The Lost Swat

There is no government writ in the valley.
Militants still control the valley. They patrol the city and every village
during night hours.

FM is still on air and sermons and important
announcements are being broadcasted regularly every evening. People are still
approaching militant’s commanders for their disputes, controversies and
grievances. Militants are quick to react and decide the local matters in their
own established style.
The police are confined to the main city of Mingawara
and that also during day hours. Their role is nominal. Militants have taken the
reins of law and order situation in the valley.
It is believed that training
camps are in full swing with more strength and zeal in the notorious peripheries
of the valley.

Youngsters are inclined towards militancy. Students of 9th
and 10th classes of both private and government schools are imparted with jihad
training, both ideological and military. Every one knows it but due to the
extreme fear of militants’ wrath prefer to remain silent. Even parents are
helpless in this matter. That is why the people say that Peace Truce is nothing
else time given to militants for re organizing their ranks.

Sufi is the
actual source of inspiration for Fazlullah.
Both are the two faces of the
same coin. His past is the clear evidence of his intentions. Sufi has openly
ordered the Judges (who worked in the courts before Nifaz Adal Regulation) in
Swat that they need not come to the courts. He firmly believes that there is no
accommodation for western law educated judges in Sharia. The judges do not visit
the courts, and similarly the Lawyers also avoid courts in Swat. The irony of
the situation is that the provincial and central governments are the silent
spectators of this spectacle.

Children go to schools. Female students go
to schools observing strict Islamic code of Purdah. (Covering of body with bulky
clothing called Burqa). Many female students have abandoned their schools due to
Parent’s reluctance to send their children to schools in the uncertain and
explosive situation in Swat. Female teachers perform their duties in schools
observing Purdah but most of the school buildings are either demolished or in a
dilapidated condition.

The government has not yet arranged alternate
premises for teaching.
Teaching activities are in progress in the city of
Mingora where few schools buildings have survived the recent turbulence. Most of
the Schools in the rural areas are still not functioning. The hovering fear of
militants still permeates the valley.

The Nifazi Adal Regulation has no
clear clause, which bans music, dancing or driving cars by female. But one
ambiguous term, Fuhashi (vulgarity, obscenity), further strengthen the militants
and the ignorant clergy. They will certainly apply it on music, shopping in
markets and female working in NGOs declaring these activities un-Islamic and
against Sharia. Female dancers and singers of the valley have either abandoned
their profession or have left the area because of serious threat to their
lives.

The IDPs are retuning to the valley. They are common people and
were dislodged by the indiscriminate mortar shelling and firing of the security
forces.But most of the people who fled Swat, with their houses were looted,
burnt and razed by the militants have not yet come to the valley, so far. They
are in direct confrontation with militants and cannot come to Swat because
militants have put their name on the most wanted hit list. The nobles,
politicians and parliamentarians of Provincial and National assemblies are
included in this category.

The militants are in no mood to allow NGOs and
other western sponsored organizations to start their activities in the area. The
militant Chief, Fazlullah, has openly announced that NGOs should avoid working
in the valley.

The government has reiterated the issue of development but
no practical steps have been taken yet. The militants have warned the government
that without their prior consultation on any developmental initiative, no
helping hand will be forwarded in this regard. This is the clear stance of the
militants in the post peace deal scenario.

The Taliban movement in Swat
has become a source of inspiration for militants of other areas of Pakistan. The
Taliban network is organized and effective in the whole of Pakistan. They will
ultimately try to replicate it in their respective areas. The upsurge of Taliban
movement in the neighbouring districts of Dir lower and upper is a fresh
example.