GHALANAI: A gathering will be held at Ghaziabad in Safi tehsil of Mohmand Agency on Saturday to commemorate the services rendered by Haji Sahib Turangzai, a prominent leader of Reshmi Roomal Tehreek.

The gathering is being held after seven years when Taliban had occupied the mausoleum of Haji Sahib in July 2007. The urs of Haji Sahib Turangzai is being held on April 14, 15 and 16 every year.

Haji Sahib, a leading figure of the freedom movement, was also the founder of Peshawar’s historic Islamia College. Haji Sahib’s fearless struggle against the British Raj encouraged the freedom fighters to set up educational institutions in the area.

Haji Sahib was not only a spiritual leader, but also one of the pioneers of the freedom movement. He mobilised the people of India against foreign domination. Haji Sahib, who defeated the British forces at Karapa, was a follower of Sheikhul Hind Maulana Mahmoodul Hasan, a prominent scholar of Darul Uloom Deoband.

Haji Sahib and his colleagues migrated to Mohmand Agency on the directives of Sheikhul Hind and made it their new abode. An official said that all arrangements had been finalised and the gathering would be held with religious fervour on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2015

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