Pakistanis have come out of that ominous state of baffled, bamboozled and befuddled apathy and now showing the same signs of unity and sacrifice that we had witnessed after the 8th October, 2005 earthquake.
Especially the people of Swabi, Mardan and the suburbia villages have set an example of extreme human sacrifice and the generosity. More than 3.5 million people have become internally displaced from the war-torn Swat and FATA and only six percent of these IDPs are living in the camps setup by the government, while rest of them have become guests of the common people in various cities of North West Frontier Province.
That is why we decided to reach out to the IDPs, people who are in the homes of others. We reached Shahbaz Garhi, a remote village near Mardan with our small truck load of relief goods, and started knocking from door to door to distribute dry edibles, mediciens, some fans, and other things.
It was during this effort that I came across, Palwasha – a beautiful sad looking teenage girl. She shyly asked me to give her some clothes, which I didn’t have but I promised her to send it through parcel, the very next day.
In talking to young Palwasha I learnt much I did not know. What the media had never told me, Palwasha revealed between her tears and anger.
Palwasha was living in a small village near Charbagh area with her three sisters and parents, and all of them remained oblivious to the skirmish between government and Taliban, and perhaps that became their sin of which they paid dearly. They didn’t see any thing differnet when Taliban promised them Shariah, she said, because they were Muslims already and certainly liked to have a Muslim law. They wanted speedy justice and equal opportunities, besides they didn’t want to look like opposing the Shariah law. And so, they welcomed the Taliban.
Palwasha’s family was just yet another family from the Charbagh area of Swat, which is rich in beauty but lacks most development amenities. Her father was a miner in an Emerald mine, and when Taliban came and forced them to take their way and occupied the rich mines, the earnings of Khanzada, father of Palwasha, were slashed to less than half. As usual, the first cut the family made was to terminate the education of all the sisters, and then upon food. Things were tough, and Palwasha’s family was unable to comprehend this Talibanic Shariah.
Palwasha told me that early one morning, five Taliban came smiling to their home and one of them told her father to marry his four daughters to the four Taliban accompanying him right now. He father showed some presence of mind and instead of refusing asked one day for preparations. When Taliban came next day, the whole village opened fire at them from the rooftops, and after killing all three dozens of them, they fled the area.
According to Palwasha, that became common occurrance in the villages and even in the cities of the Mingora, where Taliban asked for forced marriages. At some places Taliban gave three choices to the family: marry the girl, furnish boy for fighting, or pay Rs. 50,000.
Palwasha got quite gloomy and said, “I have no idea when I will be able to go back to my home in Swat. Such is life there these days.”
Note: Ghazala Khan runs the blog The Pakistani Spectator, and had visited these IDPs along with her colleagues to distribute relief goods.
Hello friends and brothers
I am from MAURITIUS and just got here by fluke while searching for the enrapting, enchanting voice of Nayarra Noor and read about Palwasha.
I like the open-minded article of Ghazala Khan. I would like to say thatit’s time that Pakistanis rise above emotion and live up to lofty human standards and shun off fanaticism (though I don’t want to over generalised). Being a Hindu Mauritian, we have many friends in other faiths including my good Muslim friends and the truth is that I fail to understand why there is so much hatred?
This being said, (hoping you would understand my sincerity and point and not see this with other motives), I hope that Pakistani (InshaAllah) will take the destiny to rid the country of fanaticisms of Talibans and keep the flame of human progress and dignity with and through mutual respect, love and sharing alive.
Long live Pakistan and its peaceful people at large and may God bless you in your noble endeavour.
It makes you so angry when you read something like this. The Taliban are so full of contradictions it’s ridiculous.
whistling of wind in Swat was replaced with the clanging of arms?How the rippling waters in the Swat become red with the human blood?How the rustle of leaves ,the odour of flowers,the fruit of Swat replaced with a pack of hounds and stacks of arms?
The people of Swat were groomed by the then rulers of Swat State so differently that even most of the Pukhtons don’t consider them pure Pukhtons,the fundamental difference is the hate for arms and battles ,which distingusihes Swatis from the rest of the Pukhtuns.Even it is famous that Britishers were reluctant to get recruits from Swat for the 2nd World War,because of the peaceful nature of Swatis.
The gradually empowered anti-State Elements(ASE) and their sudden disappearance form Swat have made major problems for the government and the whole population of Malakand Division.Now,as the IDPs started going back to the vale there are some important questions in the minds of the people.
Are they safe?
Will the hounds not strike back?
Nothing could be said absolutely,the ASE have either moved out or have camouflaged themselves.The
anti-state elements have good friends and supporters outside of the country and in Pakistan ,even in the security agencies.The elected governments both in Islamabad and Peshawar are still miles away to give a durable peace to the bereaved people of swat .Mailitary of Pakistan is delivering and doing its constitutional duty but sory to say they our Military which is headed by Gen.Ashfaq Kiyani has more taste for doing their extra-constitutional activities .Most of the people who were present in the war zone in Malakand Division are of the view that Military of Pakistan has become used to Islamabad instead of doing their own constitutional duties.
“Do more in the right direction” instead of just “Do More” is what the peace loving people of Pakistan say and they also expect this form Americans in Afghanistan becuse untill Afghanistan is unstable Pakistan can never become peaceful.
The “French” are still in “Portugal” and “Wellington” shoud say “Don’t halloo till you are out of the wood”
Syed Tariq Shah
Malakand
@Atif:
There are probably a million other stories like this, it’s plain foolish to expect the media to report all of them.
Atif: Blogging is the media only where these things can be brought to limelight and discussed.
Aziz: Its not about money, its about power.
A Khan: Yeah its the obligation of gov, but any such exists in Pakistan right now?
Eidee: Its not just about Wahabi or any other sect, its about power and everybody is vying for it.
Faysal: We have to rise above prayers. We have to act.