BAHRAIN SWAT: Swat-Kohistan (not the Indus-Kohistan in the Karakoram) is the upper mountainous, beautiful valley in the Swat district, which is at a distance of about 55 kilometers from the district headquarters, Saidu Sharif. It is a narrow valley with snowcapped peaks on both sides of the Swat River. It is blessed with fascinating natural beauty but also suffers from acute poverty, ignorance, marginalisation and negligence.
Swat-Kohistan is home to three major non-Pashtun, ethno-linguistic communities, namely Torwali, Gawri and Gujar, with the Torwali community forming the majority. The total population of the area is over 250,000 with Torwalis numbering more than 110,000. This area lacks educational infrastructure, with there being only one high school for girls in the whole area. Also, there is no college, either for boys or girls, in the area.
Administratively, the whole area is divided into six union councils, namely, Bahrain, Mankiyal, Balakot, Kalam, Utror and Bishigram. Since 1969, Swat-Kohistan has suffered from neglect at the hands of the authorities. In the times of the Wali-e-Swat, all the roads of Swat-Kohistan were well-constructed and well-designed, whereas today, one can only see a few glimpses of the valley’s serene past. The MPA of the area has never done anything concrete for its development. When you enter his constituency, all you encounter is a jeep track — not a proper road; there are no girls’ schools and colleges, no electricity and no water supply schemes. The residents of the area beg the authorties concerned to take note of the situation and do something to alleviate their misery.
Mujahid Torwali,
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.
