MARDAN: Rich tribute was paid by political leaders and members of civil society to martyrs of Takkar who were killed by British forces on May 28, 1930, when they were struggling to get their due rights from the English rulers of subcontinent.

In this regard, a programme was organised by Awami National Party PK-26 and PK-27 constituencies the other day at the monument of Shuhada-i-Takkar, which was built by the previous ANP-led provincial government.

District nazim Himayatullah Mayar was the chief guest on the occasion. District councillor Jawad Takkar, Malik Aman Khan of Jala, tehsil councilors, elders and people of the area attended the programme. According to a Pashto book titled, ‘Da Khpal Waakaye Tarun’, published in Afghanistan, 70 people were killed and 150 wounded in the violence unleashed by the British force in Takkar.

Addressing the participants, Mr Mayar said that they could not forget sacrifices of the martyrs of Takkar who had fought for Pakhtun cause during the British rule. He said that the sacrifices of Takkar martyrs and movement of Khudai Khidmatgars had played a great role in the independence of Pakistan.

He said that the ANP leaders and activists were the followers of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan who always advocated the philosophy of non-violence. He added that the rulers had carried out atrocities against them to press their voices.

Other elders also highlighted sacrifices of the Shuhada-i-Takkar in their speeches and said that it was the sacrifices of Pakhtuns which forced the British rulers of subcontinent to leave this region. May 28 was remembered every year as the day of martyrs of Takkar by residents of Takkar village in Takhtbai tehsil of Mardan.

According to local historians and elders, on April 23, 1930 a violent incident had taken place in Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Peshawar, in which nearly 100 people were killed when the British security forces opened fire on protesting citizens.

“The British colonialists were angry because the freedom movement of the Khudai Khidmatgars was in full swing at that time. After Peshawar and Utmanzai, Takkar was the stronghold of the movement and the British establishment was arresting leaders of the movement to crush it. On May 26, 1930 the British police officer Mr Murphy arrived in Takkar along with the police force to make arrests,” according to the elders.

Murphy had come to arrest Malik Masim Khan, Salar Shamroz Khan, Malik Khan Badshah, Pir Shahzada and Malik Hameed of Fazalabad. They were asked to surrender and an exchange of hot words took place between the police and Malik Masim. Ultimately, the village elders decided to surrender the next day in Mardan. On May 27, the five men set off to Mardan in the form of a procession. The British forces did not allow them to reach Mardan in procession and demanded the surrender of the five elders. It triggered a clash between the two sides. Murphy on horseback forced his way into the procession. Suddenly gunshots were heard and Murphy fell down from his horse. The women in the procession started throwing pitchers full of water on him and this led to Murphy’s death.

There are two views about the instant death of Murphy. Pehlawan Sultan from Dandao Kallay claimed that he had shot Murphy and that he died when the women hit him with pitchers.

Malik Masim and others, however, held a different view, as they believed that two brothers Amin and Said Amin killed Murphy. On May 28, the British soldiers laid siege to Takkar and its villagers witnessed the brutality of the worst kind. There was violence everywhere. Women and children were beaten up and even molested.

The British even fired at the trees to scare away the villagers who were rushing to Takkar to assist those under siege.

It is also said the people of Waitki, Saru Shah and Tambalkoo villages reached for fighting and support of the villagers. A large number of people were martyred, injured and the hujras of the leading Khudai Khidmatgars were burnt as well.

Takkar was commemorated and folksongs were written to remember the tragedy. “Pa Takkar Jang Di” is still a popular and sorrowful folksong that portrayed the village scene on the day of the British violence.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2016