Swat: Disunity, A special characteristic...

[Khan Gul]

Not so sure if I can agree with the article. We are united.

What a joke!

[Khan Gul]

Swat in Order of Time


326 BC Alexandar on his way to Punjab attacks Swat

100 AC Budhism at its peak. Swat is part of the Great Gandhara ruled by Kanishka based in Peshawar.

403 AC Fahyan, Chinese traveler and historian passes through Swat.

630 AC Budhists temples are deserted and Budhism on decline

1000 AC Mahmoud of Ghazna conquers Jaipal (near Peshawar). Embarks on attacking India. His General Pir Khushab Baba conquers Swat and old Swati tribes embrace Islam.

1485 AC In Kabul, the Mughal ruler Soliman, the uncle of Babar, kills 700 Chiefs of Yousafzai tribe. The great Yousafzai Chiefs Malak Ahmed (though still a young boy) and Sheikh Milli leads the shattered and despondent Yousafzais, descends on Peshawar. After a long and continuous struggle, Yousafzais succeed in conquering Mardan, Swabi and Swat.

1515 AC Yousafzais topple Sultan Owais, the old King of Swat, escapes to Mansehra followed by old inhabitants of Swat.

1530 AC Sheikh Milli invents unique system of distribution of lands among the various tribes of Yousafzai. Mughal Emperor, Babar, attacks Swat, but the wise Chiefs Malak Ahmed and Sheikh Milli resolve the conflict. Babar marries the sister of Malak Ahmed, known as Bibi Mubaraka and happily returns back to India.

1586 AC The Great Mughal Emperor, Akbar’s forces attacks Swat but receives severe blow, the entire army comprising of 52000 strong including Akbar’s beloved courtier Birbal is being killed.

1835 AC Mian Abdul Ghafoor, being away for 40 years seeking Islamic knowledge returns back to Swat.

1845 AC Mian Abdul Ghafoor chooses Saidu as his center which later became the capital of Swat and the focal point of Swat politics.

1849 AC British conquers Punjab and Peshawar. Akhund of Seesthaney Sayyed Akbar Shah becomes ruler of Swat. Lays foundations of state and forms regular army, though proved weak and temporary.

1857 AC Sayyed Akbar Shah, the ruler of Swat, passes away. No one among the descendants of Akbar Shah or Mian Abdul Ghafoor become ruler.

1863 AC British forces attack ambela, Buner but Mian Abdul Ghafoor repulses the attack. This increases the popularity of Mian Abdul Ghafoor, Saidu Baba.

1877 AC Mian Abdul Ghafoor passes away. A long and bloody struggle begins between the descendants of Mian Abdul Ghafoor and Sayyed Akbar Shah. The involvement of Bajawar and Dir still further complexes the situation.

1895 AC Bristish, to safeguard its interests in Swat, Dir and Chitral, forms Malakand Agency and appoints Political Agent there.

1897/98 AC Pukhtuns revolts under the banners of religious figures Arrey Mullah of Mohmand Agency and Mustan Mullah of Swat. Gains temporary victory over British.

1900 AC The formation of NWFP, now Khyber Pukhunkhwa

1915 AC Yousafzai Chiefs unanimously agrees and make Sayyed Jabbar Shah Swat’s ruler.

1917 AC Miangul Abdul Wadood returns to Swat. Yousafzais Grand Jirga sends Sayyed Jabbar Shah to Seesthana and makes Miangul Abdul Wadood as ruler.

1917-26 AC Miangul Abdul Wadood struggles hard, fixes Swat’s borders. Roads, fortresses, telephones, other developments take shape.

1926 AC British recognizes Swat as State and Main Abdul Wadood (Badshah Saib) as its legitimate ruler.

1947 AC Pakistan comes into existence.

1949 AC Miangul Abdul Wadood takes retirement and his son Miangul Jehanzeb (Wali Saib) takes over.

1964 AC British Queen Elizabeth visits Swat.

1969 AC Pakistan annexes Swat State and appoints Deputy Commissioner there. The dark era in Swat starts once again.

[MazloomyarMaseed]

Khan Gul what do you mean by a joke?

Swat people are not united?

No pashtun is united. We are more close to our tribal identities than our national identity.

[Khan Gul]

Khan Gul what do you mean by a joke?

Swat people are not united?

