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From Khyberwatch
Shamshatu
Shamshatu
Ex-leftist tipped as new KP governor
Gohar Iqbal in Islamabad and Bashir Tariq in Lahore
The capital city of Islamabad is nowadays abuzz with the talk of change of command at the Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa Governor House. A few names are also circulating in this regard. The candidates include former Corps Commander and Wali-e-Swat Mian Gul Orangzaib, former NWFP governor Mohammad Jan Orakzai and Senator Afrasyab Khattak. Top of all, however, stands the towering figure of Afrasyab Khattak because he is being fielded by the Awami National Party of Asfandyar Wali.
The change was being mulled both in Peshawar and Islamabad for quite a few days but there were some differences of opinion about who should finally replace sitting Governor Gen (Retd) Owais Ghani. Sources, however, confided to The Daily Mail that one candidature that has almost been agreed upon now is Mr Afrasyab Khattak. But they claimed that he is also a major controversial political figure of the Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa province and his selection may anger many both in Peshawar and Islamabad.
Profiling his life and achievements so far, the sources said that Senator Afrasyab Khattak was born in an extremely poor family in a small and backward town called Lachi. But luck landed him in University of Peshawar, where he established himself as the pivotal pillar of campus politics. During the 1970s, Afrasyab permanently shifted to Afghan capital Kabul and soon succeeded in making useful inroads in the higher Afghan command. He also set up a liberation organisation there.
During the same period (early ’70s) East Pakistan became Bangladesh, in which the main detrimental role was played by India, and the former’s western frontiers were inhabited by the Pukhtuns, Afrasyab helped create the idea of Pukhtun nationalism. To further this design, the Pukhtun youth organisation “Pukhtun Zalamy” was launched.
The main task of the newly-established body, according to the sources, was to take innocent and ignorant Pukhtun youths to Kabul where they were given training to destablise Pakistan through terrorist activities. It may be recalled here that during the ’70s Pakistan in general and the then NWFP in particular remained in the grip of terror hits. Afrasyab Khattak was also a staunch supporter of Communism and the Saur Revolution of Afghanistan. During his lengthy stay in Kabul, he tasted the fruits of his friendship with successive Afghan leaders, including Noor Muhammad Tarkai, Hafizullah Amin, Bubrak Karmal and Dr Najibullah. Already enjoying his special relations with Afghan intelligence agency Khaad and the country’s Politbureau, Mr Khattak became President Dr Najibullah’s first and the last ‘alien’ speech writer. Taking advantage of the close association with the President, Afrasyab Khattak succeeded marrying a beautiful Afghan schoolteacher, the sources further revealed.
A close friend of Afghanistan’s Khaad and India’s RAW intelligence networks, Afrasyab returned to his native Pakistan during Afghanistan’s civil war and started living a recluse life. However, this seclusion did not stop him from re-joining his old party – ANP. After the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan, Afrasyab along with his diehards joined the US camp, besides enjoying his old camaraderie with the Afghan government. The sources, quoting his speeches and public discussions in the past, said that at heart Khattak was against Pakistan’s principled Afghan policy. “So, he kept his anti-Pakistan stance for very long for obvious reasons,” one of the sources told this newspaper.
In 2006, a big fisher erupted within the rank and file of the ANP. Taking advantage of the Begum Nasik Wali-Asfandyar Wali rows, Afrasyab stood with the latter and they ousted the Begum from the party affairs for ever. As a reward, Afrasyab Khattak was made ANP’s provincial president. As if not satisfied with his new bargaining position, Afrasyab used his links made with US Ambassador in Afghanistan Khalil Zalamy during his stay in Kabul to set up a special link with Washington. According to the sources, American think tanks were so ‘pleased’ with Afrasyab that they started taking briefings from him on Pakistani Pukhtuns and its tribal areas. “Khattak fathered a new theory, and the Americans named it ‘The Afrasyab Khattak Theory’,” a source maintained. According to this theory, a strong Pukhtun nationalism is the panacea for religious extremism in Pakistan’s tribal areas and the Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa province. The US administration also deemed it fit to heavily fund the hitherto dormant “Bacha Khan Trust”. These days the trust is working excellently.
Many in one – a pro-Moscow communist, Afghan nationalist and steadfast follower of American capitalism – Mr Afrasyab Khattak is a highly controversial person. After winning ANP president Asfandyar Wali’s unconditional backing, Mr Khattak has done another wonder: he has put the entire ANP leadership in the US basket. To further cement his ties with Washington, Mr Khattak also took his boss (Asfandyar) to a US junket. During his American tour, Khattak ushered Mr Asfandyar to Penta in Florida to arrange his meetings with the US officials and think tanks. The result of these meeting was that upon his return to Pakistan, Asfandyar Wali proudly declared that he has successfully presented the case of the Pukhtuns to President Bush. But perhaps it was not Mr Asfandyar who had presented his case successfully, it was Mr Khattak who had successfully sold the Pukhtuns to the Americans.
When the USSR (the so-called former superpower Russia) attacked Afghanistan with all available might, Afrasyab Khattak and his confidants were abetting Russians in the bloody game which took the lives of hundreds of thousands of Afghans. But they kept on saying they wanted to save the Pukhtuns. Later when the US started pulverising the poor Afghans, the Khattak and company, who are standing with the Americans, again are saying that they are trying to save the Pukhtuns. How a many-faceted man, who is at the same a pro-Moscow communist, an Afghan nationalist and a steadfast follower of American capitalism, can be a true Pukhtun; how he can be a loyal Pakistani. And the million-dollar question is, is it possible that he may be given a higher constitutional post responsible for Pakistan’s national security?
