NONVIOLENCE AND PUSHTUNS: THE FRONTIER GANDHI.

The history of Pashtuns encompasses peaceful settlements as well as violent battles and wars. Historians recall Afghanistan as a land of the dead, as Alexander the Great also failed to conquer it. William Dalrymple argues in his book,” The Battle for Afghanistan,” that this region has never been ruled by a single ruler, as the locals here don’t accept any emperor. After the 1750s, Afghanistan and the North Western region had been under the Durrani empire. However, the Kurds, Tajiks, and Uzbeks in northern Afghanistan had their own governance structure of tribal leaders. Additionally, accession of control was indirect as the power was given to local leaders, and hierarchical social strata were in existence. Uprisings were also there in the post-empirical era, such as during the era of Faqir of Ip, but there hadn’t been a clear struggle against coercion. The nature of Pashtun rebellions was violent and not on a large scale, but in the 20^th century, a great personality and a symbol of change came to the forefront. The Red Shirts movement and the king of Pashtuns (Bacha Khan) were a beacon of light for the once despairing, hopeless, and ignorant nation.

Born in 1890, Bacha Khan’s real name was Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, but he became famous as Bacha Khan. Belonging to the Utmanzai tribe of Yousafzai, he was from a powerful holding family, as his father, Khan Abdul Bahram Khan, was a tribal leader. So, Bacha Khan was not a struggling child but a confident boy. Before his under studies, his brother Dr Khan sahib went to London to pursue his medical studies. When Bacha Khan graduated, his elder brother called him there in England. But his mother was unsatisfied with it, so he thought to join the army. When the confirmation letter came after many struggles came and when he went there he was given short pants, as was the case with other Indians. He was unrelieved of the discrimination and decided to serve his nation despite the ill-conceived notions of the British. He started his local struggle with haji Saib of Turangzai. Together, they went on building small educational institutions and challenging the outdated segments of religion. The barriers of this struggle expanded as many people joined them. Later, as the peaceful gatherings of them went on expanding, the colonial oppressors took illicit action against them. Initially, he escaped with haji sahib, but no one can escape his destiny, and Bacha Khan got arrested. This was when the dark times of Bacha Khan spanning 37 years started.

Bacha Khan then roamed between prisons. Although, the prisons changed but the conditions everywhere were pathetic. The arrest was based on unlawful allegations against him. Likewise, he was also not treated as a political prisoner. Sanitary conditions were also traumatic, as the food was unhygienic and the water was not safe for drinking . Bacha Khan has narrated himself that the cook there was a patient of T.B.Additionally, the jail superintendent also would not allow him and his companions to read newspapers and books. Power hegemony was also there, as the complaint of Bacha Khan was not met with a pragmatic approach. Imagine the circumstances there, as roaming rats in your blanket, shivering at night because of having short dress and dump conditions in the cell, and it makes you shiver but feel the quantity of compassion and persistence which Bacha Khan beheld. He narrates that once the peon asked him for a bribe on account of serving him with a newspaper, but he stood firm in refusing him. This was how an entity on non-violence spreading a sweet message of love and brotherhood was incarcerated. The degree of smoldering went to the extent that he was not even allowed to educate his nation. However, after two decades of imprisonment, the King of Pashtuns went political and joined (All Indian National Congress, as the Muslim League refused to amalgamate them into their party. The movement of Khudai Khidmatgars (Servants of God) came into being only due to his purity of aim. The movement was then named as Red Shirts Movement as the members would wear red shirts. The movement went on, having gatherings about finding solutions for the problems of Pashtuns and others. They also held peaceful protests, and their aim was to end subjugation and grant basic rights to Pashtuns. The irony in this movement was that after the Qissa Khwani massacre and the Babra massacre, which I will explain later, an army of violent entities came into being to protect servants of good from genocide. This all account is elaborated in Bacha Khan's autobiography, "My Life and Struggle".This movement then became a symbol of non-violence in history. Although there were non-violent protesters, the state officials coerced them as in the Qissa Khawani massacre. When the Khudai Khidmatgars were protesting, the police opened fire on them, and 300 protesters died. The same happened in the Babra massacre, as 600 peaceful protestors were killed. The coercion reached its worst condition when Bacha Khan put his feet in Pakistan. This is clearly observed in an article published by Express Tribune named "Bacha Khan, a symbol of Restitution and Expiation" on 29th January, 2024.

A year after independence, during the first constituent assembly, Bacha Khan in his speech recognized the sovereignty of the newly formed state, Pakistan. Jinnah wanted to meet him, but due to Abdul Qayyum Khan and some other hypocrites, the meeting was called off. Later in the week, Bacha Khan was again incarcerated with much worse conditions. During Bhutto's regime, when G.M. Alam was funding the cause of Pashtunistan, Bacha Khan was once again imprisoned based on illicit allegations. Sherbaz Khan Mazari in his book," Journey to Disillusionment," has stated about all the oppression inflicted by Bhutto on Various Pashtun Nationals. Moreover, these were the real words of Bacha Khan," I was badly treated in Pakistan than by the British. This is why we are shrinking because we didn't respect personalities and great leaders, the consequences of which can be vividly seen in the reckoning story of the separation of Bangladesh, as we recalled them as bastards.

cruelness with Bacha Khan and his lifelong lessons matter today because turmoil is again touching heights never thought of. State-sponsored terrorism is blighting the peace and harmony in the North West. Baluchistan is again facing major uprisings. Locals in KPK and Baluchistan are sternly protesting against the state for granting basic rights. In fact, their ends are now meeting on independence from Pakistan. The state should demolish the Hybrid rule and should be concerned about the woes in Baluchistan and KPK, or if Schism can break Christianity, Pakistan has no way to be bound by it. So, Bacha Khan's life and his eternal lesson of non-violence help and guide us much in the struggle against the demolition of public rights. The aftermath of Bacha Khan's experiments with truth went on producing intellectuals like Malala Yousafzai and true politicians as well as revolutionaries like Wali Khan and Manzoor Pashteen. Evidence of this account is Malala Yousafzai's line," Bacha Khan's message inspires me every day."

Closing the zip of the article, Bacha Khan was the diamond in disguise. Although a small segment of people recall him as a traitor, the explicit proof of purity in his non-violent struggle is a basic but still unanswered question: "Why would a person, being a son of a landlord, spend 37 years in prison only for the welfare of his nation"? Being a firm supporter of education, he variously stressed that Education is the stern need of every human being. So, Bacha Khan should not be addressed as we address other political leaders, but should be studied as a symbol of love, peace, and brotherhood.A one-liner tribute to Bacha Khan, an embodiment of non-violence, will be,

"Do not feel bad when people remind you when they need you. Feel privileged that you are a candle that comes to mind only when there is darkness.