It was the disunity of the Swati people and the lack of leadership that made the Talibaan and other powers to toy with Swat. ANP elective members were the first to flee Swat when things got worsened. We Swati people looked upon Afzal Khan (commonly known as Khan Lala) as a pillar of moral conscience and an unfailing source of political and intellectual inspiration, but he too betrayed Swati people in their bad days. Khan Lala had the power to galvanize the masses and people desperately needed him but he underwent shameful confinement only singing the song of Army. Swat people now think Khan Lala and ANP Leaders as the deadwood on the ship of Pashtuns.

Malala, a little girl from Swat and Samar Minallah, though the latter not a Swatian, played commendable roles in alleviating the agony of Swat people giving them exposure and hope and they both were the most enlightened and courageous of all the shallow Pukhtun leaders.

Ka da zalmo na pora nashwa
Khoga watana jenakai ba de sateena

[MazloomyarMaseed]

Khan Gul Mu Kuzh Roara Jan!

These So called Pashtun leaders just want Money and a peaceful life, they are cruel and selfish.

We the Pashtun people have to sit in big IDP camps while they drink and party in Punjab.

We are dying day in and day out and all they can do is again sing Pak army songs

[Roshina]

It was the disunity of the Swati people and the lack of leadership that made the Talibaan and other powers to toy with Swat.

I absolutely agree, Khan Gul! (Are you from Swat, too?!)

Sure, disunity is all over the place, and I think most of us agree that Pashtuns in general are disunited. But the disunity of the Swati Pashtuns, even in the U.S., are constantly illustrated to me as a Swati individual. For example, when there's a wedding in a Swati family here where I live (and there are many Swatis here), certain Swati families REFUSE to attend because: "You belong to a lower class than I do; since I'm better than you I don't belong in your house." Like what the hell?! In a state and city where there aren't too many of us, why can't we support each other? Why can't we love and respect each other and see each other as equals?!

So, yeah, I just heard of another wedding that's gonna be taking place, though in another state, and some Pashtuns from Swat refuse to attend because they're like, "Well, they didn't come to our wedding." Or, "They are from a lower class than us."

This whole class system makes me sick. Who said Muslims don't have a caste system? Heck, yes, we do, and it's almost as bad as the Hindu caste system. We don't marry into them, we don't interact with them, we don't talk to them on equal terms -- instead, we keep them as servants.

We're Khanan, you're Parchkan.
We're Pukhtaana, you're Miagaan.
We're Jolagaan, you're gujaraan.

And you'll be living in the same village, same neighborhood! Yet, these artificial differences destroy us.

Our parents need to realize that if someone is well-educated, is a Pukhto-speaking Pukhtun, and is an honest and good person, then that's all that should matter when it comes to accepting a marriage proposal. But unfortunately, many among us (and I speak only of Swatis when I say this) will reject a proposal ONLY on the basis that the guy's family, although well-educated, is not Khanan or are just not as "good" as we are socially.

But according to my mom, who was in Swat during the recent war, Pukhtuns in the villages she was stuck and stayed in seemed very united. Everyone was cooperating with each other and helping each other when necessary. Like, if one family had more bread/wheat but another had more vegetables, they'd trade with each other since they weren't allowed to leave their homes and all. A friend of mine said that at last, her parents let her marry a guy who was of a "lower" caste than her because they realized that such class systems are severely detrimental to Pukhtuns as a whole and need to broken so that there can be peace on our land.

So, who knows, let's hope we're learning from our past!

[Roshina]

What I dont get is where was the Pashtuns from Peshawar,Lakki marwat when Swat was being devastated? Where were Pashtuns of Waziristan?

How come no one defended the Swatis?

From what I know, Pashtuns from Dir, Peshawar, Mardan, etc. were very supportive and willing to help the Pashtuns of Swat during the war.

The Pashtuns of Waziristan, though, were and still are drowning in their own miseries and war, so they should not be expected to help anyone else when they need our help at least as much as Swatis needs/needed help.

Farhat Taj once wrote an article about how Swat got SO much attention from Pukhtuns all over the world as well as Pakistan and other countries (including Muslims in the UAE), but it's Waziristan that has received little to no attention. We need to give equal treatment to all IDPs and war victims because none are better or worse than others.

So, I think it's Waziristan that needs to be more well-represented and spoken for, at least right now - since many people are aware of the Swat strife but very few of Waziristan's predicaments. No?

[Roshina]

Malala, a little girl from Swat and Samar Minallah, though the latter not a Swatian, played commendable roles in alleviating the agony of Swat people giving them exposure and hope and they both were the most enlightened and courageous of all the shallow Pukhtun leaders.

