No one interested in $50m US fund for Swat’

Monday, March 30, 2009
By Rauf Klasra

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Anne W Patterson made a shocking revelation on Sunday that $50 million exclusively meant for the rehabilitation and development work in Swat and Northern Areas was lying unused at the US embassy in Islamabad, because the quarters concerned were not interested.

The huge amount, readily available and exclusively meant for the rehabilitation and development of the troubled areas, is just being wasted. Patterson was quoted as telling by former PPP senator Enver Baig during a visit to his residence on Sunday.

She said they needed some security, so that the people could go in those areas to start the development work. She said they needed access. But response was not coming, she added. She went to meet Baig to show her respect after his retirement from the Senate. Baig used to interact with the Americans on behalf of Benazir Bhutto.

Talking to The News, Baig said Patterson had told him that a readily available fund of $50 million was available with the US embassy and wondered how could they avoid use of such a huge amount. He said this fund could also be used to help the displaced persons of the militancy-hit areas and to generate job opportunities for hundreds of people in those areas.

Earlier, during her discussion with Baig, Patterson said the US wanted to assist Pakistan in flushing out the extremists. She said: “We fully understand the religious sentiments of Muslims, but at the same time, the suicide bombings and extremism too do not depict what Islam preaches. The US is ready to give economic assistance to help eradicate this menace.”

Baig told her that the US must engage with all the political players in Pakistan, as the war on terror could only be fought collectively. Baig said that until and unless the people supported this war, armed forces would not be able to win for Pakistan or the international community. Patterson said the Americans were engaged with all the political players in the country and efforts were being made to carry everyone onboard, because it was in the interest of Pakistan and the international community.

 

Source:http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=169842

TNSM satisfied with Swat peace deal

Updated at: 1955 PST, Monday, March 30, 2009 

SWAT: Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) Swat Amir Muhammad Iqbal Monday expressed satisfaction over Swat truce deal, but warned of unrest across the country against any attempt to sabotage the pact.
Speaking to Geo News in Peshawar, he said that provincial government was sincere in restoring the peace in Swat.
He said that Swat would soon become a place of peace.
TNSM Swat Amir said that Taliban’s basic demand was to enforce Sharia in the valley for which a large number of people rendered sacrifices.
No untoward incident took place after promulgation of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation on February 16, he commented.
Iqbal further said that situation was back to normal in Swat while educational instates had also been reopened.

 

Source:http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=73169

Taliban lashing a girl publicly in Swat Valley

Militants lashing a girl in Swat Valley, Pakistan. The girl was accused of being in love with a local boy. However the charge is not confirmed.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCb_vqUl7qg

Taliban tap into Swat’s emeralds

LAHORE: As the NWFP government struggles to get approval for a peace deal from the centre – the Taliban in Swat have taken over operations in the valley’s emerald mines, which produce jewels of international quality and were previously controlled by the government.

Located in the mountains that ring Mingora, the mines – along with the Panjshir mines in Afghanistan – hold the largest known deposits of emeralds in South Asia. BBC News has reported that the Taliban overtook operations four months ago. “It is for the benefit of the public that we have reopened the mines,” a senior Taliban commander told the BBC. “They are open to anybody who wishes to mine them as long as they follow our rules.” When fully operational, the mines yielded a quarter of a million carats of emeralds between 1978 and 1988.

The last official estimate put the projected yield at about 13.2 million carats. Gemstone dealers say that most emeralds range from just under one carat to just over five. Prices range from $1,000 to more than $100,000 for a cut stone. However, workers at the site told the BBC their average daily wage was only about Rs 400 per person. “It’s still a good deal as previously all this was going to waste,” said one worker. Taliban commanders too are positive about its benefits. According to the terms of the deal, the Taliban take one-third of the yield of each set of miners. The costs are shared equally by the Taliban and the miners. The group says it is not directly involved in the operations themselves. But the rules, which include amputation for theft and strict adherence to sharia, mean only those with strong Taliban sympathies are allowed to operate. So far the government has made no move to contest the Taliban’s control of the mines. daily times monitor

PM says no drone attacks in Swat, Balochistan

Updated at: 1455 PST, Saturday, March 28, 2009 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Saturday there will be no drone attacks in Swat and Balochistan as Pakistan has already discussed the issue with the US.

Addressing a parliamentary party meeting, Prime Minister said that we will accept the verdict of court in Sharif brothers eligibility case and Punjab government. We had extended our hand of friendship, which was accepted by the opposition.

Premier Gilani has directed the members not to chant slogans during President’s address to the parliament.

Three more Taliban released in Swat

Updated at: 1800 PST, Saturday, March 21, 2009

SWAT: The government has released three more Taliban in Swat.

Those released included Noorul Hadi, Mian Syed and Rasheed.

Taliban had provided a list to the government containing 210 names for their release out of which 31 persons have so far been freed.

Government had arrested these Taliban by launching a crackdown against them.

Child suicide bombers recruited in Pakistan by taliban. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy investigates.

 

"Award-winning Pakistani journalist Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy investigates how the war on terror is creating a generation of child terrorists in her homeland - children prepared to kill both inside and outside Pakistan.
Sharmeen investigates how the Taliban are recruiting increasingly younger fighters to their campaign. She meets a 14-year-old boy in her home city of Karachi who is desperate to become a suicide bomber. She then follows the elite unit of the anti-terror police squad - who warn that the Taliban are hiding out in the city's sprawling slums and recruiting children from small madrassas in deprived neighbourhoods.
Sharmeen also interviews a Taliban commander responsible for child recruitment, who reveals that children as young as five are now being used by the Taliban."

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-9/episode-1

People gather in a courtroom in Mingora

 

People gather in a courtroom in Mingora, capital of Pakistan's troubled valley of Swat on Thursday, March 19, 2009. Judges trained in Islamic law began reviewing cases Tuesday in a northwest Pakistani region where the government has alarmed the West by agreeing to impose religious rule to make peace with the Taliban. (AP Photo/Sherin Zada)

Pakistan frees 20 Taliban militants in Swat valley

Press Trust Of India
Islamabad , March 20, 2009

First Published: 20:51 IST(20/3/2009)
Last Updated: 20:55 IST(20/3/2009)

Pakistani authorities on Friday freed 20 jailed militants as a 'goodwill gesture' to carry forward the peace process in the Taliban-dominated Swat valley.   

Among the militants set free was Noorul Huda, the brother of Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan, officials in Swat were quoted as saying by state-run APP news agency.     

The militants were released as per the provisions of a peace agreement signed last month by the NWFP government and Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah Muhammadi (TNSM), a group of religious hardliners led by Sufi Muhammad, the father-in-law of Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah.

Officials said the militants were freed as a 'goodwill gesture' on the part of the government to move forward the peace process in the restive region.

The 20 militants freed on Friday morning by security forces were handed over to a peace committee, a day after the Taliban demanded that the authorities release 210 prisoners.

More than 30 Taliban prisoners have been freed since the pact was inked.

The release of the militants followed long deliberations between the local administration, security forces, members of the TNSM and the peace committee. The TNSM and the peace committee assured the government that the freed militants would not resort to any violence.

Western powers, including the US and UK, have expressed concern over the peace deal in Swat, with some saying it could help the militants to regroup.

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=RSSFeed-News&id=8993b32c-8789-4277-b582-2cac6a99eaa6&Headline=Pakistan+frees+20+Taliban+militants+in+Swat+valley

Girls Return to School in Pakistan's Swat Valley

 

From: Feminist Majority Foundation

A deal has been struck between the provincial government and local officials and militants in a northern part of Pakistan known as the Swat Valley that will allow girls to return to school there.

