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KHYBER AGENCY – Jubilant youngsters from the troubled Darra Adam Khel tribal region screamed in joy and waved their fists in the air when they were declared winners of the All-FATA(Federally Administered Tribal Areas) Youth Sports Gala at Qayyum Stadium in Peshawar at the end of a week-long sports festival.
Yasir Afridi, captain of the winning team, told Central Asia Online such sporting events could bring about positive changes in the behaviour and thinking of tribal youth.
“If such events are organised on regular basis, we can overcome the menace of militancy in our region and infuse new sporting spirit into the tribal youth”, he said while his teammates danced to the tune of “Atanr”.
Teammates cheered, whistled and screamed in joy when group leaders were given trophies and certificates at the concluding ceremony.
The scene was a clear departure from the recent gloomy past in most of the tribal areas, where many educational institutions were closed and strict restrictions were imposed on all sorts of cultural activities.
“The difference is clear”, said Wazir Khan, head of an educational institution in Darra Adam Khel. “Students have clearly drawn the line … saying ‘NO’ to militancy and ‘YES’ to the revival of healthy activities”, he said with a big smile on his face.
“Such type of activities would surely desist our tribal youth from becoming suicide bombers”, he said, referring to Taliban tactics of employing teen-age tribesmen as suicide bombers.
It was barely a year ago that Darra Adam Khel, a semi-tribal region 25km south of Peshawar, was a Taliban stronghold. The Darra Taliban enforced its brand of Islamic justice mercilessly, executing opponents in public, destroying government facilities and targeting tribal peace committees.
Before that, it was impossible to pass through and not see a cricket match being played under the lengthening shadows of the surrounding hills.
The military operation against militants paved the way for a return of all sorts of social, cultural and sporting events. Public response was overwhelming, especially from local youth, who were more than eager to exhibit their sporting skills if provided an opportunity.
It was against this backdrop in the FATA that its sports directorate arranged a week-long sporting gala for students in these regions.
Director of Sports FATA Faisal Jamil said he hoped healthy activities could prevent tribal youth from falling into wrong hands.
“Nobody can deny the positive and healthy effects of sports upon the minds of youth, and I am 100% confident that tribal youth would abhor terrorism in all its forms if such events are organised on regular basis throughout FATA”, he said.
Munir Orakzai, the FATA parliamentary leader, in the National Assembly, called upon the international community to assist tribal youth in polishing their sporting skills and becoming law-abiding citizens. “Apart from enhancing their physical strength, sports also inculcate discipline among the young lot”, he said.
Appreciating the hidden talent in tribal youth, Secretary FATA Development Authority (FDA) Muhammad Nasir said, “Travel into tribal areas invariably bring into focus those scores of young men idly squatting by the sides of the roads with shawls wrapped around their stout frames. … These strong-willed youth have the best bowmen, javelin throwers, boatmen, mountaineers and sprinters among them”.
Proving these words true, the FATA Under-13 football team was runner-up in the recently concluded Nation Under-13 Football championship in Lahore. The underdog FATA juveniles were pitted against well-trained teams from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, Army and Islamabad.
Team Manager Nisar Ahmad told Central Asia Online that the feat was accomplished with meager resources and under extremely difficult circumstances. “It was through sheer zeal and courage of the young football players that we were able to defeat our archrival before making it to the final”, he said, adding that four of the tribal players were selected for the under-13 national football team.
Cricket is popular all across the tribal belt. Pitches, levelled by the tribesmen in their own crude fashion, can be found in the tribal areas in dry riverbeds, in the woods and in the inaccessible mountains. Thus, the FATA Cricket Association organised three sporting events in Khyber, Bajaur and Mardan.
Indeed Imran Khan, former captain of the national team, always advocated a talent hunt from these rugged areas.
“Tribesmen by their very nature are true fighters and could never be subdued by their opponents”, Imran used to say. Nasir believes that “tribesmen could be found to be most favourable inclined to be part of global village”, and that sports can help accomplish that.
