Osama Tells

During our academic years most of us have studied about Jallianwala Bagh’s massacre but one such incident took place in our own hometown Peshawar which is not even mentioned in history books. It is the Qissa Khwani Massacre. On 23 rd of April,1930 the people of Peshawar city held a protest against the British Raj for arresting their beloved leader Bacha Khan. The protest was nonviolent in nature but it infuriated the British government. The Army was called to scatter away the people but they refused to disperse away. The British Army opened fire at them killing many people.Some protestors were also crushed under the vehicles of the British army. The people of Peshawar witnessed how the state’s army killed the people of their very own land. The surprising factor was the refusal of some soldiers to fire. This included the Garhwali Regiment’s refusal to fire upon the protestors which further vindicates the fact that the protestors were unarmed and were nonviolent as preached by t...

My Great Grand Father: Remembering his struggle against the British Raj and his memories of Mahatma Gandhi and Bacha Khan. Ghulam Haider Khan was born in a Hindko Speaking Siddiqui family of Peshawar. He joined Khudai Khitmatgaars tehreek whose leader was Bacha Khan. He was highly impressed from Bacha Khan’s movement of nonviolence against the British Raj. On return from a visit to Calcutta when a fellow comrade of his asked him how was his meeting with Gandhi. He replied, “ The meeting was very positive and when he helped Gandhi ji to get out of his car, Gandhi ji smiled and said he loves Islam”. Jirnaal Ghulam Haider Khan had close terms with Shahrukh Khan’s father and Uncle Gaama. They were staunch supporters of Mahatma Gandhi and Bacha Khan too. Haji Adeel’s (ANP)(1944-2016) father Hakim Abdul Jalil (Khudai Khitmatgars) also used to visit Ghulam Haider Khan. Gaama made a small political party of his own Anjuman e Ghurba. He used to hold strong rallies against British Rule. Ji...

My story of knowing Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is not an ordinary story. He was the first man I came to know during the elections of 2008. My Grandfather who passed away this month was the main reason behind the fact that I have known Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for so long.   I was just 9 when I first time read about him in a book “Ayub,Bhutto and Zia. How they fell victim to their own plans”.   There is no doubt that he was extremely charismatic when I heard his speeches that he made in the past. My quest for reading the politics of South Asia began with Bhutto and Jinnah. If the people of Pakistan had to name one man who has ruled the political arena   of Pakistan during 1970’s he is none other then   Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.   Also known as Zulfi among his friends. His life is of a hero. Born on 5 th of January 1928   in Al-Murtaza ,Larkana to Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto and Khursheed Begum.   Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was educated at the finest   aceademic institutio...

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