In December, regional Taliban leader Mullah Shah Doran announced an education ban on women and girls in the Swat Valley. The directive set a deadline of January 15 for all girls, both in single-sex and co-educational schools, to be withdrawn. The Taliban threatened to bomb schools that ignored the directive and to severely punish violators. At the time, teacher Mohamed Osman told the Times of India that "we have no choice but to follow the orders. The government cannot give us protection. Taliban runs a parallel government in 90 percent of the area of the district and they execute everyone who opposes them."

In recent months, thousands have fled the Swat Valley, formerly a tourist destination. Shahnaz Kahn, a mother who fled the region, told IRIN News that "All the best teachers from my children's schools have left. I do not think they will go back. According to my relatives there, many children have gone back to schools but there are now too few teachers."

Enrollment of women and girls in schools and colleges in the Swat Valley region before the ban was only a quarter of what it was only three years ago, before the Taliban gained strength there, according to The Australian. In the past year, more than 180 schools, many of which were all-girl institutions, have been destroyed in the area. During the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which lasted until 2001, Afghan girls were forbidden to attend school.

 

Source:http://us.oneworld.net/article/360735-pakistani-girls-return-school

Khalifa Charity Foundation delivers aid to Swat Valley people in Pakistan

 

WAM
Published: March 19, 2009, 12:37

Abu Dhabi: The Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Charity Foundation gives more humanitarian assistance to needy people in Swat Valley in Pakistan.

Fighting between government forces and rebels in the area has left more than 450,000 people homeless. The UN expects the number of displaced to rise to 600,000 within weeks.

A delegation from the foundation is on the ground to oversee the distribution of relief items, including tents, blankets, and essential foodstuff.

While there, the team has conducted field assessments of the urgent needs of the population who are facing severe economic conditions.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said $18.6 million were needed to run relief operations for displaced people in Pakistan.

Source:http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Government/10296235.html

Disputes end in Swat; situation improving: Afrasyab

Updated at: 1800 PST, Thursday, March 19, 2009 

PESHAWAR: President Awami National Party NWFP, Senator Afrasyab Khattak has said that the dispute has ended in Swat and the overall situation is improving at a rapid pace.

Talking to media after addressing a seminar held under the auspices of Bacha Khan Trust, Afrasyab Khattak said structure of judicial system would be prepared after President signs the draft of regulations for Nizam-e-Adal.

“The President will affix his signature on the draft regulations for Nizam-e-Adal,” he said.

He told the reporters that other courts would work simultaneously with Qazi courts in Swat.

To a question regarding pulling back of troops from Swat, Afrasyab Khattak said the withdrawal of troops is linked with improvement in law and order situation there.

Source: http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=72033

Three policemen killed in Malakand University ambush

Updated at: 0517 PST,  Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Dir: Three policemen killed in Malakand University ambush DIR: Three policemen were killed including an ASI while four others were injured as unknown militants attacked on University of Malakand located in Chakdara area in Dir on early Wednesday, police sources said.

According to sources, unknown militants opened fired at the University of Malakand following a rocket attack on late night following which militants opened fire at a police mobile which arrived here for rescue purpose.

As a result, ASI police Azizullah Khan and two constables Adam Khel and Inayatullah died on the spot while four other persons including a watchman were injured, sources added.

The suspects set a university point bus on fire and managed to flee unharmed on a university bus. Meanwhile, injured have been shifted to hospital.

First case decided under Nizam-e-Adl Regulation

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By our correspondent

MINGORA: Though the proposed Nizam-e-Adl Regulation has not been formally promulgated in Malakand division, the newly appointed Qazis have started hearing cases in accordance with it.

The first case of civil nature was decided under the proposed law in Khwazakhela on Tuesday. The details of the case showed that a resident of the area owed Rs37,000 to his fellow villager.

The Qazi Court took Rs21,000 from the borrower in cash and paid it to the lender and asked him to pay the rest of the amount in instalments. The Malakand division Commissioner Syed Muhammad Jeved also visited the court to overview the proceedings.

The commissioner also met veteran leader of the Awami National Party Afzal Khan Lala at his residence in Durushkhela, Matta, and discussed the prevailing situation in the valley. Meanwhile, the Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi chief Sufi Muhammad went back to his native village Maidan on Tuesday.

Exams started: The Intermediate examinations started in the valley on Tuesday. Syed Muhammad Javed visited several examination centres in Charbagh, Khwazakhela and other areas. Alternative arrangements were made for the students of those schools, which had been destroyed, in the military operation.

In the Dherai area of Kabal tehsil, people staged a protest and blocked Matta-Mingora Road for all kinds of traffic. They demanded dismantling of checkpoints set up in the educational institutions and private properties.

Swat: Shariah court goes operational in Matta

Updated at: 2020 PST, Wednesday, March 18, 2009 

SWAT: A Sharaiah court has also started operating in Matta Tehsil of Swat. 

A total of 24 cases were filed at the court out of which two were disposed of the same day.

The very first case was filed by a driver in the court of Qazi Ali Khan in which the driver stated that he wanted patch up with the bereaved family of a man killed in an accident by his car.

The parents of the deceased, who were present in the court, pardoned the driver.

Swat valley locals happy to buy Sharia peace

17 Feb 2009, 2102 hrs IST, Nandita Sengupta, TNN

NEW DELHI: The world may be outraged over Pakistan government's truce with the Taliban but Swat valley, the focal point of the deal, erupted in joy on Tuesday.

There was general merriment on the streets of Mingora, the valley's most important town, say activists based in Peshawar and Mingora. Not everybody supports Taliban. But many are relieved by the promise of normalcy after being sandwiched between Taliban and the army over a 20-month stretch of bloodbath.

"We wanted peace at any cost. In Swat, people are very happy and celebrating," Musarrat Hilali, Peshawar-based lawyer-activist told TOI on phone. "Everyone's calling it the great surrender but even I am 10% happy. At least I feel safe," says Hilali, a staunch supporter of ousted Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

Fear among locals had reached sickening heights in the last year with 1,200 people killed in the valley also described as the Switzerland of Pakistan. Over 170 schools and colleges have been reduced to rubble by bombing and around 300,000 people displaced.

The imposition of Sharia law is being seen as a way out of the impasse. For the past two years, local courts were deserted. Which is why out-of-work advocate A Vilayat, who works in Mingora, is preparing to return to court. He is expecting work to be altered by the new Sharia laws. "Sharia was imposed earlier in 1994 then in 1999. This
time we expect more changes," he says.

On Tuesday, talks between the jirga (elders) of the Taliban and local administrations were expected to bring in new hierarchies. There will be no concept of Supreme Court anymore, says Vilayat. "The headquarters of the new courts for the region will be in Mingora. Cases won't have to be taken to Islamabad any longer," he says.

Criminal cases will have to be closed within four months, civil cases within six months. A three-month crash course will be mandatory in the Islamic Council for those who haven't studied Sharia laws in their LLB. A Sharia representative, possibly from the Taliban, will be present with greater power in every court. In 1994, such a person was paid Rs 5,000 per month; in 1999, Rs 10,000. The final stop for all appeals will be the Mingora court.

Designations will be changed, so a judge will become a qazi a sessions judge, a zila qazi. A beard will be compulsory for all judicial officers.

"People are romantic about Sharia," says columnist-activist Zubair Torwali who fled Swat in December. "With this truce, the government believes it has isolated the militants from the locals, and the militants believe they won because their demands are being met."

Despite the relief, everyone knows the peace may be short-lived. "This rule may spread to the rest of the country. It's not the judicial system. It's a question of who is the power centre. In Pakistan now, anyone can impose their writ on the strength of the gun," says Hilali.

