Hopes and realities

Akbar Zada, Anwar Ul Haq
Friday, 15 May 2009

The lush green valley of Swat where the mountain peaks covered with snow seemed like a bride and the trees dancing with the breeze with the whisper of the leaves and the melodious voices of the birds used to be a frequent sight has been dazzled.

The mountain peaks have either been trenched by Army or Taliban. The whispering of the leaves and melodious songs of the birds have been overtaken by the unbearable sounds of mortars and artillery fire.

The civilized people of Swat who kept this valley as a symbol of peace, love and harmony for hundred of years had never thought of this bloodshed and hatred. The innocent people of the valley had been made to accept that the battle is for the survival of the state of Pakistan and had to face the hardships they never used to.

From the past one and a half year they were continuously battling for their lives either by the imposing of the curfew or being caught in crossfire between the Army and Taliban. But never in their dreams had they thought that one day they will have to leave their beautiful valley. They left their homes in utter emergency with the children screaming and the women and men running for their lives leaving their belongings at the hands of Allah.

Many of them had to cover their journey by foot in the absence of any transportation till Dargai about 50 km from Mingora. But on the way at least they were of the hope that the journey of hardships will end by crossing the Malakand pass where the Government of Pakistan would be there to help their people who were facing the unseen hardships for the survival of pakistan. But all their hopes faded away where everything was on their own to find shelter or food for their dear ones and children.

But at this hour of need the people of Dargai, Mardan and Swabi came to their rescue and provided their brothers and sisters with what ever help at their disposal which is mark of the Pathans i.e hospitality. Some provided them with bottles of water on the way some shared their houses, provided them with food.

But to their utter astonishment the Government didn’t come to their rescue at the time when the popular theory of (the survival of Pakistan) was circulated.

If the people of Swat were paying the price of the survival of Pakistan, was it not the duty of the Government of Pakistan to provide decent shelter and food to the refugees of Swat.

Also here they realise that the Government is taking them as tool to collect money from the donors which they will never get.

The people of Swat long before this so called Talibanisation were tradionalist where pardah (veiling to cover their faces) was common. Here they had to live with new realities to survive. Back in Swat they lived in spacious homes. Here they have to stay in tents. No decent shelter no food no water without electricity in this heat will never win their hearts at a time they need the most.

The proud people of Swat are also made a target by the media, where every one is followed by the eye of the camera hurting their ego. They were never used to live in an open tents or waiting for a piece of bread in line upon lines where for every drop of water they have to struggle to feed their children.

The media should play a responsible role in this process by not exploiting their miseries and exposing their women to the whole world but act according to their culture and tradition.

This is not earthquake or any natural calamity for which you are not prepared but this was a preplanned operation .The government should have taken all the necessary steps for the relief of the displaced people.

Email: akbarzadasw@yahoo.com