavily in Punjab and Sind, where he was attracting large crowds. He also worked with many politicians from Punjab and in particular Baluchistan. Communist He was tagged with the accusation of being a communist, he was in fact more
of a Pakhtun Nationalist, his falling out with Baloch Leader Bizenjo in the late 70's can be traced from that fact. The role of his ministers in the NAP-JUI government was more pro business especially in contrast to the leftist programme that the Federal government under the PPP was simultaneaously launching. Indian/ Afghan Agent Wali Khan and by extension his party and family had a long association with senior leaders in the Congress Party of India because of his fathers close association with Mohandas Gandhi. The preference for dialogue over conflict with India also strengthened that impression. Awami National Party In the late 1980's Wali Khan and other former NAP members merged their parties and formed the Awami National Party. The ANP under Wali Khans Presidency contested the 1988 national elections in alliance with former rivals the PPP. The ANP's success in the elections was limited to the NWFP and certain parts of the Province in that election. The party subsequently formed a coalition government with PPP leader Aftab Sherpao as Chief Minister of NWFP. The ANP-PPP alliance collapsed in 1989 after a perceived snub by PPP leader and Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and a dispute over Ministerial posts and the governorship of NWFP. After Joining the opposition, the Wali Khan started talks with the Army backed IJI (Islamic Democratic Alliance) and joined the alliance for the 1990 elections. In the recent past he was retired from active politics and his son Asfandyar Wali Khan was working as the party President during his serious illness. |
News