Torwali, for one, will wait till March to see how things will pan out before planning a return. "We are sceptical. I am not sure what will ultimately happen."

But Vilayat is not expecting anyone to return right now. Many houses have been destroyed like the schools. "Schools are expected to open by March but where are the schools?" he laughs in resignation.

 

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Swat-valley-locals-happy-to-buy-Sharia-peace/articleshow/4145365.cms

Gilani says Swat pact will be ratified soon

Friday, March 13, 2009
by Dilshad Azeem

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani on Thursday came up with another promise with Parliamentarians to get peace pacts including Swat accord ratified from President Asif Zardari despite Washington’s opposition.

“As high hopes are being attached with Gilani as Chief Executive, he appeared to be all-out confident to obtain presidential nod on US-opposed Swat agreement and those struck in tribal areas,” JUI-F Secretary General Senator Ghafoor Haideri told The News here.

A delegation of JUI-F federal ministers and MPs met the premier placing before him a three-point agenda, Malakand accord and other peace agreements, implementation of parliamentary recommendations in tribal areas and release of funds for JUI-F senators.

Gilani has already announced on the Floor of the National Assembly to end governor’s rule in the Punjab as early as possible and that “he will talk with President Zardari for an action allowing majority party to form government there.”

Explaining discussions and PM commitments, Haideri said that military, as per commitment of the prime minister, will be pulled out of these areas particularly those fall under the accords and particularly in reference with Swat.

“Not only his response was encouraging but he was also ready to implement the pacts within shortest possible time on getting these ratified by Zardari,” he maintained. Haideri said that the JUI-F delegation while commenting on the prevailing political scenario opposed the Supreme Court decision, which disqualified Sharifs and imposition of governor’s rule in the Punjab.

“We contended that no political party or the lawyers could be stopped from staging a long march or dharna but at the same time, the responsibility of safeguarding life and property rest with the government,” he said.

On indirect contacts between Sharifs and Zardari, he said the PML-N leader did not respond since Maulana Fazlur Rehman conveyed Zardari’s willingness to be flexible on two core issues, reversal of Feb 25, 2009 steps and judges reinstatement.

“The government had actually agreed to revive pre-Feb 25 position through filing a review petition in Supreme Court or through Article 63 of Constitution but without restoring Justice Iftikhar Chauhdry,” Haidri maintained.

When asked about Nawaz Sharif’s desire, he explained that he (Nawaz) had asked Zardari to call the lawyers’ leadership to find a way out for judges’ restoration besides accepting demands regarding the Punjab government. “Zardari was not ready to accept lawyers’ involvement in CJ case.”

To another question, he said, “Gilani told us that Asif Zardari had given a personal commitment to Jan Jamali to retain him as deputy chairman Senate under the arrangements decided in presidential elections.”

Gilani directed the concerned authorities for immediate release of funds for the development schemes in the areas of the JUI-F senators. Other members of the delegation included Federal Minister for Tourism Maulana Atta-ur-Rahman, Federal Minister for Housing and Works Rehmatullah Kakar, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Swati and Senators Gul Naseeb Khan, Haji Ghulam Ali, Muhammad Talha Mahmood, Maulana Saleh, Abdul Rasheed, Maulana Rahat, Liaquat Bangulzai, Khalid Jan, Syed M Hussain and Dr Khalid Soomro.

Taliban releases abducted Policemen: Swat Pakistan.

Abducted Policemen from Qambar Mingora Swat, released by Taliban.

Qazis installation in Barikot Swat, Pakistan.

Qazis visiting Brikot Swat courts. Government appointed seven Qazis in six tehsils of the troubled Swat valley

Related Link:http://todayswat.blogspot.com/2009/03/qazis-start-functioning-in-swat.html

Qazis start functioning in Swat district today

Thursday, March 12, 2009
By our correspondent

MINGORA: Keeping its pledge about appointment of Qazis in Swat, the Awami National Party-led NWFP government Wednesday announced that Qazis would start work in six tehsils of the district today (Thursday).

The ANP had declared that the provincial government would install Qazis in courts in Swat valley by March 12. After imparting training to 26 judicial officers on Nizam-e-Adl Regualtion, the government appointed seven Qazis in six tehsils of the troubled Swat valley.

Recruitment of Qazis in other parts of the district and division would be carried out in next phase.Two Qazis in Babozai and one each in Barikot, Khwazakhela, Kabal, Matta and Bahrain would take charge today (Thursday). Malakand Commissioner Syed Muhammad Javed hoped that now people would get cheap and speedy justice.

Earlier, the visiting NWFP ministers Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Wajid Ali Khan expressed hope that complete peace would soon return to Swat valley. They reiterated the NWFP government’s resolve to honour all promises made with the Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM).

“We are satisfied with peace deal with Sufi Muhammad because peace restored in Swat after this accord,” Mian Iftikhar said.The cabinet members said that they had been consulting representatives of TNSM from time to time and would continue the process of talks for effective implementation of Nizam-e-Adl and complete restoration of peace. The ministers said that chief minister and governor had signed the Nizam-e-Adl draft and hoped that it would soon be signed by the president. Qazis courts across the division, they added, would be established to start practical work. After appointment of Qazis in Swat, they would also be installed in other districts of the Malakand division.

Regarding release of Taliban prisoners, they said the prisoners would be freed in phases, adding the government had set free prisoners in past. It may be mentioned that the government released 12 militants a few days back on the demand of Sufi Muhammad. Under the peace deal, the militants would be released. However, the government is taking extreme care in freeing the militants.The ministers were on a two-day trip to the valley where they met members of Qaumi Amn Jirga, TNSM and militants.

 

Source:http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=166729

Shariah before 15th

By: RAUF KHATTAK | Published: March 10, 2009

PESHAWAR - Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Monday signed the proposed Nizam-e-Adl (Sharia’h) Regulation, 2009, and sent to the Governor for forwarding it to the President for final approval, sources disclosed to TheNation here.
Giving details of the proposed Nazam-e-Adl, Provincial Law Minister Barrister Arshad Abdullah Monday said that the provincial government has finalised the Nizam-e-Adl Regulations 2009.
Addressing a Press conference at media centre here, the minister said the proposed draft will reach President Zardari within three days and expressed the hope that these ‘regulations’ would be put into operation before March 15, 2009 in Malakand Agency and Kohistan district of Hazara Division.
He further said that there is a complete consensus on the document and all the stakeholders including MNAs, MPAs, all political parties and Swat Taliban have backed it.
Announcing the main points of Nizam-e-Adle regulations, the law minister said that two appellate sharia courts would be established in Malakand Division, whose verdict will be final.
The final appellate shariat court at Supreme Court level will be called “ Dar-ul-Dar-ul-Qaza” which is designated under this Regulation, in pursuance of clause (2) of Article 183 of the Constitution. The second appellate shariat court at high court level will be called “Dar-ul-Qaza” means appellate/revisional Court constituted by Government in the said area, under clause (4) of the Article 198 of the Constitution.

