the swat story-complete document

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The Swat Story

The Land and Legacy

Swat, “Switzerland of the East”, Udayana (the garden) of ancient Hindu tales, and

“Garden of Ashoka”, is a paradise on earth. Blessed with lush green valleys having snow clad

peaks in the background, crystalline waters of Swat River originating from Ushu Range,

beautiful murmuring brooks which trickle down from all directions, whispering pines as the

summer breeze pass through them, fruit laden orchards which fill the valleys with soft

aroma, SWAT is a poet’s dream, hiker’s delight, archeologist’s heaven, historian’s enigma

and tourist’s Shangri La. The valley is worth visiting throughout the year, may it be the



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main towns of the Valley are Mingora, Saidu Sharif, Barikot, Khawazakhela and

Matta. Mingora is the District Headquarters of Swat. Flanking Swat are equally beautiful

districts of Shangla and Buner. Geographically contiguous, these districts further galvanize

the rich culture and beauty of Swat region.

Swat has rich history which dates back to two thousand years. It was invaded by

Alexander the Great in 327 B.C. Various historical accounts suggest that, Alexander the

Great crossed River Swat and subdued the locals at places where today Barikot and Udigram

exist. It is also mentioned that, he married a local woman following a royal norm. The

Greek power and influence introduced new ethnic and cultural elements in the region. His

successors ceded Swat to the Mauryan Dynasty. By the middle of the 2nd century BC, the



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four centuries till it was over run by the White Huns in 5th century AD and the glory of the

Gandhara era came to an end.

In the beginning of the 11th century AD, Mahmud of Ghazni advanced through Dir

and invaded Swat, thus Muslim period of Swat began. At the end of 15th century the Valley

was invaded by the Afghan Yusufzais who migrated from Afghanistan due to Mughal

Emperor Babar’s advancing onslaught. When Mughal Dynasty was fading, Sikhs tried to

conquer this area but they could not consolidate due to annexation of Punjab by British in

1849. The region kept simmering under various tribal leaders who kept engaging British

whenever opportunity arose. Hostilities erupted into open war in 1897 with the Malakand

uprising and in the latest of series, British occupied Chitral, Malakand and Chakdara after



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joined Pakistan at the eve of independence. The Wali’s sovereignty was finally abolished in

1969 when Swat formally merged became part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The people of Swat are mainly Pakhtuns, Yusufzais, Kohistanis, Gujars and Awans.

The main language is Pushto whereas Kohistani and Torwali are spoken in the areas where

Kohistanis live. People of Swat are known for good manners, politeness and hospitality. The

mystery and romance surrounding these wonderful people has withstood the vicissitudes of

time.

Swat was a popular tourist resort before the Taliban’s brief hold. Tourism is again

picking up after successful clearing of area by Pakistan Army. A magnet for hippies in the

1970, it’s a still a big attraction for domestic tourists who flock here every summer for the



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brown bears, leopards ,snow leopards, wolfs ,monkeys, chakors , trout and other varieties

of fish.

The local culture is pre dominantly Pushtoon and follows the traditional honour code

known as Pakhtunwali. The main tenets of 'Pakhto' or formally known as Pakhtunwali are:

Melmastiaya means Hospitality and asylum at any cost to all guests seeking help : Badal

means Justice or taking revenge which is invoked irrespective of time and cost

involved:Nang means honour and requires defense of 'Zan, Zar and Zameen'

(Women/Family, Treasury and Property). Pashtuns are independent minded and there is a

lot of internal competition. Most decisions in tribal life are made by a ' Jirga' or 'Senate' of

elected elders and wise men. However, Pashtun society is also marked by its matriarchal



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Swat can be conveniently divided into four distinct zones each having its own

significance and attractions throughout the year. These zones include; the Malakand-Barikot

areas having sites of archeological and historical significance, the urban center of Swat –

Mingora, famous for its sprawling bazaars, Matta-Shaur-Piochar and Biha areas which house

fruit laden orchards, lush green mountains and breath taking scenes especially of fall and the

fourth zone is of the areas comprising Kalam-Madyan famous for their unspoiled beauty,

serene lakes and tranquil forests.

A trip to Swat starts by crossing over Malakand Pass at an altitude of 2700 ft. At the

top is a Pakistan Army Fort which guards the entrance to the valley. The fort gained its

name during the uprising of 1897 when a British Battalion of Sikh Infantry faced 10,000



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side of Haibatgaram Ridge. Haibatgram also offers an enormous Hindu Shahi fort. Further

towards Landakai there is a Nimogram Buddist Monestary and stupa site worth visiting.

