Conspiracy theories surrounding Swat

Locals believe that some 'secret hands' nurtured the mayhem in Swat, allegedly in order to accumulate foreign aid.

Since Swat valley witnessed the ugly face of the Fazlullah-led Talibanisation movement, a hot topic for discussion has been the theory of unseen powers working behind the game. Be it street talk or scholarly analysis, the locals give vent to the perception that some ‘secret hands’ nurtured the mayhem that plagued the paradise on earth for years.

Ironically, no one dares to expose any names of the actors responsible for the growth of what can only be called ‘barbarism’.

Many are of the opinion that the Taliban and the security forces are two sides of a coin engaged in a game in the once peaceful valley.

Militant occupation and the ensuing operations are often tarred with the ‘conspiracy theory’ brush. Some say that the entire situation is akin to a movie with the same director pulling the strings of both the hero and the villain. Many are of the opinion that the game was played to attract the attention of the international community in order to accumulate dollars, while others are sure it was an honest battle fought purely for the survival of the country.

Another thought floating in the minds of some is that the “whole drama” was played out for the establishment of a cantonment in Swat. Whatever the reality, the grim truth is that those who were directly targeted and suffered the most consequences of the wave of militancy are the innocent folk belonging to the valley. In a display of relentless sacrifice in the name of their country, they suffered death, had their properties destroyed by heavy bombardment and got displaced.

Yet, the people of Swat are hopeful, and in some cases sure, that one day both the secret hands and the objective of the game will surface, as history shows nothing can be kept under wraps for too long.