Reported by: Ch. Muhammad Natiq Ubaid
Pir Abdul Latif Zakori (1914 – 1978) – Pir Sahib Zakori Sharif played a leading role in the 1945 NWFP Assembly elections and was instrumental in securing 17 seats for the Provincial Muslim League; himself returning from Lakki Marwat, Bannu District constituency. During the crucial phase of the Pakistan Movement, he faced bravely a lot of hardships and imprisonment on many occasions. During the ‘Civil Disobedience Movement\’ he hoisted the Pakistan Muslim League flag after removing the Union Jack from the Deputy Commissioner’s House in Bannu and was arrested soon after leading a procession against British Rule.
The arrest of Pir Sahib turned into a great public uproar and a large number of his followers turned up for voluntary arrest which almost filled the entire jails of NWFP; resultantly temporary prison houses had to be arranged at Serai Naurang, Bannu, and other places to lodge the protestors. On his release on June 3, 1947, he preceded to New Delhi on the special invitation of Quaid-e-Azam to participate in the All India Muslim League Council meeting at Imperial Hotel. He delivered there an impressive and forceful speech. Quaid-e-Azam had great faith in Pir Sahibs’ political acumen and sagacity and reposed great confidence in him to turn the forthcoming \’ Referendum\’ in NWFP a success.
Pir Sahib Zakori Sharif did, indeed, come to the high expectations of the Quaid and worked so tirelessly for the NWFP Referendum that the Quaid-e-Azam addressed him as \”Fateh Referendum\”. He was one of those luminaries of the Pakistan Movement who laid the foundation of the Muslim League in NWFP and nullified the hold of all India Congress and other Anti-Pakistan forces in the Province. He remained a member of the NWFP Assembly from 1945 to 1950.
He died on February 2, 1978, depriving the Country of a great freedom fighter and leaving millions of his followers to mourn his death. To commemorate the Pioneers of Freedom (Series) Pakistan Postal Services Corporation is issuing a set of three commemorative postage stamps of Re. 1/- denomination on August 14, 1993.