The law minister said Nizam-e-Adl regulations shall come into force at once and shall be deemed to have taken effect on 16th of February 2009 in retrospect when the chief minister announced the same and informed that through Nizam-e-Adle regulations a full-fledged old magistracy system of governance would also be restored in the Provincially Administrated Tribal Areas (PATA).
In each district or protected area, there shall be a District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and other Executive Magistrates, as the Government deems necessary and the District Magistrate and the Executive Magistrates shall discharge their responsibilities and exercise their powers according to the established principles of Sharia and other laws for the time being in force, in the said area. The District Magistrate shall supervise the work of other Executive Magistrates in the District, he added.
Abdullah further said that government had also repealed collective responsibility act mentioned in 1999 regulations for PATA and now the executive magistrate will only take action against the individual not of the whole family or tribe in crimes cases.
According to Nizam-e-Adl Regulations, 2009, draft, after commencement of the regulations the existing laws, instrument, custom or usage having the force of law not corresponding to the Injunctions of Quran and Sunnah-e-Nabvi (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) or provisions of any of the laws applied to the said area shall be ceased with immediate effect.
Besides, Dar-ul-Dar-ul-Qaza and Dar-ul-Qaza, there shall be five category courts of competent jurisdiction including Court of Zilla Qazi, Court of Izafi Zilla Qazi, Court of Aa’la Illaqa Qazi, Court of Illaqa Qazi and Court of Executive Magistrate.
It is also to mention here that the outfit Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) had set March 15, a deadline for the government to implement Nizam-e-Adl before it or they will start their own Shariat courts in Malakand division.

Source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/10-Mar-2009/Shariah-before-15th/1

Swat and saving Pakistan

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Zafar Hilaly

More information regarding the Swat deal between the government and the Taliban has come to light. It now appears that the Taliban were bought off by the government for a sum ranging between $6 and $10 million. What was essentially a bribe was labelled as compensation for losses and damage suffered during the fighting. On the other hand the destruction, executions, rape and pillage wrought by the insurgents have been condoned; so too the continuing abductions of district officials and military personnel. It seems that if the insurgents wish to talk to an official, the latter has no option but to either present himself or be abducted. Even military patrols have to obtain the prior clearance of the Taliban before setting out. No where else in the world does a national army have to obtain the permission of outlaws to patrol their own territory.

Similarly the mores of the inhabitants of Swat will now be vetted by the Taliban. Those, especially women, who do not conform to the Taliban's obscurantist version of Islam will be punished and, if they survive, banished. No doubt soon, if not already, we will learn that as in Kabul under Taliban rule women will be banned from washing clothes on the river banks; or have their clothes tailored by men; or use make up or nail varnish; or laugh or speak loudly lest they "excite" men. All of which goes to show that in the search for peace and quiet the government has sacrificed justice and the rights of half the population of Pakistan contained in the Constitution.

Liberals have been criticised for trashing an agreement that has brought peace to Swat and is welcomed by the locals. Actually, locals who fought heroically against the Taliban in the expectation that they would be backed by the government were dumb founded when the military for all its vaunted claims was unable to prevail mostly because they were unwilling to sustain losses; and having lost the will to fight preferred to let the government take the rap for their failure and cobble a deal which amounted to surrender. How do I know? Because there was not a single Swati, of the dozen or so that I have met and talked to, who thinks otherwise. Moreover their loathing for the Taliban is now only matched by their contempt for the military. When I asked one of my interlocutors the reason for the universal acclamation of the agreement by their folk in Swat, shown ad nauseam on TV channels, they shuffled about uneasily till, that is, one of them confessed, "Because they know that if they say anything else they will be slaughtered by the Taliban". The peace that Mr Hoti has bought in Swat is one that has set a lethal precedent; besides it will also prove a bad bargain when it collapses.

But Mr Hoti alone is not to blame. The pusillanimous stance of the centre is no less culpable. Saving Pakistan, a project on which our politicians are seemingly launched and which, we are often reminded is "work in progress" is nothing of the sort. There is little work and no progress. And as if we need to be reminded the events at Liberty Chowk provided further evidence. It is not merely that the terrorists should want to kill Sri Lankan cricketers but that they should nearly succeed in a city that is virtually in a lock down because of the terrorist threat and, having attempted to do so, saunter away casually without a hair on their bodies being ruffled. When it comes to deciding which of the two is less efficient, the military or the agencies, or India or Pakistan, the choice is a toss up.

There are many who share the blame for the sad pass in which we find ourselves including, let it be said, the masses whose penchant for electing errant politicians and patiently tolerating dictators seems endless. To hope that matters will improve is unrealistic unless the state structure is righted. For instance, a successful democracy requires government to be local, accountable and elected which they are not in Pakistan. Provincial governments operate, or cease to, depending on the whims of the centre as we are so dramatically witnessing in the Punjab; nor are they accountable (accountability is a dirty word in our political milieu) or truly elected because rigging in elections is endemic. To expect a system so flawed to succeed, let alone "rebuild" is fanciful. Saving Pakistan therefore requires a new governmental structure to replace the current dysfunctional entity.

While I have no idea what, unless it is the present functioning anarchy, most suits our peculiar genius and will concede immediately that the best of structures in the hands of the worst of men will similarly fail, I do recall that the Lahore Resolution of 1940, also known as the Pakistan Resolution, envisaged NOT a unitary state for Muslim India but a number of "independent sovereign states" a proposition which, if heeded, would have ensured in 1971 the survival of the perforce loosely aligned Islamic Republic(s) of Pakistan and may still prevent a meltdown of what remains.

The writer is a former ambassador. Email: charles123it@hotmail.com

 

Source: http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=166511

Qazi conference underway in Swat

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

 
SWAT: A Qazi conference is underway at the DCO office in Saidu Sharif here on Tuesday.

NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, provincial minister Wajid Ali Khan, Commissioner Malakand Division Syed Muhammad Javed and DCO Swat Khushhal Khan are attending the conference.

The conference will discuss Nizam-e-Adl and other related issues.

A delegation comprising 25 Qazi will meet with Maulana Sufi Muhammad to discuss the setting up of Qazi courts.

 

Source: http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=71082

Listening Post - Media Vaccum in Swat Valley - 6 Mar 09 - Part 2

On The Listening Post this week; media freedom is under threat in the Swat Valley. Plus, the Obama administration lifts the media coffin ban.

Source:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ffj3ZmvMhI

Swat Report during Army operation

Source:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASbI3PSXGg0

Sufi asks militants to end blockades in Swat

Deputy chief of Swat militants reiterates to continue ‘jihad’

Monday, March 09, 2009
by Our correspondent

MINGORA: Maulana Sufi Muhammad along with a large number of his black-turbaned activists forced Taliban fighters Sunday to end their blockade of the Takhtaband Road and open the bypass for traffic on a day when a convoy of the security forces carrying ration came under attack in a village known as militants’ stronghold in Swat.

The chief of the Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) marched to Takhtaband-Engaro Dherai to remove checkpoints of the militants on bypass road - from Balogram to Takhtaband - and open the road for all kinds of traffic. The bypass road was closed for traffic due to checkpoints of the militants.

As a result of the move, the security forces deployed at an agriculture farm at Takhtaband also moved to the Frontier Constabulary (FC) camp in Kanju. The TNSM spokesman Amir Izzat Khan said after opening the bypass road, Sufi Muhammad would go to Qambar — an emerging stronghold of the militants from where they had been picking up government officials even after the peace accord — to remove Taliban checkposts and ensure unhindered movement.

Sufi Muhammad, who has been working for the return of peace to volatile Swat valley, had told both the security forces and Taliban that they would have to dismantle their checkposts. He was of the opinion that the doing away with checkpoints would enable the people to move freely and would help remove fear from their hearts.

He along with hundreds of his activists had travelled to the valley on February 17 to restore peace after striking a deal with the NWFP government. The deal paved the way for the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl. Sufi Mohammad had established a protest camp for four months for the purpose. He has pledged to stay in the valley till the complete restoration of peace. Though violence has not ended completely, it has tapered off due to his peace overtures, leading people to hope for a durable peace.

Meanwhile, the convoy of the security forces, taking ration, came under attack from the militants at Qambar. The convoy consisted of eight freight vehicles and the escort vehicle was fired at. However, no casualty was reported, except damage to two vehicles.

