Militants blow up shrine of Pashto poet, politician Ajmal Khattak
Ajmal Khattak – Dawn file photo
NOWSHERA: The shrine of famous Pashto poet and leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) Ajmal Khattak came under attack by suspected militants in Nowshera on Wednesday.
Khattak, who passed away on February 7, 2010, was a renowned poet of the Pashto language and among the most prominent politicians of the region.
A bomb was planted at his shrine in the Akora Khattak village in Nowshera district, which blew up the dome and walls of the structure, police officials told DawnNews. Following the attack, the area was cordoned off by the police. Rescue officials arrived at the site; however no injuries have been reported.
Police officials have not been able to identify the type of bomb planted and its intensity, but according to some figures, 80 per cent of the shrine has been destroyed.
Khattak authored several books in Pashto and Urdu and served as senator and an MNA but lived in his tiny village home in his native Akora Khattak village until he died due to protracted illness in 2010.
His first poem was published in 1944 in the magazine Pakhtun and the first collection of his poems, Da Ghairat Chagha, was published in 1958, but banned in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
His popular books include Batoor, Gul Parhar, Guloona Takaloona, Da Ze Pagal Wom?, Zhwand Au Fan, Kachkol, Da Afghan Nang, Da Wakht Chagha, Da Zhwand Chagha and Qisa Zama Da Adabi Zhwand.
Khattak also authored Jalawatan ki Shairi, a collection of his Urdu works.
He served as the president of the Awami National Party on two occasions and became the party’s general secretary in 1973. He received the Kamal-i-Fun Award in 2008.
In 2010, the shrine of Sufi poet Abdur Rehman Baba was attacked in a similar manner by militants in Peshawar.
Such tactics will surely spread Baba’s message even far and wide. They can never kill his ideas of peace and progress.
whosoever has done it, it is against all norms of decency and militates against the very code of pukhtoons.
Ajmal khattah was a man of superb integrity and will be well rememberd for his contribution towards the left politics,in KPK in particular.Desecrating his mazar is a very shamful act,to say the least.The dastardly act is against all norms of decency and the very code of Pukhtoon.
Shame on u militants. Shame on u terrorists.
you can not blow up the honor and respect he commands. shame on you .
It's an unfortunate and uncivilized incident.
It is very sad.
This is a real coward act. My in laws are from Akora Khattak and not ANP supporter at all, but Ajmal Kattak was an honest politician I have even seen. Very simple and honest person, and if one goes and sees his home / Hujra, it is reflected there.
I am neither fan of Late Ajmal Khatak nor the fan of ANP but I am saddened by these Muslims who are involved in such activities. They have the best personality of our prophet Peace be upon him and his teaching. We can not show any of the examples like these dirty things during that period of ignorance done by present age of Muslims all over the Islamic Countries. I invite them to read each item of Qur'an in their language many times and think about the accountability on the day of resurrection. I invite them to read Ahadith of Prophet Peace be upon him. Shame on these so called Muslims they are not helping Muslims they are defaming Muslims and Islam as well.
Another job well done Mr. maHAlik, disgusting cowardly act by them.
Mullah Mafia Murdabad…
its really a coward act, who so ever are the culprits, they may be bring to justice
Muslims believe in two period model of life, that is, stage-1 here in this world and stage-2 as life-after-death. Muslims strongly believe that after death, Allah Himself will held everybody accountable for their actions as the ultimate judge as His name " Al-Munsef" signifies. Given this understanding, Muslims usually forgive their deads for whatever wrong they did to them. This incident shows that we are not even capable to deal with our deads according to our faith. May Ullah forgive us and late Ajmal Khattak
Shame on the Militants and on our public for being insensitive to such events.