At Barikot town the road from the Karakar Pass, Buner and Ambela Pass joins the

road from Malakand Pass. The most scenic route begins here. A large number of carvings

and stupas are found in this area. Shingerdar Stupa near Barikot, Gogdara rock engravings

near Udegram and Raja Gira’s Castles are few to mention.

As one nears Mingora, one can make out that he is transiting into another zone.

Mingora and Saidu Sharif are the main twin towns of this region located at 3250 ft.

Mingora is a historical city with old market and a big bazaar, government offices and

numerous hotels. It’s the geographical and political center of Swat. Mingora offers an



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Kabal is a nearby town across the River Swat which offers 18 holes golf course. As

one moves out of Mingora towards Khwazakhela, first town which comes is Manglaur

which is gateway to the Skiing resort of Malam Jabba. Though the facility was destroyed by

Taliban but now is being restored.

The Swat Valley imperceptibly transforms as one ascends towards north. Ahead of

Manglaur the area is generally called upper Swat. In mid-winters upper Swat is covered

with snow above Bahrain, but in summers one can drive up to and beyond Kalam and from

there trek north to either the Chitral Valley or the Gilgit Valley. This area is again different

from lower Swat zones. Kalam- Madyan zone is characterized by wild beauty. Enroute to

Kalam, just 30 kms from Mingora on the banks of River Swat, is located small town of



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Madyan is a small town at 4500 ft and about 55 Km from Mingora, here the

mountains close in and the road snuggles with River Swat. At 4335 ft above sea level,

Madyan is a nice place to visit. Antiques, shawls, traditional embroidery, tribal jewellery,

carved wood and antique or reproduced coins are sold along the main street. The area north

of Madyan is known as Swat Kohistan.

Further north is Bahrain, again at 4500 ft height. Bahrainis are a mix of

Pashtuns and Kohistanis. It is another popular riverside tourist resort with bazaars worth

exploring for their handicrafts. Some of the houses have ancient carved wooden doors,

pillars and balconies. As one moves further north and gains an altitude of 6800 feet comes

Kalam Town. In 19th century Kalam was capital of an independent state, however later it



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distance of approx 9 kms is located Biakand Valley which again is full of orchards and pine

forests. Further north is the Shaur Valley which is worth seeing in fall. Its autumn colours

are spectacular. Piochar is a small village nestled in the mountains of Shaur Valley. Full of

thick vegetation and wild flowers in summers the Valley is ideal for nature lovers. Next on

the route is Gwalrai famous for apple orchards. It is located at the banks of narrow channel

having strong water current .From Gwalrai a track leads to Biha on the left and another one

leads to Qadir Banda which links Swat with Dir. A straight track from Gwalari leads to

Roringar in the north. Roringar is surrounded by high mountains. Ahead of Roringar a

track leads to beautiful lakes located in Dir Agency. This area is heaven for trekkers and

hikers.



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The Nightmare

Religious sentiments have played a key role in Swat’s history. Especially in times of

invasions and external occupation, the call for Jihad (holy war) and the role of religious

leaders has been prominent. Through shared religious affiliation the otherwise abundant

tribal fissures could be overcome. Calls for Jihad were made against Sikhs in the seventeenth

century when they occupied what is now Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa (KPK) and later in 1847

when the British replaced the Sikhs as the paramount power. The Malakand uprising of 1897

also had similar religious undercurrents.

With the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the western border of Pakistan became a

jihadist base that attracted Mujahedin of all hues and colours. After the end of Soviet

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in Afghanistan. Sufi Muhammad’s son-in-law, Maulana Fazlullah, also known as “Mullah

Radio,” subsequently took control of the movement in Swat. For a brief period in mid-

2007, TNSM had effectively expelled government writ and controlled large parts of the

district. After much controversy, the government of the KPK made a deal with the Taliban

in Swat in February 2009. Under that, the government agreed to implement Sharia law in

the wider Malakand division. Soon thereafter, Maulana Fazlullah’s extremist followers

violated the peace terms. They also forcibly took over the adjoining district of Buner. The

Taliban’s expressed demand was the introduction of Sharia law but it seemed in effect a

process of strategic expansion.