Moreover, Shah Dauran, the deputy chief of the Swat militants, came to Qambar, his native village, along with his fighters for sometime. He was warmly received by Taliban who resorted to firing into the air as a token of happiness, or victory.

Addressing Taliban fighters, he emphasized on continuing jihad and asked his force not to hesitate to lay down their lives for supremacy of Islam. Shah Dauran, who is a powerful commander, is considered a hardliner among the ranks of Taliban. He was in-charge of FM radio channel and hit headlines for his hard-line views, opposition to girls education and issuing threats to forces and individuals.

Remaining for few hours there, he went back to an undisclosed location. After the peace deal, the militants have been moving without any hindrance, leading many analysts to believe that the militants were jockeying for a better position and were regrouping.

Source:http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=166347

Peace deal or capitulation?

Monday, March 09, 2009

This is with reference to a report titled “Implement Sharia by March 15 or else, warns Sufi” (March 2). Tanzim-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi chief Mulana Sufi Mohammad said at a press conference in Mingora that he was dissatisfied with the steps taken by the NWFP government and that despite an announcement by the government about the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl in Malakand division the courts were still following un-Islamic laws. He has now given the deadline of March 15 for the government to implement Nizam-e-Adl across Malakand division and Kohistan district of Hazara division, and threatened to set up a protest camp in case the government failed to implement Sharia before the expiry of the deadline.

But only after an hour of Sufi’s warning, militants violated the peace by attacking a security forces’ convoy in Sarsenai area and kidnapped the district commandant of the Frontier Constabulary along with four guards and a driver in Kumber area of Swat. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman (Swat chapter) Muslim Khan said the convoy was taking ration and had not informed their committee which they had formed to oversee the movement of security forces (March 2). According to the so-called peace deal the security forces will have to inform a three-member committee formed by the TTP before undertaking any movement in the area.

It is pertinent to note that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (Swat chapter) chief Mulana Fazlullah while announcing an indefinite ceasefire on his illegal FM radio on Feb 24, dictated his one-sided terms and conditions to the government by warning it against sending additional security forces to Swat, putting restrictions on the movement of the army in specified places and by warning NGOs against operating in Swat till the implementation of Sharia (Feb 25). Not only this, according to a press report on Feb 25, he also put restrictions on the quantity of ration for troops deployed in the area. On the other hand there are no terms and conditions given by the government for the TNSM to follow. With all this, should it be called a peace deal or capitulation?

Sqn-Ldr (e) S Ausaf Husain

Karachi

CM NWFP signed ‘Nizam-e-Adl’ summary

Published: March 09, 2009

Chief Minister NWFP Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has signed the summary of ‘Nizam-e-Adl’ on Monday, which is sent to governor. According to sources, chief minister has signed the documents of ‘Nizam-e-Adl’ agreement and sent it to the governor. The summary will send to president after approval of the governor. The ‘Nizam-e-Adl’ will be implemented in Malakand division after president’s signature. Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi was pressurizing government for implementation of ‘Nizam Adl’ before March 15.

 

Source:http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/09-Mar-2009/CM-NWFP-signed-NizameAdl-summary

March 8, 2009 Swat Pictures

Pakistani army troops stand guard as supporters of pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Muhammad, remove a blocks to reopen a road, which was closed by militants, Sunday, March 8, 2009 in outskirt of Mingora, capital of the troubled Swat Valley, in Pakistan. Taliban militants in Pakistan's Swat Valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border. (AP Photo/Sherin Zada)

 

Supporters of pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Muhammad remove a large tree to reopen a road, which was closed by militants, Sunday, March 8, 2009 in the outskirt of Mingora, capital of the troubled Swat Valley, in Pakistan. Taliban militants in the valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border. (AP Photo/Sherin Zada)

Pakistan frees 12 Taliban militants in Swat valley

By Junaid Khan

MINGORA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities have released 12 Taliban militants in a bid to consolidate a pact struck last month with Islamists in the troubled northwestern Swat valley, a senior government official said Sunday.

Their release is likely to deepen concerns among Western countries which say the policy of making pacts with Islamists is tantamount to appeasement and emboldens the militants.

U.S. officials fear the deal in Swat may create another safe haven for al Qaeda and the Taliban on Pakistani soil.

The Taliban militants were released Saturday night after talks between North West Frontier Province (NWFP) authorities and representatives of the Taliban and the Islamists, officials said.

"It was one of the demands of the Taliban. It was a goodwill gesture. We have fulfilled it and we hope now they will play their part for peace," Syed Mohammad Javed, Commissioner of Swat, told Reuters.

The Pakistani government, already facing economic crisis, is also confronting a growing tide of militancy flowing out of the lawless tribal belt on the Afghan border and into cities and towns, mainly in North West Frontier.

Sunday, officials said 10 policemen had been killed in a clash with the Taliban in the Mohmand tribal region on the Afghan border late Saturday.

A government official and three policemen were abducted by the militants after the clash and their decapitated bodies were found early Sunday, officials said.

SHARIA LAW

President Asif Ali Zardari has vowed his government will not negotiate with Taliban militants but NWFP authorities sealed the pact with an influential cleric in Swat, Maulana Sufi Mohammad.

They agreed to enforce Islamic sharia law in the region in the hope that Mohammad would be able to rein in the militants.

Mohammad this month called on the government and the Taliban to release each other's prisoners by March 10. The militants released seven government officials and soldiers last month.

Taliban militants announced a ceasefire on February 24 and Pakistani forces have also halted operations in Swat, a former tourist destination in the mountains just 130 km (90 miles) north of the capital, Islamabad.

Mohammad, an aging cleric who led violent protests by Islamists in the 1990s, has also set a deadline of March 15 for the government to enforce sharia law in the region or face protests. NWFP officials have assured him his demand will be met.

While businesses and schools have reopened in scenic Swat, critics doubt the deal will last long, saying earlier pacts were used by militants to consolidate their strength.

Authorities signed a peace agreement with the militants in May 2008. That pact failed and militants later virtually took control of the valley.

Since the latest agreement was signed, two soldiers were killed in an ambush with the militants, while several government and paramilitary officials were kidnapped and then released after Mohammad intervened.

Officials say the Swat deal is an attempt to alleviate worsening security by involving Mohammad, who has given up militancy, and that President Asif Ali Zardari would only sign off on wider use of sharia justice if peace was sustained.

Even then a softer interpretation of sharia was seen, with no special courts and with existing officials to be trained in Islamic jurisprudence, officials have said.

(Writing by Zeeshan Haider; Editing by Paul Tait)

Pakistan immigrants in US fear Swat backlash - 03 Mar 09

The rising power of the Taliban in Pakistan's Swat Valley is worrying some Pakistani immigrants in the US, who are finding that even though they're thousands of kilometres from the region, the situation is having a frightening impact on their lives.
Many of the immigrants left Swat and came to the US to try to help their families back home.  But some are finding their presence in the US could be endangering them, as Kristen Saloomey reports.

