From Khudai Khidmatgar to Awami National Party: A Comparative Study of Ideology and Political Legacy

Abstract

The study provides a brief overview of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and the Awami National Party (ANP). The Khudai Khidmatgar, founded by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan), was a socio‑political reform movement in North‑Western India that mobilized Pashtuns through non‑violent resistance against British colonial rule. After Pakistan’s creation, the movement’s members joined the National Awami Party (NAP), which embraced leftist, secular, and socialist politics. Though influential, NAP eventually fragmented, leading to the formation of the ANP, which claims to uphold the Khudai Khidmatgar legacy. This research critically examines the strategies, aims, ideologies, and organizational structures of both movements, highlighting continuities and transformations. Using a qualitative and analytical approach, it explores how ANP represents a continuation of Khudai Khidmatgar principles while adapting to new political contexts, noting both similarities and differences in their agendas and legacies.

Keywords: Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Non‑Violent Resistance, Pashtun Mobilization, British Colonial Rule, National Awami Party, Secular and Socialist Politics, Awami National Party, Political Legacy.