History has gifted us many remarkable leaders—M Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and countless others—who stood against oppression and injustice. Yet, if leadership is measured by sacrifice, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to peace, then few in the last thousand years can rival Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, affectionately known as Bacha Khan.

Unlike many who rose to prominence through conventional paths of power, Bacha Khan was not just a leader; he was a movement in himself—a force of nature who championed non-violence in one of the most warrior-driven societies on earth. Despite enduring 39 years in prison, exile, betrayal, and systematic neglect, he never wavered from his ideals of peace, education, and unity.

Born in 1890 in Utmanzai, a modest village in present-day Pakistan, Bacha Khan belonged to the fiercely independent Pashtun society. He could have chosen the traditional path of tribal leadership, which often meant ruling through power and retribution. However, he defied convention by committing himself to the cause of education and enlightenment. At a time when colonial rule deliberately kept the Pashtuns illiterate, he established Azad Schools across the region to empower his people through........

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