Myopic portrayal of tribal areas
Right now, I wish to be in Wana, my hometown in the South Waziristan Agency, with my friends and enjoy some cricket.
Right now, I wish to be in Wana, my hometown in the South Waziristan Agency, with my friends and enjoy some cricket. Especially the ongoing cricket tournament. Before evening, cricket loving tribal gathered in large number to watch their young playing in a ‘plain’ of mountains covered with ever-green trees, not less in beauty than Murree or any other famous hill station in Pakistan.
This beautiful valley is not only culturally rich, but these days, the weather here is also very pleasant which attract the locals, especially the tribal youth to organise picnic trips, prepare traditional dishes and do the Attan (traditional dance) near sights that are worth seeing. Most importantly, how can one forget to visit the tomb of Musa Derviesh, the forefather of Wazir tribe.
While in Angor Adda, a tribal area on the border, one can witness the coexistence of a culturally rich and traditional tribal practices and the modern aspect of human life. Sports activities are plentiful and men carry out fruit businesses. Many of the men in Angor Adda also go to Middle Eastern countries to earn their livelihood. But unfortunately, most think that families in the tribal areas are backward, dirt poor and have made the cutting and smuggling of forest as their source of income.
One does feel deep sorrow to look at the heavy heaps of wood in Angor Adda Bazar and other places, ready for smuggling to the rest of Pakistan, and also across the border to Afghanistan. One wonders: how did these loaded trucks cross past the various check posts set up on Wana-Angor Adda Road. Few know that the local political administration is the most budding part of the timber mafia.
Angor Adda, a Western part of the Zindawar mountains, is made up of several thousand acres of chalghuza vegetation. Unfortunately, this chalghuza field is at the mercy of the timber mafia, which has also been providing the tribal people with modern trees cutting machines. This rapid deforestation is not only diminishing the beauty of valley, but is also a danger call to wildlife.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2014.
This beautiful valley is not only culturally rich, but these days, the weather here is also very pleasant which attract the locals, especially the tribal youth to organise picnic trips, prepare traditional dishes and do the Attan (traditional dance) near sights that are worth seeing. Most importantly, how can one forget to visit the tomb of Musa Derviesh, the forefather of Wazir tribe.
While in Angor Adda, a tribal area on the border, one can witness the coexistence of a culturally rich and traditional tribal practices and the modern aspect of human life. Sports activities are plentiful and men carry out fruit businesses. Many of the men in Angor Adda also go to Middle Eastern countries to earn their livelihood. But unfortunately, most think that families in the tribal areas are backward, dirt poor and have made the cutting and smuggling of forest as their source of income.
One does feel deep sorrow to look at the heavy heaps of wood in Angor Adda Bazar and other places, ready for smuggling to the rest of Pakistan, and also across the border to Afghanistan. One wonders: how did these loaded trucks cross past the various check posts set up on Wana-Angor Adda Road. Few know that the local political administration is the most budding part of the timber mafia.
Angor Adda, a Western part of the Zindawar mountains, is made up of several thousand acres of chalghuza vegetation. Unfortunately, this chalghuza field is at the mercy of the timber mafia, which has also been providing the tribal people with modern trees cutting machines. This rapid deforestation is not only diminishing the beauty of valley, but is also a danger call to wildlife.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2014.