Source:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FbWb1t4-A8

طالبان ایف ایم، حکومت ناکام

پاکستان حکومت ضلع سوات میں طالبان کے ایف ایم ریڈیو چینل کو بند کرنے میں اب تک کامیابی حاصل نہیں کر سکی۔

مولانا فصل اللہ سوات میں طالبان کے ریڈیو کا استعمال کرتے رہے ہیں

نجی ایف ایم ریڈیو کے لیے تکنیکی خدمات سر انجام دینے والے محمد صادق نامی ایک ریڈیو انجینئر نے بی بی سی سے بات کرتے ہوئے بتایا کہ ایف ایم چینل کی نشریات کو با آسانی روکا جا سکتا ہے۔

ان کا کہنا ہے کہ پاکستان میں ایف ایم کے لیے 88 سے لے کر 108 تک کی فریکوینسی نشریات کے لیے استعمال کی جاسکتی ہیں۔ لہذا ضلع سوات میں دو یا تین جیمرز نصب کر کے ان تمام فریکوینسیوں کو روکا جا سکتا ہے۔

ان کا کہنا تھا کہ ایف ایم کی نشریات ان فریکوینسیز کے علاوہ کسی دوسری فریکوینسی پر سننا ممکن نہیں لہذا طالبان اپنی نشریات کو نشر کرنے کے لیے کسی دوسری فریکوینسی کو استعمال نہیں کر سکتے۔

انہوں نے مزید بتایا کہ سوات میں طالبان موبائیل ایف ایم استعمال کر رہے جس کے لیے دو سو واٹ سے چار سو واٹ کا ٹرانسمیٹر درکار ہوتا ہے۔ان کا کہنا تھا کہ یہ چھوٹے ٹرانسمیٹرز اوسطاً پندرہ سے بیس کلومیٹر تک کام کر سکتے ہیں۔ لیکن اگر انہیں کسی پہاڑی یا اُونچی جگہ پہ نصب کیا جائے تو اس کی حد بڑھ بھی سکتی ہے۔

محمد صادق نے جیمرز کے حوالے سے بتایا کہ ان موبائیل ایف ایم کو بند کرنے کے لیے اگر پانچ سو واٹ کا جیمر نصب کیا جائے تو اس کی حد تقریباً بیس سے پچیس میل تک ہو سکتی ہے۔ان کا کہنا تھا کہ اگر جیمر کو کسی اونچی جگہ پہ نصب کیا جائے تو ممکن ہے کہ آس پاس کے دوسرے ریڈیوز کی نشریات بھی بند ہو جائیں۔

اس بارے میں پیمرا ذرائع نے بتایا کہ وہ دوسرے ممالک سے جیمرز منگوانے کے
لیے بھی سوچ رہے ہیں۔ ان کا مزید کہنا تھا کہ یہ کام وفاقی اور صوبائی حکومت کا ہے۔ جب وہ کوئی اقدام اُٹھانے کا فیصلہ کریں گے تو پیمرا بھی ان کا ساتھ دے گا۔

سوات میں طالبان موبائیل ایف ایم استعمال کر رہے جس کے لیے دو سو واٹ سے چار سو واٹ کا ٹرانسمیٹر درکار ہوتا ہے۔ یہ چھوٹے ٹرانسمیٹرز اوسطاً پندرہ سے بیس کلومیٹر تک کام کر سکتے ہیں۔ لیکن اگر انہیں کسی پہاڑی یا اُونچی جگہ پہ نصب کیا جائے تو اس کی حد بڑھ بھی سکتی ہے
محمد صادق ریڈیوانجینیئر

ان کا کہنا تھا کہ سوات میں طالبان غیرقانونی ایف ایم ریڈیو چلا رہے ہیں۔ لیکن چونکہ سوات، فاٹا اور قبائلی علاقے پیمرا کے دائرہ اختیار میں نہیں آتے لہذا وہ کوئی بھی کارروائی نہیں کر سکتے۔

ذرائع کا کہنا تھا کہ طالبان کے ایف ایم نیٹ ورک کو بند کرنا آسان نہیں ہے کیونکہ وہاں امن و امان کی صورتحال انتہائی خراب ہے۔اور اِن حالات میں طالبان کے اتنے قریب جا کر کوئی جیمر نصب کرنا بہت مشکل ہے۔

انہوں نے بتایا کہ اگر طالبان کی نشریات کو ایک جگہ سے بند کیا جائے تو دوسری جگہ سے اپنی نشریات شروع کر لیتے ہیں۔

جیمرز کے حوالے سے پیمرا ذرائع کا کہنا تھا کہ جیمرز کی مدد سے نشر ہونے والی آواز کو اس قدر خراب کیا جاسکتا ہے کہ اس کو سننے والے اسے سمجھ نا پائیں لیکن یہ وہاں تک ممکن ہے جہاں تک جیمرز کے حد ہو۔ جیسے ہی وہ نشریات جیمرز کی حدود کو عبور کریں گی اسے سنا اور سمجھا جا سکےگا۔

واضح رہے کہ سوات میں طالبان نے ایف ایم ریڈیو کے ذریعے اپنی تبلیغ کا آغاز سنہ دو ہزار چار میں کیا تھا لیکن ڈیڑھ سال سے جاری فوجی آپریشن کے باوجود ان ایف ایم ریڈیوز کو بند نہیں کیا جا سکا ہے۔

Homeless in thier own Homeland: Seminar for Swat at Alhambra

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysLknjsAihk

Taliban cement rule, hard-line law after truce

A truck full of soldiers and local residents, who fled their villages during a fierce fight between Islamic militants and security forces, return to their homes in Mingora, capital of the troubled Swat Valley, in Pakistan on Feb. 27, 2009. Taliban militants in Pakistan's Swat Valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border. (AP Photo/B.K.Bangash)

Taliban call the shots in Pakistan tourist spot

Grip tightens after deal struck with government

By Sherin Zada and Chris Brummitt

Associated Press / March 7, 2009

MINGORA, Pakistan - Zeb Gul used to sell music CDs in this mountain town but was driven out of business by Taliban militants, who had struck a deal with Pakistani leaders trying to halt their march across the nation.

The government insists the Taliban won't be allowed to enforce their harsh version of Islam here, but merchants like Gul know otherwise - he has switched to selling poultry.

"The Taliban now call the shots. We cannot do anything that offends them," he said, standing outside his shop in this once popular tourist destination less than two hours' drive from the Pakistani capital.

Pakistan's leaders contend that their deal with the Taliban in this region of snowcapped mountains and fertile valleys involves implementing a mild version of Islamic law, in which girls would still be allowed to attend school, vendors like Gul could continue to sell music and movies, and there would be no public floggings or executions.

But three weeks since a cease-fire took hold, the Taliban appear to have used the pause in fighting to tighten their hold over the Swat Valley, especially in and around the main town, Mingora.

There is also skepticism that the militants - who do not have to surrender any arms under the cease-fire - will modify their hard-line interpretation of Islam, and there is concern that the region will simply become a safe haven for the Taliban.

In his tiny shop in Mingora's main bazaar, Ali Ahmed now hawks cellphones - not the Pakistani pop music, deemed sinful by the Taliban, that he used to sell.

He says only that the "situation" since the truce was reached means his music business is no longer viable.

With its lush mountain scenery and the country's only ski resort, the Swat Valley once attracted wealthy Pakistani vacationers and adventurous Westerners. It lies just east of Pakistan's tribal belt along the border with Afghanistan, where Al Qaeda and the Taliban have long held sway.

But over the past 18 months, Taliban militants have battled security forces in Swat, beheading political opponents and burning scores of girls' schools. Hundreds have been killed in the fighting, which has sent one-third of its 1.5 million people fleeing.

The prospect of ceding a further piece of the region to extremists has alarmed Washington and many Pakistanis, who note that the people of Swat rejected Islamic hard-line parties in 2008 elections, voting in the secular party that is now negotiating with the militants.

Many analysts believe the cease-fire in Swat, like a previous agreement with the militants that failed last year, will eventually collapse, leaving the Taliban in a stronger position, since they've had time to consolidate.

Despite the truce, violence has continued. The day after the cease-fire was formalized, a TV journalist from Pakistan's most popular news channel was abducted and killed in an area known to be under militant control.

