On 20th January, 2008, which corresponds with the twentieth anniversary of Pacha Khan’s death, twenty Afghans met in Bonn to discuss the life, work, and desires of Pacha Khan. Among these, nine people had the opportunity to meet with Pacha Khan in person. They talked about their meetings and experiences with Pacha Khan and discussed his life and struggle for the freedom and independence of Pashtoons. After long discussion and exchange of information the following decisions were made:
A comprehensive Afghan seminar on Pacha Khan and the issue of Non-Violence in Islam organized by the Society for Promotion of Afghan Culture.
For the seminar, ten books about Pacha Khan will be translated from foreign languages into Pashto, including:
a. Abdul Ghafar Khan: Fait is a Battle (1967), Dinanath Gopal Tendulkar, Bombay, Published for Gandhi Peace Foundation by Popular Prakashan.
b. Eknath Easwaran (1999). Non-violent soldier of Islam: Ghaffar Khan: a man to match his mountains. Nilgiri Press, Tomales, CA. ISBN 1-888314-00-1.
c. Rajmohan Gandhi (2004). Ghaffar Khan: non-violent Badshah of the Pakhtuns. Viking, New Delhi. ISBN 0-670-05765-7.
d. Mukulika Banerjee (2000). Pathan Unarmed: Opposition & Memory in the North West Frontier. School of American Research Press. ISBN 0-933452-68-3.
e. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan: A True Servant of Humanity by Girdhari Lal Puri, pp. 188-190.
f. Pilgrimage for Peace: Gandhi and Frontier Gandhi Among N.W.F. Pathans, Pyarelal, Ahmedabad, Navajivan Publishing House, 1950.
g. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan: A Centennial Tribute by Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Hardcover – Dec 1995).
h. Khudai Khidmatgar and National Movement: Momentous speeches of Badshah Khan by Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Unknown Binding – 1992).
Reprint of Zma Jwand, Zma Jad wa Jahd, conditioned that the already published copy is not in the market for purchase. This book is translated into English in a condensed version. We request the interested scholars and association to take the initiative and translate it in its entirety.
Reprint of Pacha Khan’s My Life and Struggle.
Translation of My Life and Struggle from English into German. Afghanic would try to provide the necessary means for translation and printing.
Paper presentation in English and in German on Pacha Khan and the Issue of Non-Violence in Islam. The following people were selected to organize this section of the seminar: Dr. Abdul Raof Khpalwak, Hedayatullahn Bangash, and Dr. Yahya Wardak.
We are declaring the year 2008 as the year of Pacha Khan. We request the media and cultural societies and associations to write and publish about Pacha Khan and the Issue of Non-Violence in Islam and have at least one special program on the above mentioned issues.
With the help of Lar Aw Bar website, we plan to launch another website which would provide information about the seminar and help in coordination and cooperation.
In Bonn the following discussion sessions would take place:
i. Association between Mahatma Gandhi and Pacha Khan
ii. Pacha Khan’s life in Afghanistan
iii. Violence and non-violence in Islam
iv. Anjuman Islah Afaghana, Pashtoon Magazine, and Khudai Khedmatgar
v. Pacha Khan on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
vi. Pacha Khan and Today
vii. Pacha Khan on Gender
viii. Pacha Khan and Abdul Samad Khan
We request various Afghan cultural associations in Europe to organize conferences and seminars on Pacha Khan, the issue of non-violence, and the Pashtoons’ struggle for freedom and independence. Furthermore, we would contact cultural centers in Afghanistan and request their assistance in publishing and distributing Pacha Khan’s Works and thoughts.
The archive of the Afghanistan Information Center (Afghanic) would provide information, books, magazines, news clips, and photos on Pacha Khan. Therefore, we request our countrymen to help us expand selection and build our archive by providing us with materials on Pacha Khan.
25/01/2008, Bonn, Germany
Reported by Yahya Wardak
