Historic tale: ‘Story of Swat needs to be told’

Education was given significance before, says grandson of last Wali of Swat.

ISLAMABAD: A presentation on the princely state of Swat was organised by the Asian Study Group (ASG) on Thursday. Adnan Aurangzeb, grandson of the last Wali of Swat, delivered the presentation that aimed to enlighten the audience about the history, culture and traditions of the region.

Introducing the speaker of the event, British High Commissioner (BHC) Phillip Barton, who is also the patron of ASG said Aurangzeb is a fantastic collector of historical and memorable things. It is not just the fact that he is the grandson of the last Wali of Swat that makes him uniquely qualified to speak today, he said. “He even saves and keeps his boarding passes,” the high commissioner said while the audience burst in laughter.

“The story of Swat needs to be told,” said Aurangzeb as he started the presentation. “It is being told today but is not what we knew Swat for. People need to know about the beauty of it and that it is a magical piece of real estate,” he said. Unfortunately, it is no more a popular choice in terms of tourism, he added.

The multimedia presentation, which featured photographs, letters and untold stories, began with a photograph of Malala Yousafzai.  Aurangzeb said the Nobel laureate has indeed put Swat on the world map, but for a very sad reason that girls are shot for getting education. He also discussed the cultural heritage and history of Swat. “There was a time when education was given significance, and teachers from Swat were called to Peshawar to train other teachers and educate children,” he said. He mentioned that the first school for girls in the area was established in 1926. “Education in the region was a priority for the wali,” he added.

The presentation not only revealed interesting historical stories but also made Aurangzeb’s vast knowledge of the region very apparent.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2015.