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Published 21 Jan, 2022 11:06am

Social media users pay tributes to Bacha Khan on his death anniversary

In a bid to keep the memory of one of South Asia's leading freedom fighters alive, Twitter users have been sharing images and quotes of Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as Bacha Khan, on his 33rd death anniversary.

The Awami National Party has dedicated the week as Bacha Khan Week and used the opportunity to hold talks to honor the man who was a devout pacifist who advocated for Hindu-Muslim unity in the subcontinent.

In 1929, Khan founded the Khudai Khidmatgar, a non-violent movement to resist colonial rule. The movement suffered some of the most brutal assaults against it by British administration. Although he opposed Partition, once Pakistan was created he pledged his allegiance to the new Muslim state.

The ANP also held a seminar to honor his political ideologies of non-violence.

Bacha Khan's influence on history weren't just limited to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

India's Congress party too tweeted their tribute to the freedom fighter known as the Frontier Gandhi for preaching non-violence.

One user shared a video clip of India's prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and wife Sonia visiting Peshawar to attend his funeral.

A seminar honoring his life was also held in London on Thursday.

Another user shared an image of Bacha Khan attending a rally to raise awareness about peoples rights.

Many Pakistanis believe Bacha Khan to be a traitor because he opposed the creation of Pakistan. This was not lost on social media, many of whom shared quotes and recordings of the leader in a bid to get people to ask who benefitted from portraying him as a traitor.

This recording purportedly of Bacha Khan shows how foresighted he was when he says a country which worships power and wealth cannot unite to fight for democracy.

Human rights activist however raised an important question in his tweet when he asked how many TV channels aired programs about the death anniversary of a man once compared to Martin Luther King of South Asia.

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