SWABI: Political and civil society activists have threatened that if the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board doesn`t remove a controversial lesson about Pakhtun hero Malik Kalu Khan from the ninth grade English book, then they would take the case to court.

Addressing a convention on `Kalu Khan, a hero of Pakhtuns`, at Haqqani Library Hall here on Sunday, they maintained that Yousafzai Action Committee (YAC), formed for this purpose by political parties, would move court against the textbook board officials and the book`s writer if the `insulting` lesson was not removed.

It was decided that members of the action committee would meet KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar, officials of the textbook board and provincial education minister soon in Peshawar to discuss the matter.

The action committee has a memberfrom each political party and literary organisation.

On the occasion, Mohammad Jamil Advocate, a columnist and founder of the drive to get the lesson removed from the book, said Kalu Khan fought against Mughal Emperor Akbar so bravely that the latter was forced to build the Attock Fort at the edge of the Indusforhis defence.

`Though the Mughals were looters the Pakhtuns were portrayed as looters in the said lesson titled `Snare`,` he pointed out.

Awwal Sher Khan, former forest minister, said the lesson was written and included in the book under a wellthought out conspiracy to distort the character of Kalu Khan and twist the facts about Pakhtun leaders. Ghafoor Khan Jadoon, former provincial food minister, said YAC members should meet the lawmakers and appraised them about the facts. `A resolution for removal of the lesson should be moved by them in the provincial assembly,` he demanded.

Saleem Khan Advocate of QWP said Pakhtun terrains were called by British and other invaders as `diamond necklace` because these were full of natural resources. Due to economic reasons various invaders invaded the region but Pakhtun supermen like Malik KaluKhan, Malik Gaju Khan and Malik Ahmad fought and pushed them back bravely.

Najeem Khan of JUI-Nazriati said it was high time for Pakhtuns to unite against all those who were bent upon defaming them and their heroes.

District nazim Aamir Rehman said they rejected the book which presented Kalu Khan as a looter. He said the district government would help the YAC in achieving its objective.

Tehsil Razaar Nasim Ghulam Haqqani announced that his government would build mausoleum of Kalu Khan.

Tehsil Swabi Nazim Wahid Shah said the writer was enemy of the entire Pakhtun nation.

Iftikhar Ahmad Khan of PML-N, Mehmoodul Hassan of JI, Rangaiz of PTI, Javid Ingilabi of PPP, Mohammad Ali Dagaiwal of Pakhtunkhwa Ulasi Tehreek, Mohammad Jalil of Abaseen Union of Journalists, Mohammad Sagheer of Swabi bar, Aziz Minerwal of Qam Qalam, and others also spoke on the occasion.

Through three resolutions, the participants of the convention demanded to replace on the lesson with tales of Pakhtun heroes, action against the writer and introduction of Pashto as compulsory subject in schools.