Adil Najam
Found this very interesting older PTV documentary on Swat (3 parts) from only a few years ago (maybe 3 or 4). Ordinarily it would not have been noteworthy. Slightly slow moving in typical PTV style. But view it today – knowing what is happening in Swat today – and tears swell up in your eyes and rage rises in you veins. This is the Swat that was. The Swat we knew. The Swat that is being destroyed.
Here are just a few highlights from the documentary that would have sounded mundane only a couple of years ago, but in light of today’s reality which seem like they were spoken in another life, another century.
Part III: “Miandam ki khaas baat yahan ka sakoon hai. Jitna sakoon, peace, tranquility mein nay Miandam may daikha hai shayed hi kaheen hou!” (“Miandam’s special trait is its tranquility. The amount of peace and tranquility that you see here, it is difficult to imagine anywhere else”).
Part I: “Mingora shehr kaafi ba-ronaq aur rawaN dawaN shehr hai. Yahan kay loug khush o khurram, friendly aur baRRay mehman nawaz haiN.” (“Mingora city is very lively and bustling with activity. People here are very happy, friendly and hospitable.”)
Part I: Note the description of the Swat Museum, including talk of the “priceless” treasures and also of art and sculpture.
Part II: Note the description of the giant Buddhas of Jehanabad; since defaced by the Taliban.
And just in case you have been on a different planet recently and missed what is happening in Swat today, here is a more recent documentary from Dawn TV:
Another part of Pakistan destroyed by the bearded morons and their guns.
It is understandable to express sadness and outrage over the situation in Swat. But let’s not forget that, throughout human history, there have been bloody insurgencies. For those of us living in US or UK, let’s not forget the civil wars fought by these nations. The current times are no exception. Just look in Pakistan’s neighborhood for comparison. The beautiful island nation of Sri Lanka has had a long and bloody insurgency by LTTE. In India, a Maoist group calling themselves the “Naxalites” have exploited economic inequalities to carve out a “red corridor” of activity that runs from the Nepalese border to the jungles of central India. Operating in thirteen of India’s twenty-eight provinces and boasting between 10,000 and 20,000 dedicated followers, the Naxalites pose India’s biggest internal security challenge. In contrast to the scattered actions of Kashmiri separatists, the Naxalites are in every way a traditional communist insurgency.
So my message to you is: Don’t be despondent. Counterinsurgency is something very very difficult for the conventional army of any nation. But Pakistani military and government are learning from their experience and it can and will eventually defeat the insurgents, if the people of Pakistan support their efforts by words and deeds. It is much easier to criticize and express dismay at these events than to actually deal with such events.
May Allah bring back those days of peace in swat and in Pakistan.
Reminds me about my tour in the amazing valley of Swat. Although i was a kid at that time but still i have very beautiful images of the valley in my mind. All fresh like it was yesterday:). Thanks for sharing such a nice video.
I was lucky enough to visit Swat in 2006. That was my first visit of any of the Northern Areas and it truly was breathtaking.
Hopefully we can preserve other cities in that region.
Although we cannot attract enough foreigners in that region, our local Pakistanis love to visit and relax.
Check out my pictures from the trip by clicking on my name above.