Educating BarakzaiAbdali about politics and socity of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KPK)

[Toramana]

I have the feelings that BarakzaiAbdali doesn't know much about the political and social outlook of the people of Khyber Pukhtunkhw. And therefore he thinks that people of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa may be ultra-conservative....

You might have noticed it from the share number of die-hard secularists e.g. Baygham, Toramana, Osho, Leavanay, Khyal, Zalmay Levanay, Gulalai, Roshina, Nadir Shah, Pir-i-Rokhan Saib, etc. from KPK here that political and social outlook of the people of KPK has a different character. Even Shabazy, Luffy, Adam Yousafzai, and Xespzoy my be counted secularists (by secularism i mean those that believe in separation between church and the state)....The only exceptions are BLS and Wrayun who are ultra-conservative...


Why this? There are many reasons for this....the first is, the society of KPK is relatively more aggrarian and urbanized...Also, in terms of area, KPK is a small province and communication (as well as social and political networking) can be done relatively quickly, frequently, and easly.


The second reason is, the rule of the British and their political and constitutional reforms contributed to the political development of the KPK society. They also laid out an elaborate irrigation and communication system in KPK that had impact in terms of social values and politics on the people of KPK.


But the most important reason are the political movements that were run in KPk for almost a century, which had the profundest impact of all on KPK Pashtuns...

Starting from the Tehrik-i-Khilafat (Mualana Johar), Hijrat Movement(Maulana Johar), and Civil Disobedience Movement (Ghandhi) of 1920s, in which KPK Pashtuns heavily and actively participated, other movements also had strong presence in KPK. To mention a few Khudai Khidmatgars of Bacha Khan (1930s), the revolutionary movement of Subash Chandarbosh (1930s and early 1940s), the All India Congress, the Muslim League, etc. were pretty strong in KPK before partition (1947). Among the socialist movements, the movement by Maulana Abdul Jalil Popalzai was one of the strongests that was based in Peshawar and had influence in Peshawar plains.


After partition, there was a very strong movement against one unit of Pakistan and for the establishment of democracy under the banner of National Awami Party (NAP) spread over entire Pakistan but with leadership from KPK. People Party (PPP) made incursions into KPK in 1960s and has been actively participating in the politics of KPK since then. Then Jamiat-i-Ulamai Hind (that later transformed into Fazlu party) also had significant presence in KPK. NAP evolved into ANP later in 1980s...


The mazdoor Kissan movement was very strong in KPK especially in Charssada area and it was lead by two stalwarts from KPK i.e. Afzal Bangash and Kakaji Sanobar Hussain....


This is not to mention literary movements e.g. Anjuman Taraqi Pasnad Adab etc. were strong in KPK.


I think Osho can say more about this.


I mean KPK experienced strong political and literary movements ... and that is why you see Pashtuns of KPK having a different outlook when it comes to politics and social ideals...In elections, most of KPK Pashtuns would vote secular parties ....And would not like any kind of orthodoxy....in general social, formal, and political life...

[Toramana]

The massacre at the Qissa Khawani Bazaar (the Storytellers Market) in Peshawar, British India (modern day Pakistan) on April 23, 1930 was a defining moment in the non-violent struggle to drive the British out of India. It was the first major confrontation between British troops and non-violent demonstrators in the then peaceful city—some estimates at the time put the death toll from the shooting at nearly 400 dead.[1] The gunning down of unarmed people triggered protests across the subcontinent and catapulted the newly formed Khudai Khidmatgar movement onto the National scene.[2]
The Khudai Khidmatgar (literally Servants of God), led by Ghaffar Khan, were a group of Pashtuns committed to the removal of British rule through non-violent methods. On April 23, 1930, Ghaffar Khan was arrested after giving a speech in Utmanzai urging resistance to the British occupation. Ghaffar Khan's reputation for uncompromising integrity and commitment to non-violence inspired most of the local townspeople to take the oath of membership and join the Khudai Khidmatgar in protest.[3]
After other Khudai Khidmatgar leaders were arrested, a large crowd of the group gathered at the Qissa Khwani bazaar. As British troops moved into the bazaar, the crowd was loud, though completely non-violent. British armored cars drove into the square at high speed, killing several people. The crowd continued their commitment to non-violence, offering to disperse if they could gather their dead and injured, and if British troops left the square. The British troops refused to leave, so the protesters remained with the dead and injured.[3] At that point, the British ordered troops to open fire with machine guns on the unarmed crowd.[4] The Khudai Khidmatgar members willingly faced bullets, responding without violence. Instead, many members repeated 'God is Great' and clutched the Qur'an as they went to their death[3]
The exact number of deaths remains controversial—several hundred were killed, with many more wounded. One British Indian Army regiment, troops of the renowned Royal Garhwal Rifles, refused to fire at the crowds. A British civil servant wrote later that "hardly any regiment of the Indian Army won greater glory in the Great War (World War I) than the Garhwal Rifles, and the defection of part of the regiment sent shock waves through India, of apprehension to some, of exultation to others."[3] The entire platoon was arrested and many received heavy penalties, including life imprisonment....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qissa_K...azaar_massacre

[Toramana]

Mazdood Kissan Party

Creation

At the end of 1967 the National Awami Party (NAP) in Pakistan split into the factions of Maulana Bhashani and Wali Khan. The leftist members of the NAP, many of whom were active in a Peasant Committee, decided to follow the Wali Khan faction. Soon after, the leadership of the Wali Khan, being landlords, decided to put a ban on the Peasant Committee. The leftists, led by Afzal Bangash, decided to leave the NAP rather than shut down the Peasant Committee and furthermore establish the MKP. On 1. May 1968, at a meeting in Peshawar, the Mazdoor Kisan Party was formed with Afzal Bangash as leader and Sher Ali Bacha as the General Secretary.
[edit] Early History

