Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the icon of passive peaceful resistance in South- Asia, non-violence and Pashtoon nationalism enjoys a very important part in Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah’s life. He studied the life and times of Abdul Ghaffar Khan in detail and is pioneer on working on Khudai Khidmatgar movement and the then regional politics during the first half of the 20th century. Dr. Shah interviewed more than 50 Khudai Khidmatgars personally and is lucky in meeting Abdul Ghaffar Khan so many times. He benefited largely from the experience of these great personalities who also left a permanent imprint in his life. He found them sincere and lovely people who dedicated themselves to the service of Pashtoon community and spent many years in resisting the British Colonialism in this part of South-Asia.

After spending long hours with these stalwarts of the freedom movement, a drastic change can be observed in Prof. Shah’s life. He also personally believes in service to humanity and dedication to both his work and people. Prof. Shah took inspiration from these great souls which included Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Mian Akbar Shah, Dr. Waris Khan, Ajmal Khattak, Mehdi Shah Bacha, Abdul Ghani Khan, Abdul Wali Khan, Syeda Bushra Begum, Mian Shahin Shah, and many more who always found an important place in Prof. Shah’s everyday discussion. 

Prof. Shah always argued that Bacha Khan was a “Man to Match His Mountains” but unfortunately not properly understood in our country. Prof. Shah desires to write an authentic history of the Khudai Khidmatgar Movement and a biography of Abdul Ghaffar Khan both in Pashto and English. 

Presently Prof. Shah is being considered as an international authority on Khudai Khidmatgar Movement and Abdul Ghaffar Khan and is respected at the national and international forums for his objective and correct analysis of Abdul Ghaffar Khan and the Khudai Khidmatgar Movement. Dr. Shah is additionally also the very first student who did his PhD doctorate on Abdul Ghaffar Khan and the Khudai Khidmatgar Movement in Pakistan.