The government has been talking to the Taliban through Sufi Muhammad, an aging pro-Taliban cleric who has publicly renounced violence but who leads a movement with identical political aims.

He was imprisoned for years for sending thousands of fighters to Afghanistan to fight US troops after the invasion in 2001.

Government officials have defended the negotiations with Muhammad as an attempt to isolate armed Taliban militants from nonviolent movements in the valley, even if the latter have extremist views.

"In America, they have thousands of laws they use, they have their own system," said Amir Izzat, a spokesman for Muhammad. "Here we are Muslims. We are the supporters of the Islamic system and this is our right and we will use our right to live according to the Koran and the Hadiths," he said, referring to Islam's holy texts.

Source:http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2009/03/07/taliban_call_the_shots_in_pakistan_tourist_spot/

Swat, “the Mysterious Dale”

By
Shamsher Ahmad
Vice-Principal G.H.S.Balogram,Swat

Swat is not merely a a dale of snow covered peaks,fruits,streams,water-falls and picturesque lakes but it has also a brilliant history. In the past it was the home of some great civilizations. So we can find archeological sites everywhere in the valley.a lot of tourist come here to vsit historical places and to study Gandhara Art.

In the ancient times this mysterious dale was called Udhiyana and Swat. Civilizations i.e Darawar, Chinese, Mongol, Buddhism  and Greek flourished along the bank of River Swat.

In 326 B.C. Alexander the great came here via Afghanistan. In those days the ruler of Swat was Raja Arson and the capital was Managala. Later in 304 B.C. the famous General of Alexander, named Silokas gave the valley to a Hindu ruler Chander Gupt. In 263 B.C. the valley was ruled by Asoka. In Swat he was the first ruler who adapted Buddhism. In 45 B.C. Kanishka was the head of the valley. Later the famous ruler was Raja Hodi and the last was Raja Gira.

Islam entered into this dale due to the invasion of  Mehmood of Ghazna. He defeated Raja Gira at Hodigram. The kingdom of Raja Gira was situated on the top of a nearby hill. Pir Khushal Baba was the brave and tactful commander of Mehmood’s Army. Pir Khushal Baba fought a bloody war and succeeded.

In 1517 A.D. the Yousafzai tribe of Afghanistan invaded Swat and after twenty years of warfare completely captured it. So the defeated tribes migrated. Then for a long time the dale was Lawless. Later some prominent religious leaders of Yousafzai tribe decided to establish an Islamic government. In this connection the most prominent leader was Abdul Ghafoor known as Saidu Baba. In 1849 A.D. Saidu Baba and other chiefs of the tribe nominated Syed Akbar Shah as their ruler.

In 1856 A.D. Syed Akbar Shah died and so the Islamic Government ended. In 1917 A.D. the grandson of Saidu Baba became the ruler of Swat. His name was Abdul Wadud but the people called him Badshah Sahib. After ascending the throne Badshah Sahib collected an Army of ten thousand men and maintained peace and justice. He built many schools, hospitals and roads but his personal residence, White Palace ,at Marghzar is the glorious monument of his architectural outlook.During the reign of Badshah Sahib, chief Commissioner of N.W.F.P. ,Mr Kene visited Swat in 1926 A.D. and he recognized Swat as a State. In 1931 A.D. Viceroy of Sub-Continent, Lord Arwin visited Swat and gave the title of K.B.E. to Badshah Sahib. In 1969 Badshah Sahib selected his son Mr Jehanzeb as a ruler. He was a man of modern concepts. Therefore much attention was given to construct colleges, schools, hospitals, roads, and telephone exchanges. In 1969 A.D. Swat state was merged in Pakistan.

Saidu Sharif (Baligram) is the capital of Swat, which is situated amidst the Green fields and is famous for its silence  and the surrounding beauty. Mingawara (Minchli) is the largest trade center. Marghzar (Miana) valley which is famous for its cool springs and various picnic spots  is 15 Km away from Saidu Sharif. Malam Jabba is 45 Km away from the capital, where downhill skiing facilities and chair lifts are available. Malam Jabba is known as the roof of Swat and is famous for its amazing beauty. Miandam is situated 55Km away from the capital on the Kalam Road. Miandam is famous for its sweet water and hotels. On the same road the next famous and beautiful spot is Madyan (Churrai). Here we can enjoy the cool beach of River Swat which is also dangerous and mysterious. Madyan is also famous for its trout fish and local handicrafts. Its also suitable for long stay and hikingtowards the beautiful Bishigram Lake. The lake famous for its romanticism and the surrounding illusive scenes of nature.

Next charming place is Behrain (Baraniyal), where one can enjoy the amazing collision of River Swat and River Daral. Here we can see that the River Daral appears with great noise.  Its head is Daral Lake which is famous for its beauty and various local legengs. Many people remember it in their numerous fairy tales. Besides Behrain there is another way which leads to Daral Lake via Lalko. At Lalko we can also observe the famous rest house of Govt: Fazal Haq College Mardan.

If one is fond of hiking you can do this at Kadem. Which is six kilometers away from Behrain via Kalam. From Kadem towards the East,you can enjoy a charming hike to the village of Gurnai, which is situated 6 Km away from Kadem. Gurnai is situated on the huje plains admist the mountains near the snow-line. Here the surrounding scenes and thick forestscreate unforgettable effects. Here one had to make his own arrangements for food because hotel facilities are not available.

Another Charming place is Kalam, which is known as The Tourist Paradise. Infact Kalam the was the first teacher of Budha in the period of Nirvana. Farther from Kalam  the other beautiful places are Gabral , Matiltan, Utror, Ushu etc. these places are suitable for camping purposes. From Utror we can also approach to Kandolo Lake , which requires Jeep and then hiking. Another charming Lake is Saidgai Lake where we can approach through hiking from Kalam. Similarly we can also approach to Mahodand Lake ,Saif Ullah Lake and Matiltan Glassier from Kalam through Jeep.

 

Archeological Sites

Butkara Saidu Sharif

Hodigram, Gogdara, Ghalegay, Barikot (Bazira).G.T Road

Manglor Jehan Abad (Shakhora) (Largest rock statue of Budha) Talegram,
Sair,Nangrial, Badar Malam Jabba Road.

For more archeological and Historical studies,
you can visit famous Meuseum at Saidu Sharif Swat.

With the kind Cooporation of Fazal Mahmood Rokhan

 

Source:Hujra.net

For the women of Swat

The swat accord has nothing about the status of women under the new system.— AFP

 

The theme of International Women’s Day on March 8 is ‘women and men united to end violence against women and girls’.

It is quite ironic that at a time when the UN is focusing on eliminating violence against women, the Pakistan government and the army have sought to buy peace in Swat by surrendering in this once idyllic valley many of the rights and freedoms women have won over the years in the country.

Some may view last month’s peace agreement differently. Protagonists have argued that the accord which provides for the imposition of the Nizam-i-Adl in Malakand is quite benign. According to them, it will not change the laws. It will only revert to the system of justice that was in force in the good old days before the state was merged with the NWFP.

But there are some aspects of the situation in Swat that should be addressed seriously. First, the circumstances under which the deal has been negotiated are not very propitious. The Taliban have blackmailed the government and imposed their will simply by resorting to violence and brutality. Their success in having their way will encourage militants to repeat the strategy of violence in other parts of the country — and have their way yet again.

Second, the agreement has been at the expense of women. Just how much the women and girls of Swat have suffered since the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan gained ascendancy in the region is well-known. The accord that was concluded contains no word on what the status of women is to be under the new system of Sharia. It contains no word of apology to the women whose lives were cut short, whose livelihoods were destroyed and whose education was interrupted so brutally. And what about the women whose male kin were tortured and murdered in the name of the Taliban’s brand of Sharia?

