"Politics and Persecution: Pashto, Pashtun and Pashtunistan" - Autobiography of Samad Khan Achakzai
A towering figure of the Indian subcontinent’s independence movement, Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai’s political career spanned the colonial and post-colonial eras. His progressive politics were national-democratic, anti-imperialist and anti-feudal. He advocated for democracy, civil rights and the rule of law and envisioned a single Pashtun province, which would incorporate all the contiguous Pashtun-inhabited areas east of the Durand Line with Pashto as the working language and medium of instruction. Altogether, he was sentenced to imprisonment for 40 of his 66 year life, a time he used to gain academic credentials and pen most of this autobiography. He is reverentially remembered as “Khan Shaheed” – the Martyr Khan.

Ayaz Khan Achakzai is a public policy expert and development economics practitioner. His work in international development includes stints at the World Bank, United Nations, private consulting and non-profit organizations. He was educated at Colby College, Oxford University and Princeton University. Ayaz is the co-translator and editor of My Life and Times.
Date: 30 April 2024, 14:00 (Tuesday, 2nd week, Trinity 2024)
Venue: St Antony's College, 62 Woodstock Road OX2 6JF
Venue Details: Pavilion Room
Speaker: Ayaz Achakzai (Independent Public Policy Expert)
Organising department: Asian Studies Centre
Organiser: Thiruni Kelegama (Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: asian@sant.ox.ac.uk
Part of: Modern South Asian Studies Seminar Series
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Public
Editor: Clare Salter