PESHAWAR: Senior leaders as well as young activists of Awami National Party marked the Babrra massacre and observed Aug 12 as black day.

ANP general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain attended a gathering in his hometown Nowshera and recalled how unarmed Pakhtuns were fired at by the then provincial government on Aug 12, 1948.

The Khudai Khidmatgar, the followers of Bacha Khan, including women and children, were protesting against the arrest of their leaders and party workers when government forces opened firing on them, killing around 600 activists and inuring 1,000, said Mr Hussain.

He said that the injured were denied any medical treatment at government-run hospitals and were left to die. The injured were thrown in jail, he added.

The ANP leader said that the Babrrha massacre taught the ANP workers to remain peaceful and follow the philosophy of non-violence.

Marks Babrra massacre by offering prayers, holding gatherings

There might be rift between the ANP and ANP-W but both had the same stance on the Babrra massacre.

Begum Nasim Wali, veteran politicians and widow of Khan Abdul Wali Khan, attended a memorial service held at Ghazi Gul Baba Mosque in Babrrha town of Charsadda district.

She said that youth should not forget the sacrifices of the Babrra peaceful protesters, who stood for righteousness and followed Bacha Khan.

Young leader and provincial information secretary of ANP Haroon Bilour also took part in a gathering held at Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar to commemorate the sacrifices of the unarmed Pakhtuns, who were killed while protesting peacefully against the arrest of their leaders Bacha Khan and his sons Wali Khan and Ghani Khan on Aug 12, 1948 at Babarra town of Charsadda.

A large number of party workers, present at the Markaz, vowed to continue with the Khudai Khidmatgaar Tehreek and follow the philosophy of non-violence.

It was a black day for Pakhtuns, who, despite fighting against the British, were tagged as traitors and brutally killed, they said.

The gathering offered prayers for the victims of the Babrra massacre.

While such gatherings were held in Peshawar Charsadda and Nowshera districts, the young party activists were also active on social media and shared posts about Babrra massacre. They called it the black day in the history of Pakhtuns.

The members of Pakhtun Students Federation and young activists of ANP in far flung areas like Bajaur tribal agency also held prayers for those killed in Barra massacre.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2015

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