The FM radio played effective role in spreading Taliban’s ideology, propagating the

edict and also to act as a vehicle for the collection of donations One of the more enigmatic

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The Valley became a model Taliban police state. The Taliban implemented their

draconian version of sharia, or Islamic law. A wave of assassinations was unleashed against

police officers, tribal leaders and politicians. Family members of government officials and

tribal leaders were killed, and their homes were either demolished or torched. Those who

dared to resist the Taliban were brutally slaughtered and town centers were converted in to

execution centers.

Barbers were ordered not to shave beards, music was banned and video store owners

were ordered to abandon their business. Each family was asked to hand over one male

member to help them wage jihad and a daughter to be wedded to Taliban or else the family

will be beheaded.

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In Swat, like other parts of Pakistan, the cable network was the only source of

information and entertainment for poor and middle class viewers, but the Taliban barred

cable transmission in Swat, considering it a ‘weapon of infidels to pollute the minds of

believers’. The Taliban circulated their own DVDs and CDs in which their collaborators and

companions were shown and glorified in killing and lashing their opponents.

The police and district management, instruments of government, were the worst

targets of the Taliban’s atrocities. More than hundred police officers were killed. Many

embraced Shahadat in Suicide Bombings. Few were publically beheaded. Similarly, large

number of Frontier Constabulary embraced Shahadat or were injured. About seven police

stations and twelve police posts were destroyed by Taliban.



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independent and liberal voice of media including the abduction and killing of journalists.

Four Journalists were killed. In February 2009, Musa Khan Khel, a correspondent of GEO

TV and English Newspaper “The News” was murdered in Matta for the coverage which was

not liked by Taliban. In April 2009, local group of Taliban in Swat warned media to face

dire consequences, if it did not project them positively. Six local dailies were either closed

or shifted to Peshawar and Islamabad. Khawazakhela Press Club was completely destroyed

by a suicide bomber, whereas press clubs at Matta and Mingora were ransacked.

The Taliban takeover of Swat led to a mass exodus of residents. More than 300,000

of Swat's estimated 1.7 million people fled from the district. Thousands of internally

displaced people were encamped in scorching summer heat in Swabi and Mardan.

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techniques adopted to establish their writ in the area. Their major strong holds included

Piochar, Biha, Sakhra, Aloch and Puran Valleys, along with towns like Matta, Kabal,

Khwazakhela and Charbagh. They now challenged the constitution of Pakistan and made

public announcements declaring democracy against the principles of Islam.

The valley of Swat was full of terror, the people were horrified, and there was smell

of blood and cordite in the once fresh air.

The heaven was turned into a living Hell



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THE DELIVERANCE

Peace deal was signed between the Khyber Paktunkhawa Government and Maulana

Sufi on 16 February 2009.The Government accepted the demand of Nizam -e- Adl (System

of Justice) in Malakand Division and Kohistan District of Hazara in return for Fuzaullah led

militants surrendering arms and refraining from all sorts of violent acts. But the expectations

were short lived and the Taliban considering the peace agreement as capitulation of

government refused to close down check posts and continued with the acts of terror.

Situation took a grim turn when Taliban in utter disregard of the agreement entered the

neighbouring districts of Buner and Dir. The international community was alarmed and it

appeared that Taliban were executing a well planned march towards Islamabad. Only

Haripur and Tarbella remained in their way to capital The real face of Taliban was now

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Armed Forces now had a cause to act, and with the whole nation rallied behind

them, embarked upon one of the toughest counterinsurgency military operations of the

history.

Terrorists were holding the area with most of the heights occupied as their hideouts

and major training centers. Towns and villages were also held by terrorists with civilian

administration and local populace factually held hostage. The army faced extreme odds like

rugged terrain, a faceless but fiercely motivated resistance, a completely compromised

civilian administration along with traumatized and terror stricken civilian populace. But the

positive aspect of the sordid situation was that the haze prevalent in yester years between a

terrorist and religious person had been cleared.

The army named its operation against militants as Rah e Rast (the correct path)

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Fazal Ullah, here forces came across hardcore militants, extensive training facilities , bomb

and improvised explosive devices(IEDs) making factories, 100 feet long tunnels and huge

caches of arms and ammunitions. The army started a swift operation from three directions

with Pakistan Air Force fully supporting the ground forces. The hideouts of militants were

pounded by the air force to soften the targets. The army surrounded militants from four

directions, Lower Dir, Buner, Peochar, and Shangla.

