TIMERGARA: The Akhunkhel tribe of Lower and Upper Dir on Monday announced to preserve and renovate the shrine of their spiritual leader Syed Akhun Ilyas Baba, who lived in the reign of Mughal King Zaheeruddin Babar.

The announcement was made at a function at Lajbok Darra where the tomb of Ilyas Baba is situated.

Earlier, Rahim Shah Akhunkhel, chairman of ‘Kha Bibi Welfare Trust’, a local welfare organisation, formally inaugurated the Baba’s tomb after its renovation. The shrine was built by former ruler of the ex-Dir state Nawab Shah Jehan Khan from pure wood in 1914.

Ilyas Baba (1626-1676 AD), according to his descendents migrated from Kohat region to Bisham and then to Dir in 15th century. He enjoyed popular support among locals as a spiritual leader. The Baba’s descendents later gained the powers and established a distinct political state known as Dir state.

The participants of the meeting shed light on life history of Akhun Ilyas Baba and said he was a reformer and religious scholar who changed life of Dir people by his deeds.

The meeting passed a resolution demanding of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and textbook board authorities to include contents regarding Syed Akhun Ilyas Baba in the syllabus.

They said descendents of Ilyas Baba had been scattered in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan but they lacked unity and coordination.

The Akhunkhel elders announced to bring all their tribesmen under a single, but non-political platform, in order to organise them for spreading the light of knowledge.

They said the tomb preservation project would cost Rs5 million, at which Balambat tehsil nazim Imran ud Din announced Rs500,000, while other participants also announced donating handsome amounts for the purpose.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2016