Abstract
Dr. Mohammad Farooq Khan, an ambidextrous, stood up with ‘innovative’ views, apparently inconsistent with the traditional personality traits and norms of the Pakhtuns, tried to bring a change in the ways and thinking of the people through persuasion and education and adopting every possible means traditional or modern printed and electronic media. Opposition to him and his views did not detract him from the path which he had chosen for himself and for his people. When he was in the process of de-radicalization and rehabilitation of the militants and development of a public sector university in Swat-once under the control of the Taliban militants, he was murdered in Mardan in October 2010. There is a need to answer the question that under what conditions a single individual can induce a broad, positive impact on tradition ridden society? Social Change is a constant, on-going process affecting all areas of life. The intellectual elite carry more weightage in a society, which is unexposed to, or lag behind in industrial and technological development such as the Pakhtun region. In this paper, an effort has been made to link the role of an individual in the process of social change among Pakhtuns and the possibility of emergence of such individuals in Pakhtun society, a society that is apparently adamantly resistant to innovation and change. This individual is Dr Mohammad Farooq Khan, a man of astute acumen and steadfast commitment. In the first part, elements contributed to his socialization process are discussed. In part two, his work in the context of Pakhtun society is highlighted. In part three his views in two selected areas; Jihad and women in Islam has been critically evaluated, it in turn leads to conclusion.