Turning pages: Exhibition opens vista onto FATA’s war history

Tradional dresses, Gandharan antiques also on display

PESHAWAR:

Old muskets, swords and pistols, dating back to the era of British imperialism, were displayed at an antiques exhibition at Qayyum Stadium on Thursday. The event opened a vista onto the history of warfare in Fata.

“Although guns have destroyed our region, these muskets are a part of history,” Rahman Afridi, a representative from FR Kohat, told The Express Tribune. “We have exported these antiques to several foreign countries and have managed to earn decent revenue.” According to Afridi, the guns displayed also speak volumes about the evolution of the arms and ammunition industry of Darra Adam Khel. The tribespeople present at the exhibition said the arms and ammunition offer a glimpse of how the region has dealt with war.

Bygone era

A majority of the swords and knives exhibited at the stadium were used during wars against the Mughals and to fight other enemies. In addition, coins from various periods, Gandhara era statues and jewellery and utensils used years ago were also put on display. Yousaf Hassan, a resident of Kurram Agency, displayed clothes that were worn by people from the agency in the past. “Most of these dresses have vanished away,” said Hassan. “[Nevertheless] we have brought here our lifestyle, history and culture to the exhibition.”

He added the dresses on display were especially gathered from different parts of Kurram for the exhibition so that they could highlight the fashion sense of the time. Hassan also had old artillery on display. “It was given as a reward by Sher Shah Suri to one of the sardars for his bravery in the war against India.The artillery has been passed down to us and will be preserved,”



Remnants from the past

Antiques linked to the Gandharan civilisation were also brought to the exhibition by the people of Khyber Agency. Fawad Shinwari, head of the Khyber stall, said these broken statues were found during the construction work that was being done by locals.

Some tribespeople were unaware of the value of the statues, but said they have been preserved at their houses so that historians can trace the history of their region.

Khyber is one of the richest part of the Gandharan civilisation. However, there have been efforts made to peel back the layers of mystery and make a historic profile of the agency. Some of the tribespeople brought the antiques to the exhibition to know their market value. At the Orakzai Agency stall, there were farming antiques as the agency grows a variety of crops.

“These instruments are no more seen in use as modern technology has taken over,” said Mumtaz Orakzai, who was heading the stall.

There were also arms and ammunition on display. “We do not know much about their history as the political administration handed them to us a few days before the event,” said Mumtaz, referring to a musket that political administration officials told him was made in 1579. Hatol Khan, an 80-year-old man who had a collection of hundreds of antique coins from different parts of the agency and Afghanistan, was also present on the occasion.

“I spent my entire life collecting these coins, but it is for the first time that I have shown them to the world,” Hatol said. “I’m ready to give my collection to any museum, only if they promise to preserve it for posterity.” The exhibition was organised by Governor Mehtab Ahmad Khan to highlight the culture and heritage of the tribal areas. It was part of the Fata sports and cultural festival.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2015.