EPILOGUE 177
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liiere were no other ties between them and Afghanistan
except that the people of both countries belonged to the
same racial stock and were connected with ties of blood.
Badshah Khan also denied having any connection
with or knowledge of the recent move of the Afghanistan
Government for the grant of the right of self-deteimina-
lion to Pathans and in respect of some other questions
which had lately arisen between Afghanistan and Pakis-
tan. It was purely a matter between these two Govern-
ments, he asserted.
Denying emphatically the charge that his demand
for Pathanistan amounted to provincialism and that it
was therefore against the spirit of common brotherhood
of Islam, Badshah Khan asserted : " The essence of Islam
is equality and not domination of one by another. We
Pathans do not want to usurp the rights of others, nor
do we want them to do so. In Pakistan there are four
peoples, viz., the Pathans, the Bengalis, the Punjabis and
the Sindhis. We are all brothers. What we want is that
no one of them should interfere in the affairs of the other.
All should enjoy complete autonomy. If one needs and
asks for the help of the other, it should be given."
Asked whether that would not weaken Pakistan,
Badshah Khan said that on the contrary it would bring
about willing co-operation between the various units. He
added, " I told Qaid»e-Azana Jiiinah to allow the Pathans
to become a strong nation for their own defence and for
the defence of the Muslims of Pakistan and for the good
of humanity. I am a humble servant of humanity."
Asked whether they would demand a plebiscite on
the question of Pathanistan and why they had boycotted
the referendum, Badshah Khan replied that the referen-
dum had been Doycotted because of the wrong issues
raised therein and also because of the improper manner
of taking it. Now the^e was no question of having a fresh
referendum on that matter which they would try to settle
directly with Pakistan.
Asked whether he did not apprehend that after the
death of Gandhiji the condition of Muslims in India would
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