Advancing from the Shangla army captured Banai Baba Ziarat, the training center of

militants and simultaneously launched operation from Khawzakhela towards Matta and

Drushkhela. The toughest resistance came once forces moved from Shangla to link up with

SSG at Piochar. The area from Matta to Nazarabad, Runial, Winai, Shalkhosar – Piochar was

strongly held by the terrorists with main supply route passing through Matta town It was

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f d h l d l bb



On 27 May forces entered Mingora, while a prong secured Malam Jabba. Army

troops cleared Mingora street by street. At the same time Charbagh and Kanju were secured

after strong resistance. Next Kabbal was cleared.

The operation made significant success within days and weeks. By 30 June the Swat

Valley was cleared of militants. More than 1600 terrorists were killed and thousands were

captured. In all, 128 soldiers embraced shahadat and 317 soldiers were wounded during

operation Rah-e-Rast. Huge caches of weapon and ammunition were recovered.

After the successful conduct of operations, IDPs commenced their return on 13 Jul

09, which was completed in a record time of 10 weeks. The operations were successful

because the moderate society of Pakistan as a whole reacted to the menace of terrorism.

Every segment of society contributed towards the success of operations The military action

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h d d d h i f f d i d Th P ki i fl i d h



had understood the price of freedom now regained. The green Pakistani flag painted on the

shutters of shops, hotels, walls and billboards made the valley greener.

The valley had been successfully cleared and people liberated from the clutches of

oppression and terror. The heaven had been regained!



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SWAT SMILES AGAIN



The military operation liberated the people but the scars of terror and fear were deep

and painful. Whole valley was suffering from trauma and shock. Though the people had

returned but they were in perpetual fear of Taliban’s coming back. In order to restore the

confidence of people Army was required to stay.

There were huge challenges confronting Army. Fighting the terrorists was easy; the

real hard battle had started now. This was the struggle to reconstruct the physical and

psychological foundations. Return of internally displaced people, rehabilitation of masses,

revival of education especially of girls, restoring the confidence of tourists to resuscitate the

tourist industry, apprehensions of absconding terrorists whose return was a constant

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almost 8,500 houses, shops and hotels were either partially damaged or completely

destroyed during the period of Taliban control and subsequent fighting The army took the



destroyed during the period of Taliban control and subsequent fighting. The army took the

lead in much of the reconstruction. It helped to renovate and rebuild a number of schools,

clinics, bridges, mosques and roads, among other projects. The Army completed a survey in

conjunction with the local government to provide reimbursement to individuals whose

homes or businesses were destroyed during the fighting.

The resuscitation of the Swat police was badly required to maintain law and order.

The local law-enforcement mechanism was badly damaged. The process was begun in

earnest. The Army assisted the Police to make it effective. Special police force was raised

which started the policing activities bringing the life back to normalcy.

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society identified and prioritized the needs for rebuilding and in collaborations with the

locally deployed military units expedited the development works along with maintenance of



locally deployed military units expedited the development works along with maintenance of

law and order. Peace ‘Jirgas’ and frequent meetings helped in integrating the people in

overall development strategy.

As the public confidence bolstered, efforts were made to attract the tourists to revive

the backbone industry of the area – tourism. The spring of 2009 was welcomed by many

such festivals organized by army and civilian administration. Kalam festival attracted

thousands of people to Swat. Similar gatherings including sports competitions, spring

festivals and entertainment activities were held which started erasing the bitter memories of

reign of terror perpetuated by Taliban. The Valley was again filled with joy, music and



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THE CALAMITY

The spring and summers of 2010 heralded return of the normalcy as the people of

Swat celebrated the seasons. As peaches started ripening in the orchards, the monsoon



arrived as usual. Summer rains are the most beautiful phenomenon of the valley. It is the

time when people flock to Swat to escape the sweltering heat of plains. This year was no

different. Hotels of Swat were filled with tourists and the season was at its peak. But the

nature had different designs.

Heavy rains started on 27 July. The downpour continued for two days resulting in

unprecedented floods never witnessed by the valley. The normal summer flow of River

Swat is usually from 40000-50000 cusecs. The last benchmark floods in 1929 brought 1,

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Kalam, was swept away at many places. Entire sections of the road from Fatehpur till

Madyan were gone. In the northern region three lakh people and thousands of tourists

were stranded. Telephone and electricity networks were completely destroyed. 146



power projects were ruined. The worst hit were the hotels built along the banks of

River Swat. Many were totally washed away. About 150 hotels were destroyed, some

totally disappeared. Many lives were saved by the army troops who on receiving the

news of torrents gushing down from Kalam managed to get the hotels vacated just in the

nick of time. At many places tourists could manage to leave the hotels only in the clothes

they were sleeping. More than 30 people died.

