NOWSHERA: Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Mian Iftikhar Hussain said on Wednesday that the sacrifices of the Babara martyrs constituted an unforgettable chapter in history, as they laid down their lives for the continuation of democracy, the rights of poor people and resistance against the tyrant system.
He said ANP leaders had historically resisted oppression and injustice by following the philosophy of non-violence advocated by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as Bacha Khan.He was addressing a ceremony organised by the ANP in Akora Khattak, Nowshera, to commemorate Babara Martyrs’ Day. Party office-bearers, workers and political and social figures attended the event in large numbers. The ANP district president, Zahid Khan, and other speakers also addressed the gathering and paid tribute to the victims of the Babara tragedy.
Mian Iftikhar described the Babara tragedy as one of the worst examples of oppression and said force was used against Khudai Khidmatgars who had raised their voices for their democratic and political rights.
He said the martyrs of Babara were not struggling for any personal interest but had stood up for democracy, fundamental rights, social justice and the interests of the underprivileged.According to Mian Iftikhar, the Babara tragedy was not a sudden incident but the result of a deliberate plan, alleging that an elected chief minister was removed from office and an unelected person was installed in his place, after which attempts were made to suppress political dissent and democratic voices through force.
The ANP leader said history records Babara as an incident in which a large number of unarmed political workers were targeted. He said various historical accounts and narratives put the number of martyrs between 600 and 700, while there were also accounts of a large number of Khudai Khidmatgars being thrown into the Kabul River and killed.
He also alleged that the wounded were subjected to inhumane treatment following the incident and were reportedly denied medical treatment at hospitals. He also claimed that fines of various kinds were imposed on victims and their families.
