The changing face of Bacha Khan’s Party

SAEED MINHAS Awami National Party (ANP) was supposedly founded on the principles of Khudai Khidmatgar propagated by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, which talk about non- violence. Like any other political philosophy and party, though, it too has degenerated to such a level that its Senator is now openly warning of launching an insurgency if the demands of his constituents are not met. Khan Ghaffar Khan, known as Sarhadi Gandhi and a fast friend of Mohatama Gandhi since the start of 20th century, would never had thought of resorting to violence even when the British Raj let hell loose on his followers following the 1929 movement named Khudai Khidmatgar .  He did not even think of violence when he felt betrayed by Indian Congress for accepting the partition of subcontinent. His only words quoted in the annals of history after feeling hurt by Ghandhi’s non- consultative posture towards him were that “You have thrown us to the wolves.” One of his three sons, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, who later founded ANP, remained a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and played an important hand in the formation of the 1973 constitution. Despite having a liberal stand against extremism, the party has hit the headlines for many odd reasons throughout these years. Starting from Begum Naseem Wali Khan’s undergarments episode in foreign lands to Hoti’s land grabbing, from Bilour’s cinemas and Railways sagas to Asfandyar Wali’s purported money-matters in the name of his son’s dwindling business fortunes in far eastern countries, Khudai Khidmatgars have become all but inward looking. In the latest breakaway from its pacifist posture, party’s Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash, who also happens to be the chairman of Senate’s standing committee for education and training, has warned the federal government of a Baluchistan like mutiny in Hangu for depriving its population of basic amenities of life. Though he did not set any deadline for starting such a violent insurgency, the intent and content of his talk with the media was enough to convey that it’s coming anytime sooner rather than later. No doubt the issue has been of great significance because the lands from where state run organizations, with the help of a

Hungarian oil company, have been extracting over 700 MMCFD gas and over 9000 barrels of oil on a daily basis. Despite assurances to the local tribes and residents, neither foreign firms nor local state organizations have fulfilled any of the promises. Resultantly, a group of 28 notables from TAL called upon Senator Bangash in Islamabad, where in front of the media teams they vowed to resort to a full scale insurgency if their demands are not met henceforth. Whether it’s a party policy or a political strategy Senator Bangash was towing was not clear. What remained absolutely clear was that he was hell
bent upon bulldozing the non-violent norms of his party and stage a revolt if his home town people are not compensated. OGDCL has been extracting Gas and Condensate/Oil since 2002 from TAL which accounts for 8% and 12% of the country’s total Gas and Condensate/Oil production respectively. It is a Joint Venture Partners since 2002. It was supposed to cater to almost 100% gas demand of the province of KPK. Areas under exploration of the ministry of oil and gas include districts Kohat, Karak, Hangu of KPK and some areas of North Waziristan and Orakzai agencies of FATA, spanning over 4600 square kilometers. MOL Pakistan owns 10.5264% exploration & 8.4210% production phase working interests as an operator of TAL block and has six successive discoveries to its credit. The first discovery was made at Manzalai-1 exploratory well in December 2002 whereas the second discovery was at Makori- 1 exploratory well in January 2005. However, a delegation of 28 notables from TAL area revealed before the journalists that neither they are given any gas for domestic consumption nor has their area been developed. With no educational facilities, safe drinking water, power, dilapidated roads, and utter backwardness, people feel agitated, the head of delegation Saba Khan told the reporters. In the presence of Senator Nabi Bangash, Saba Khan said that if conditions were not improved they will boycott the upcoming elections, bomb the gas and oil installations and pipelines and block all the roads leading to their area. Endorsing the delegation from his home town, Senator Bangash said that “these people are being forced to resort to open mutiny by the continued ignorance of the state institutions and political governments.” Accusing the former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf of diverting the already announced development funds of over Rs. 900 million to his native constituency in Gujar Khan, the Senator revealed that Raja Pervaiz Asharf spent over Rs 48 billion in just a few months in his constituency but completely ignored the allocation done by his predecessor Yusuf Raza Gilani for TAL area. “Baluchs were forced to take up guns against the state after similar injustices and if people from TAL are not given their due rights, insurgency is sure to take place in these sensitive areas,” he said affirmatively when asked.