PESHAWAR: Awami National Party has announced to open schools under Bacha Khan Trust in different areas including Afghanistan to impart quality education so that Pakhtun children could compete at international level.

Addressing the inaugural session of centenary celebrations of Anjuman Islah-i-Afaghina and Bacha Khan Week here on Wednesday, ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan said that Bacha Khan fought against British imperialism and raised voice for people’s right to vote.

He said that ANP would continue the mission of Bacha Khan. He said that his party would hold a public meeting on January 23 in Peshawar to pay homage to Bacha Khan, the founder of Anjuman Islah-i-Afaghina and Khudai Khidmatgar Movement.

He said that ANP was running several organisations including Bacha Khan Research Centre, Bacha Khan Health Foundation, Bacha Khan Agriculture Foundation and Khudai Khidmatgar Tanzeem to serve the people belonging to different walks of life.

Seminars, literary sessions and public meetings being held to mark Bacha Khan Week

Aimal Wali said that Bacha Khan opened schools to impart free of cost education to children and his party would continue to create awareness among people.

He said that 15 such schools were still functional in the country.

He said that it was the objective of ANP to raise voice for rights of people in true sense. He said that Bacha Khan created awareness among people and the mission he started 100 years ago was currently followed by his fourth generation. On the occasion, 10 books published by Bacha Khan Research Centre were also launched.

People belonging to different walks of life including poets, doctors, lawyers, teachers and students attended the event.

Besides ANP central vice president Hussain Shah Yousufzai, finance secretary Haji Hidayatullah Khan, provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak and provincial spokesperson Samar Haroon Bilour, party’s lawmakers and Cultural Attaché of Afghanistan in Pakistan Hazrat Wali Hotak were also present on the occasion.

The students of Bacha Khan schools and Khudai Khidmatgar Tanzeem had set up stalls of local handicrafts and the items used by Bacha Khan and his comrades. Pigeons were also released on the occasion as sign of peace.

The organisers of the event said that Anjuman Islah-i-Afaghina was founded by Bacha Khan in 1921.

Seminars, music concerts, declamation contests, poetry recitation sessions, book launching ceremonies, book stalls and papers presentation on the life of Bacha Khan would be part of the week long celebrations.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2021