“All that they lack is exposure, access and patronage. They have for long been labelled as one thing or the other … It’s time now to engage the tribal youth in constructive pursuits”, he said.
Yasir Afridi, captain of the winning team, told Central Asia Online such sporting events could bring about positive changes in the behaviour and thinking of tribal youth.
“If such events are organised on regular basis, we can overcome the menace of militancy in our region and infuse new sporting spirit into the tribal youth”, he said while his teammates danced to the tune of “Atanr”.
Teammates cheered, whistled and screamed in joy when group leaders were given trophies and certificates at the concluding ceremony.
The scene was a clear departure from the recent gloomy past in most of the tribal areas, where many educational institutions were closed and strict restrictions were imposed on all sorts of cultural activities.
“The difference is clear”, said Wazir Khan, head of an educational institution in Darra Adam Khel. “Students have clearly drawn the line … saying ‘NO’ to militancy and ‘YES’ to the revival of healthy activities”, he said with a big smile on his face.
“Such type of activities would surely desist our tribal youth from becoming suicide bombers”, he said, referring to Taliban tactics of employing teen-age tribesmen as suicide bombers.
It was barely a year ago that Darra Adam Khel, a semi-tribal region 25km south of Peshawar, was a Taliban stronghold. The Darra Taliban enforced its brand of Islamic justice mercilessly, executing opponents in public, destroying government facilities and targeting tribal peace committees.
Before that, it was impossible to pass through and not see a cricket match being played under the lengthening shadows of the surrounding hills.
The military operation against militants paved the way for a return of all sorts of social, cultural and sporting events. Public response was overwhelming, especially from local youth, who were more than eager to exhibit their sporting skills if provided an opportunity.
It was against this backdrop in the FATA that its sports directorate arranged a week-long sporting gala for students in these regions.
Director of Sports FATA Faisal Jamil said he hoped healthy activities could prevent tribal youth from falling into wrong hands.
“Nobody can deny the positive and healthy effects of sports upon the minds of youth, and I am 100% confident that tribal youth would abhor terrorism in all its forms if such events are organised on regular basis throughout FATA”, he said.
Munir Orakzai, the FATA parliamentary leader, in the National Assembly, called upon the international community to assist tribal youth in polishing their sporting skills and becoming law-abiding citizens. “Apart from enhancing their physical strength, sports also inculcate discipline among the young lot”, he said.
Appreciating the hidden talent in tribal youth, Secretary FATA Development Authority (FDA) Muhammad Nasir said, “Travel into tribal areas invariably bring into focus those scores of young men idly squatting by the sides of the roads with shawls wrapped around their stout frames. … These strong-willed youth have the best bowmen, javelin throwers, boatmen, mountaineers and sprinters among them”.
Proving these words true, the FATA Under-13 football team was runner-up in the recently concluded Nation Under-13 Football championship in Lahore. The underdog FATA juveniles were pitted against well-trained teams from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, Army and Islamabad.
Team Manager Nisar Ahmad told Central Asia Online that the feat was accomplished with meager resources and under extremely difficult circumstances. “It was through sheer zeal and courage of the young football players that we were able to defeat our archrival before making it to the final”, he said, adding that four of the tribal players were selected for the under-13 national football team.
Cricket is popular all across the tribal belt. Pitches, levelled by the tribesmen in their own crude fashion, can be found in the tribal areas in dry riverbeds, in the woods and in the inaccessible mountains. Thus, the FATA Cricket Association organised three sporting events in Khyber, Bajaur and Mardan.
Indeed Imran Khan, former captain of the national team, always advocated a talent hunt from these rugged areas.
“Tribesmen by their very nature are true fighters and could never be subdued by their opponents”, Imran used to say. Nasir believes that “tribesmen could be found to be most favourable inclined to be part of global village”, and that sports can help accomplish that.
“All that they lack is exposure, access and patronage. They have for long been labelled as one thing or the other … It’s time now to engage the tribal youth in constructive pursuits”, he said.