October 17, 2008	Friday	Shawwal 17, 1429

PESHAWAR, Oct 16: Nationalist politician and famous Pashto poet Ajmal Khattak was admitted to Lady Reading Hospital on Thursday for health problems.

Born on September 15, 1925 in Akora Khattak, Nowshera, Mr Khattak suffers from multiple medical problems. Mr Khattak, an acclaimed poet, politician and writer has been served twice as central president of Awami National Party. He won the provincial assembly seat in 1972 and served as a provincial minister in Mufti Mahmud-led coalition government of Jamiat Ulema-i-Isalm and National Awami Party.

Following the resignation of the provincial cabinet in protest against the then president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's dismissal of the Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s government in Balochistan, Mr Khattak elevated to the position of general secretary of NAP.He was also organiser of the United Democratic Front’s public meeting at famous Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi on March 23, 1973. He was stage secretary when shots were fired at UDF leaders, including late Khan Abdul Wali Khan.

He was witness to the political hooliganism, when several political workers were mowed down. After the incident, he went into exile in Afghanistan and stayed there till 1989. “I am deeply concerned at the political situation in the South Asia. What is being done against Pakhtuns is troubling me more than my illness,” he told Dawn from the hospital bed. He said his life was replete with struggle for democracy and aggrandisement of culture and was much concerned about the situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and other neighbouring countries.