Yes, both Samar Minallah and Malalai played a great role in giving a voice to the oppressed people of Swat!

For those who might not know, we're talking about this very young girl from/in Swat about whom a documentary has been made by the New York Times.

YouTube - Class dismissed in Swat Valley.

I REALLY wanna meet or at least talk to Malalai! Like desperately. Does anyone know how I can get hold of her? Recently, someone named Malalai, also from Swat, sent me a really nice message, and I replied to her in the same kindness but haven't heard back from her yet. I'm wondering if that was the same girl!

[Khan Gul]

What I dont get is where was the Pashtuns from Peshawar,Lakki marwat when Swat was being devastated? Where were Pashtuns of Waziristan?

How come no one defended the Swatis?

Khwarzey, We Pukhtuns have the habit of locking the stable door only after the horse is stolen. Peshawar, Lakki Marwat, Waziristan, they all watched when Swat was being devastated. All Pukhtuns' claims to Pukhtunwali prove weak reed when calamity strikes one part of Pukhtunland. Remember, in spite of our boasts of Pukhtunwali, Nang, Ghairat, Puktuns' proverbial generosity and hospitality, when our Afghan brothers were forced to take refuge in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, we never treated them with any dignity but rather we had had them confined in degrading camps like Jalozai, the sight of which is enough to make people feel humiliated.

Unless we Pukhtuns realize that - be it the tragedy of Afghanistan or Swat or Waziristan - is just sufficient degree Pukhtuns' own tragedy that we can't close our eyes to it, the exploitation and devastation of Pukhtuns will continue.

[Khan Gul]

Yes, both Samar Minallah and Malalai played a great role in giving a voice to the oppressed people of Swat!

For those who might not know, we're talking about this very young girl from/in Swat about whom a documentary has been made by the New York Times.

YouTube - Class dismissed in Swat Valley.

I REALLY wanna meet or at least talk to Malalai! Like desperately. Does anyone know how I can get hold of her? Recently, someone named Malalai, also from Swat, sent me a really nice message, and I replied to her in the same kindness but haven't heard back from her yet. I'm wondering if that was the same girl!

Khwarzey, Malala happens to be the student of the School where I serve consultant....I shall be glad to be of any service to you.

[Roshina]

Why exactly was female Education banned? What was the Taliban argument?

Khan Gul? Qrratugai? Anyone?

The exact same reason that virtually all of humanity denied women the right to education since the beginning of human civilization until recent decades (or until the late 19th century): because educated women, if educated well enough, will start to think, question, challenge norms that are inhumane, oppressive, unfair, etc., etc. and the Taliban didn't and don't want that. According to Muslim Khan, the Taliban spokesman in Swat, when the Prophet commanded that education is obligatory upon both male and female Muslims, "What he REALLY meant was that domestic education is obligatory for women, along with learning how to read the Quran and/or memorizing it, but outside education is mandatory for men only. So, there are different educations for the two sexes, and it's bid'ah to believe that the Prophet meant equal education, or equal type of education, for both genders."

So, yeah. To the Taliban, education for women = Quranic recitation and domestic chores, like cooking, cleaning, washing, taking care of children, and so on -- all of which are haraam for men to learn, just as the education of men (going to school, going to college, getting degrees, becoming professionals, etc.) is haraam for women to attain.

You know what was so hypocritical in Muslim Khan's statement, though? (I know him.) This: His daughters are VERY well-educated!!!

Anyone from Swat can confirm this.

[Roshina]

Khwarzey, Malala happens to be the student of the School where I serve consultant....I shall be glad to be of any service to you.

OMG . . . Lemme take a deep breath before I say this. . .

You have GOT to be kidding me!! OMG, are you serious?! The SAME Malala?!?!?! Ohhh, pleeeease tell me about her! I'll PM you regarding it. I really NEED to talk to her. AND let's get her to join PF.

Thank you for letting me know you know her

[Khan Gul]

Why exactly was female Education banned? What was the Taliban argument?

Khan Gul? Qrratugai? Anyone?

Qrratugai explained it beautifully. Two other reasons also need to be considered:

1) Pukhtuns are sensitive folk when it comes to their women. By banning women's education, Taaliban's objective was to blackmail Pukhtuns by spreading psychological tyranny, cruelty and injustice in the exercise of power or authority over others.

2) Talibaan was a band of illiterate, dejected scoundrels and no note-worthy Aalim had their support. Most of their leaders at one point or other were either drivers, serfs, drug dealers, petty smugglers with no knowledge of religion or worldly education.