A GOLDEN PAGE FROM OUR FORGOTTEN HISTORY BAABRA MARTYRES



Pashtun history has been in the dark and it is a tragedy that unless our youth are thought opur history in educated institutions we will emerge as a nation of no pride in our past struggle and will blindly follow any idealogy to take us away from our real identity.



14 of August was celebrated throught Pakistan with drums and flags by government sponsored crowds. Just 2 days before 14 th ,a painfull event on 12 Aug. forced me to shed some tears ,when I look at the history of the Barbara massacre..Luckily many are still alive who escaped from the massacre but can still give an eye witness facts



Pashtun History is now totally eclipsed by the history of Pkistan where the history of the nation starts from Jinnah sahib and finishes at Jinnah sahib.This wa Jinnah Sahib who dismissed the first legitimate government of Dr Khan Sahib in 1948. A minority govt. of muslim league leader A bdul Qayum Khaan was imposed in Pakhtunkhwa. .Abdul Qayum not only dismissed the majority government but arrested Khudai Khidmatgaar leader Bacha Khan who was a reformer teaching non violent means for the rights of the oppressed,a symbol of peace and devoted fully to the sevisce of huminity

Jinnah Sahib was the first head of Government who dismissed the first elected govt. in a province.On his foot steps many subsequent democratic governments were dismissed by army and civilian dictaters





In protest against this unlawfull arrest and torcher of Bacha Khan, some prominent Pashtun leaders

Like Khan Sahib ,Qazi Attaullah,Arbab Abdul Ghaafoor Khan protested and permission was granted to arrange a peacefull protest of the Khudai Khidmatgar(servants ofGod).Orders were issued that not only a stick will be allowed.It is on the record these people were the followers of Bacha Khan and their motive was total commitments to non violence.n 12 AUGUST 1948 the procession started from Chaarsada to Babra grounds.As soon as crowd of many thousands of peaacefull and well disciplined Khudai Khidmatgaars ,young,old and middle aged reached the Babra grounds ,the coward muslim league leader Qayum Khan gave an order to armed police, militia and the innocent Pashtuns were surrounnnded by armed vehicles and tanks



Salaar Amin Jaan of Kochiyan was leading the Husseini Procession when they were fired first and later the firing continued for 45 minutes.



Helpless,unarmed Khudai Khidmatgaars whose motive was peace and non-violence were murdered in hundreds.According to some estimates 630 innocent people were killed and thousands were wounded



Pashtun women of the local villages were begging to stop the fire with holy Quran Sharif on their heads but the criminal muslim league leader headed by Qayum and backed by Jinnah Sahib did not listen and killing continued Many dead bodies were thrown in to river some were buried in the local ground..



Now anybody who pass on foot or in vehicle besides Babra ,they should raise their hands in respect and prey to God Almighty to bless the martyres of Babra .REMEMBER IF WE FORGET OUR HISTORY

WE WILL EMERGE AS A DEAD AND DEMORALISED NATION .THANK YOU DR A LATIF



NOTE I am gratefull to Dr M Nawaz Khalil for his inquiry and valuable information about this great and tragic event in Pashtun history.Dr Khalil is the General Secretary of prestigious Khyber Medical Association ,a social and charity organisation of the graduates of Khyber Med. College Peshawar He is currently working as a senior psychiatrist for the NHS in Manchester England