The army also played havoc with the lives of men and women. It made its own contribution to the disruption of education by putting up its camps in schools — 15 institutions are still occupied — preventing children from pursuing their studies.

Most disconcerting is that we now know little about what is happening in Swat. On Saturday, the NWFP information minister expressed satisfaction at the situation in the valley. But there is no way of verifying his claim. A veil of silence has descended on events in Swat leaving us in the dark about developments in the post-agreement period. This is disturbing especially when immediately after the ceasefire the predominant mood has been one fear. People say, “Wait and see.”

The main question that has agitated the minds of those who are concerned about the women and girls of Swat is how the agreement is being implemented with regard to them. With nearly 185 schools totally/partially destroyed the children, especially girls, have been effectively excluded from the education system. We have only been told in terse statements that schools have reopened, and colourful pictures of innocent-looking girls with headscarves have been splashed across the media.

First-hand accounts, however, have a different story to tell. The school authorities in Mingora confirmed to me that private schools opened soon after the agreement was concluded but that attendance has been thin, especially in the secondary classes. Many parents are afraid to send their girls to school while others have left their homes to move to other parts of the country and have still not returned. Government schools opened on Monday as scheduled but only a handful of girls showed up.

The worst affected are the rural areas where the Taliban’s presence continues to be pretty visible — in violation of the peace agreement — and the fear they have generated still grips the people. Since the government’s writ fails to run there is a general sense of insecurity and lack of confidence in the government’s capacity to provide protection to women.

Have the Taliban and the authorities done anything to clear the atmosphere of fear and terror they had spread to force women to stay at home? In the absence of assurances and the writ of the state many girls and women do not venture out of their homes for fear of falling victim to the violence of the Taliban. With no move to rebuild the damaged schools, girls have been, ingeniously, kept away from education.

The illegal FM radio broadcasts that were used to spread terror by Mullah Fazlullah, earning him the epithet of Maulana Radio, have not been jammed. Neither have the air waves been used by the Taliban to revoke their earlier edicts banning female education.

But why is Swat shrouded in secrecy? Events have taken such a turn — whether by accident or design — that Swat has receded to the backburner. The killing of Musa Khankhel, a local journalist, has had a terribly dampening impact on the media. The horrific event came just two days after the agreement and on the day Sufi Mohammad met Mullah Fazlullah to discuss its implementation. As it came to light that Musa had been receiving threats from both sides — the Taliban and the army — before

he was murdered, journalists in the valley have lost heart and are no longer as active as they were before.

Equally disturbing is the turbulence that has overtaken Punjab politics in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment in the Sharif brothers’ case. Media attention is now focused on the confrontation between the PPP and the PML-N, and Swat is a story of the past, even though it should not be.

All this can only leave one guessing about the fate of women in Swat, in fact, about the goings-on in the valley. This is not a case of cosmetic changes being introduced in the judicial system. Swat is actually regressing. In any society where this phenomenon occurs the yardstick to measure the slide that is taking place is to assess the status of women under the new order. If their freedoms have been snatched from them and then not restored in the same measure as before, isn’t it a case of one step forward two steps back?

 

Source:http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/Dawn%20Content%20Library/dawn/news/pakistan/for-the-women-of-swat-hs

Shaky in Swat

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

It is no surprise at all that the truce in Swat is under threat. Indeed, we would all have been  left perplexed if this had not happened. Sufi Mohammad Khan has now demanded that the Nizam-e- Adl regulation agreed upon with the provincial government now be enforced within two weeks and  Qazi courts made operative. The fact that none of us really know what the peace agreement  includes in the first place adds to the doubts surrounding the whole issue. The attack on a  security convoy and the kidnapping of an FC commandant further highlights the futility of  dealing with men who cannot be trusted. Sufi Muhammad Khan conveniently claims the attack was a  'mistake', but how do we know such 'mistakes' will not be made again? The fact is that the  militants are divided; attempts are on from within their ranks to sabotage the truce and by  doing so discredit Sufi Muhammad. It seems very likely that their tactics will succeed.

The authorities need to face up to the fact that they are dealing with desperate men; judging  by their actions and their words, some at least among them seem poised on the brink of  insanity. Who else but the deranged would behead people and stick their heads atop poles or  hold up toddlers close to the gory scenes of such killings to ensure they witness them? Reason  seems pointless when used against such people. There are indications that Sufi Muhammad is  under immense pressure from more hard-line militants led by his son-in-law to step up demands  on the government. It is increasingly clear that the truce in Swat cannot hold. Any hope of a  lasting peace that allows people to resume normal lives can come only when the militants are  vanquished and their leaders punished for the crimes they have committed. Until this happens,  we will see, at best, only temporary solutions in Swat while the hold of militants grows  steadily stronger as a result of the failure to decisively crush them.

Source:http://thenews.jang.com.pk/

Implement Shariah by March 15 or else, warns Sufi

Monday, March 02, 2009

By our correspondent

MINGORA: Dealing a severe blow to the peace process, unknown men kidnapped six Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, including a commander, while suspected militants attacked a security forces’ convoy in Sarsenai area of Swat Valley on Sunday.

The incidents occurred at the time when Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad warned both sides to refrain from destroying the peaceful atmosphere.

Sufi Muhammad also set March 15 deadline for the government to implement the Nizam-e-Adl across the Malakand division and the Kohistan district, and threatened to set up a protest camp in case the government failed to implement the Shariah before the expiry of the deadline.

The FC personnel were kidnapped from Qamber, a stronghold of the militants only three kilometres from here. No one had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping till the filing of this report.

Earlier, addressing a press conference at Madni Masjid here, Maulana Sufi Muhammad said any side — the government or the militants — that took lead in attacking the other in violation of the peace pact would be held responsible for the violation of the peace agreement. However, an hour after Sufi’s warning, the militants loyal to his son-in-law, Maulana Fazlullah, attacked a convoy of security forces.

A press release of security forces said that a logisticsí convoy of the forces was attacked with two improvised explosive devices in Sarsenai area of Kabal Tehsil. It said that the attacks were carried out when a soldier of the FC was being shifted from the area. The press release said the militants also fired at the convoy after the blasts, injuring two soldiers. The security forces also returned the fire, it said.

“The militantsí unwarranted attack is a clear violation of the peace agreement reached between the TNSM and the government. The security forces have informed the quarters concerned and called upon them to rein in the militants from attacking the security forces as per the spirit of the peace agreement. The security forces are exercising maximum restraint with a view to ensuring complete compliance of the peace agreement in order to have lasting peace in the valley,” the press release said.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Swat chapter spokesman Muslim Khan said the convoy was taking ration and had not informed their committee they had formed to oversee the movement of security forces.

ìAccording to the peace agreement, they (security forces) will have to inform the committee members about the movement in advance,î he said, adding that the convoy was attacked because the forces had not taken permission from the three-member committee.

Sufi Muhammad in his press conference warned that they would set up a protest camp if the government did not implement the Nizam-e-Adl by March 15. The TNSM chief said he was not satisfied with the talks he had held with Afrasiyab Khattak and Arshad Abdullah on Friday and Saturday, asking both the sides to release all prisoners. He reiterated his resolve to make unflinching efforts for restoration of peace. “Our first priority is to bring back peace,” he declared.

Meanwhile, NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti is scheduled to undertake his maiden visit to the militancy-hit district today (Monday). He is expected to have meetings with elders and distribute cheques among the heirs of those killed or wounded during the military operation.

Source: www.jang.com.pk