The Evolution of Leftist Politics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore the history of the evolution of leftist politics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, which underwent a long process of transformation. Beginning with anti-colonial sentiments of opposing the British imperialism in undivided India, the revolutionary struggle fused with Pan-Islamism during the Khilafat movement and finally came into direct contact with Bolshevik ideology at the end of Hijra (travel) to Afghanistan and beyond. It is important to note that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and recently merged districts of former FATA had played an important role in the espionage and export of communist ideology into British India. It is also worth mentioning that Communist Party of India (CPI) viewed the right of self-determination as genuine right of the Muslim and supported the establishment of Pakistan by many ways. The leadership of CPI urged communists to support Muslim League (ML) candidates in 1946 General Elections which is considered the basis of Pakistan movement and many of them like Mian Iftikhar-ud-Din have joined ML It is therefore interesting to investigate the evolution and development of leftist politics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, so that to locate the social and political history of its gradual developments. Keywords: Pan-Islamism, revolutionary, anti-colonial, communist, nationalist, NWFP, progressive