At least 37 interlinking bridges between communities were damaged

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evacuation of stranded tourists and people, provision of food, rations and medical care to

the cut off areas, restoration of basic infrastructure including opening of roads,

construction of bridges, restoration of electricity and telephone and rehabilitation of



displaced people confronted the authorities. Fear of famine and epidemics loomed over

the flood hit areas. Immediately, the political and army leadership visited the area to

grasp the immensity of the disaster. Relevant instructions were issued to join the battle

again.



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SWAT SMILES YET AGAIN

The floods left the Swat Valley in ruins. The units of Pakistan Army were already

deployed at various places for operations against terrorists. These units started the relief

operations immediately without waiting for any orders Within moments the troops were



operations immediately without waiting for any orders. Within moments the troops were

out rescuing the stranded people and evacuating others from the threatened areas. There

was a call to honor.

After hectic efforts, the army saved the lives of over 1,500 persons in Ningolai,

Charbagh, Nall, Daroshkhela, Koray and Dadpanai areas in Swat.

The Pakistani army with its meager aviation resources started with the relief effort. Since all

bridges on Swat River have been destroyed the entire relief and rescue activities were

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Malakand to Khawazakhela was restored in the first few days then focus was shifted on re-

building the bridges vital for sustaining the population on the west of River Swat. Bagh

Dheri site was selected and after hectic efforts of 23 days and nights the first bridge was

opened for all sorts of traffic-an act which saved the stranded people form starving. Twenty-



eight out of 34 kilometers of road from Bahrain to Kalam was restored and the maintenance

and restoration work continues till today. More than twenty bridges were restored in a

short period. By end September the road was opened till Kalaam.

Meanwhile army units deployed started reconstruction efforts in their areas of

responsibilities. Prices of daily used commodities especially fuel were kept under check

through constant monitoring and persuading the local traders through jirgas and meetings.

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The Army initiated a plan to construct more than 200 houses with a room, a kitchen

and a bathroom for the flood-affected people. All ranks of the army donated one-day salary

to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the flood-affected people.

The other department of State machinery also worked side by side with Army.



Civilian administration, Staff of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA),

telephone department and public works all worked day and night to restore normalcy.

A very well deserved tribute is owed to the NGOs and civil society. The NGOs were

very forthcoming with their expertise and resources. The continuous help and engagement

by them and UN agencies has helped immeasurably in mitigating and managing the effects of

floods. However, the story will not be complete without mentioning a very valued helping

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class to second year once completed. This cadet college is first of its kind in whole Malakand

Division. The concept revolves around catering for the quality education needs of wider

population focusing on Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa and Malakand Division. It is designed to

become center of excellence and intellectual growth by fostering intellect, creativity and



character building in a vibrant student centered learning community.

Another step taken is the de-radicalization programme of apprehended people. Two

such facilitates are successfully operating to rehabilitate the juveniles and adults disillusioned

by the propaganda of the Taliban. The participants are given vocational training to make

them house hold electricians, vehicle mechanics, welding experts, computer operators,

carpenters and auto electricians so that they can become useful members of society. In



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THE ALLURE

There are very few places on the earth where history has moved so swiftly and there

are even fewer places where nature is present in its true colours. Swat has both. It is,

perhaps, a unique place which perfectly blends history, nature and culture into an attractive

tourism package. Here is a land which offers everything from beautiful colours, incredible

d h bl l b h k h d



seasons, entertainment activities and hospitable people to breathtaking sights and serious

history.

Today Swat and its surroundings are completely free from militancy. The crime rate

is lowest as compared to the rest of the country. One can freely travel around and enjoy the

endless tranquility.

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Surrounded by shimmering lakes, tempered with majestic mountains, blessed with

charming weather, jotted with snow filled scenery, bursting with unique culture and full of

friendly people Swat is a place like no other. It is the perfect example of an invigorating,

exciting and intoxicating place. It is dotted with beautiful snow covered mountains,

glistening lakes, and lush forests. The architectural allure of the swat with its medieval forts,

mosques and museums is bliss for inquisitive eyes. Thinking of Swat, many images are



evoked in our mind, such as breathtaking mountains, green fields, sparkling lakes, skiing,

fruit filled orchards and many, many more.

One can visit Swat at any time of the year. It is an exciting holiday destination for all

seasons. The summers are cool and refreshing and offer activities for every age group; be it

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