Gohar Iqbal in Islamabad and Bashir Tariq in Lahore
The capital city of Islamabad is nowadays abuzz with the talk of change of command at the Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa Governor House. A few names are also circulating in this regard. The candidates include former Corps Commander and Wali-e-Swat Mian Gul Orangzaib, former NWFP governor Mohammad Jan Orakzai and Senator Afrasyab Khattak. Top of all, however, stands the towering figure of Afrasyab Khattak because he is being fielded by the Awami National Party of Asfandyar Wali.
The change was being mulled both in Peshawar and Islamabad for quite a few days but there were some differences of opinion about who should finally replace sitting Governor Gen (Retd) Owais Ghani. Sources, however, confided to The Daily Mail that one candidature that has almost been agreed upon now is Mr Afrasyab Khattak. But they claimed that he is also a major controversial political figure of the Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa province and his selection may anger many both in Peshawar and Islamabad.
Profiling his life and achievements so far, the sources said that Senator Afrasyab Khattak was born in an extremely poor family in a small and backward town called Lachi. But luck landed him in University of Peshawar, where he established himself as the pivotal pillar of campus politics. During the 1970s, Afrasyab permanently shifted to Afghan capital Kabul and soon succeeded in making useful inroads in the higher Afghan command. He also set up a liberation organisation there.
During the same period (early ’70s) East Pakistan became Bangladesh, in which the main detrimental role was played by India, and the former’s western frontiers were inhabited by the Pukhtuns, Afrasyab helped create the idea of Pukhtun nationalism. To further this design, the Pukhtun youth organisation “Pukhtun Zalamy” was launched.
The main task of the newly-established body, according to the sources, was to take innocent and ignorant Pukhtun youths to Kabul where they were given training to destablise Pakistan through terrorist activities. It may be recalled here that during the ’70s Pakistan in general and the then NWFP in particular remained in the grip of terror hits. Afrasyab Khattak was also a staunch supporter of Communism and the Saur Revolution of Afghanistan. During his lengthy stay in Kabul, he tasted the fruits of his friendship with successive Afghan leaders, including Noor Muhammad Tarkai, Hafizullah Amin, Bubrak Karmal and Dr Najibullah. Already enjoying his special relations with Afghan intelligence agency Khaad and the country’s Politbureau, Mr Khattak became President Dr Najibullah’s first and the last ‘alien’ speech writer. Taking advantage of the close association with the President, Afrasyab Khattak succeeded marrying a beautiful Afghan schoolteacher, the sources further revealed.
A close friend of Afghanistan’s Khaad and India’s RAW intelligence networks, Afrasyab returned to his native Pakistan during Afghanistan’s civil war and started living a recluse life. However, this seclusion did not stop him from re-joining his old party – ANP. After the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan, Afrasyab along with his diehards joined the US camp, besides enjoying his old camaraderie with the Afghan government. The sources, quoting his speeches and public discussions in the past, said that at heart Khattak was against Pakistan’s principled Afghan policy. “So, he kept his anti-Pakistan stance for very long for obvious reasons,” one of the sources told this newspaper.
In 2006, a big fisher erupted within the rank and file of the ANP. Taking advantage of the Begum Nasik Wali-Asfandyar Wali rows, Afrasyab stood with the latter and they ousted the Begum from the party affairs for ever. As a reward, Afrasyab Khattak was made ANP’s provincial president. As if not satisfied with his new bargaining position, Afrasyab used his links made with US Ambassador in Afghanistan Khalil Zalamy during his stay in Kabul to set up a special link with Washington. According to the sources, American think tanks were so ‘pleased’ with Afrasyab that they started taking briefings from him on Pakistani Pukhtuns and its tribal areas. “Khattak fathered a new theory, and the Americans named it ‘The Afrasyab Khattak Theory’,” a source maintained. According to this theory, a strong Pukhtun nationalism is the panacea for religious extremism in Pakistan’s tribal areas and the Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa province. The US administration also deemed it fit to heavily fund the hitherto dormant “Bacha Khan Trust”. These days the trust is working excellently.
Many in one – a pro-Moscow communist, Afghan nationalist and steadfast follower of American capitalism – Mr Afrasyab Khattak is a highly controversial person. After winning ANP president Asfandyar Wali’s unconditional backing, Mr Khattak has done another wonder: he has put the entire ANP leadership in the US basket. To further cement his ties with Washington, Mr Khattak also took his boss (Asfandyar) to a US junket. During his American tour, Khattak ushered Mr Asfandyar to Penta in Florida to arrange his meetings with the US officials and think tanks. The result of these meeting was that upon his return to Pakistan, Asfandyar Wali proudly declared that he has successfully presented the case of the Pukhtuns to President Bush. But perhaps it was not Mr Asfandyar who had presented his case successfully, it was Mr Khattak who had successfully sold the Pukhtuns to the Americans.
When the USSR (the so-called former superpower Russia) attacked Afghanistan with all available might, Afrasyab Khattak and his confidants were abetting Russians in the bloody game which took the lives of hundreds of thousands of Afghans. But they kept on saying they wanted to save the Pukhtuns. Later when the US started pulverising the poor Afghans, the Khattak and company, who are standing with the Americans, again are saying that they are trying to save the Pukhtuns. How a many-faceted man, who is at the same a pro-Moscow communist, an Afghan nationalist and a steadfast follower of American capitalism, can be a true Pukhtun; how he can be a loyal Pakistani. And the million-dollar question is, is it possible that he may be given a higher constitutional post responsible for Pakistan’s national security?