The MKP soon started to work together with several factions in Pakistan including the Major Ishaque Mohammad group in Punjab and leftist groups in East Pakistan. In 1970 the Ishaque group ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazdoor_Kisan_Party

The leader of Mazdur Kissan Party , Afzal Bangash...

http://www.scribd.com/doc/15372456/A...itant-Struggle

[Toramana]

National Awami Party (NAP)

The National Awami Party (NAP) was leftist political party in Pakistan. The party was founded in Dhaka in erstwhile East Pakistan in July 1957 through the merger of several leftist and progressive groups.[1] It advocated provincial autonomy, rights on the basis of ethnicity, recognition of ethinicities as 'nations'(as opposed to Islam as a nation) and a non-aligned foreign policy. It was the principal opposition party to the military regime for much of the late 1950s and mid 1960s. The party split in 1969 into two factions, the head of one faction remained in newly formed Bangladesh, while the remaining faction became the principal opposition party to the rule of Pakistan's Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. The party was outlawed by the Pakistani government in 1975 and much of its leadership subsequently imprisoned for alleged anti-state activities....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Awami_Party

[Toramana]

I don't know why are you two gentleman posting comments in this thread...My impression is, I have little knowledge of the society of Pashtuns of Afghanistan ...and same is the case with Barakzai who doesn't have a good understanding of the politics of KPK, so we cannot understand each others stance with regard to Pashtuns future social-political system..

I hope by exchanging info here, we can better understand each other...

I don't know why should this concern you two gentlemen....?

[BarakzaiAbdali]

Fair enough, Ill look into your references. However, I also know enough history of FATA now to know how ignominously Bacha Khan was recieved by the Ahmadzai Wazirs when he brought Nehru to Wana. In fact, he was told that his melma was a guest but that he should have known better than to bring that fellow to their door step.

Faqir Ipi, Mullah Powindah and others are examples perhaps of where FATA appears to have a different streak than the main sector of NWFP in regard to the nature of the movements you describe.

In fact, my father in law told me the story of Islam Bibi appears to show a clear instance where FATA has a completely different identity than the NWFP:
Regarding the Islam Bibi Case and the FATA uprising associated with it:
"When the court was in progress, a letter was received by DC Bannu, from the Faqir of Shewa, North Waziristan , apprising him of the dangerous consequences that might arise if the case would not be decided according to Shariyah."

The article here references materials from the Bannu muhafiz khana:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faqir_of_Ipi

Regarding the makeup of the forum, I cannot make a sweeping decision about NWFP and its character of religiosity on the spectrum from complete secularism Turkey Style to moderate secularism based on the aforementioned members. After all, that would be selection bias.

[BarakzaiAbdali]

I don't know why are you two gentleman posting comments in this thread...My impression is, I have little knowledge of the society of Pashtuns of Afghanistan ...and same is the case with Barakzai who doesn't have a good understanding of the politics of KPK, so we cannot understand each others stance with regard to Pashtuns future social-political system..

I hope by exchanging info here, we can better understand each other...

I don't know why should this concern you two gentlemen....?

Fair enough, I look forward to reading up on the recommended sources. I tried to understand Pakistani politics by reading Fatima Bhutto's book (I figured that she was reasonably upfront and honest) and that was a disaster and waste of time.

[Toramana]

Khudai Khidmatgar (Pashto: خدای خدمتگار) literally translates as the servants of God, represented a non-violent freedom struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns (also known as Pathans, Pakhtuns or Afghans) of the North-West Frontier Province.

Also known as "Surkh Posh" or "Red shirts", it was originally a social reform organisation focussing on education and the elimination of blood feuds known as the Anjuman-e-Islah-e Afghania (society for reformation of Afghans). The movement was led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known locally as Bacha Khan or Badshah Khan.[1]

It gradually became more political as it was being targeted by the British Raj, by 1929 its leadership was exiled from the province and large numbers were arrested. Seeking allies in India it approached the Muslim League and Indian National Congress, rebuffed by the former in 1929 the movement formally joined the Congress party. Due to pressure across India the British government finally released Bacha Khan and lifted restrictions on...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khudai_Khidmatgar

[Toramana]

The Khilafat movement (1919–1924) was a pan-Islamic, political campaign launched by Muslims in British India to influence the British government and to protect the Ottoman Empire during the aftermath of World War I. The position of Caliph after the Armistice of Mudros of October 1918 with the military occupation of Istanbul and Treaty of Versailles (1919) fell into a disambiguation along with the Ottoman Empire's existence. The movement gained force after the Treaty of Sèvres (August 1920) which solidified the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire.[1]
In India, although mainly a Muslim religious movement...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khilafat_Movement

[Toramana]

Here is a very good resource on Anjuman-i-Islahi Afaghina, the predecessor of Khudai Khidmatgars....Just to tell which political movements transformed the outlook of KPK Pashtuns ...

http://www.nihcr.edu.pk/Latest_Engli...Abdul_Raur.pdf

[Toramana]

During the Hijrath Movement...

"For example, among this handful of postcards is one of the Hijrat [Flight] Movement to Afghanistan, which peaked in August 1920. There are almost no photographs of those times surviving. Thousands of Mohajirins [Exiles] from Frontier and Punjab willingly became refugees from British rule and fled to Afghanistan that summer. After selling all their possessions, they migrated under the leadership of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan to Kabul..."

http://www.harappa.com/post4/frontier05.html