Swat Valley in Summer

The News
By Zubair Torwali
It's been a year since the military successfully completed Operation Rah-e-Haq against the Taliban militants in Swat. Peace prevails in the Valley but many expectations of the people have still to be fulfilled. For instance, the government had given the assurance, much to the joy of the locals, that the Valley would be open for tourists by summer. But this never happened.
Before the Taliban insurgency, students from universities and colleges from across the country would troop to Swat in April. They would come here and camp here, thronging tourist resorts like Bahrain, Kalam, Malam Jabba, Miandam, Madyan and Marghzar. May used to be the month for academia, with academics visiting the Valley to study the remains of the Buddhist civilisations, as well as enjoying the natural beauty of Swat. In June and July, families would rent houses and stay in Bahrain, Madyan and Kalam, enjoying summer vacation with their children. And the month of August used to be peak time for tourists, with people from all over the world visiting the Valley.
I prefer Swat over every other part of the country, and not merely because I am a proud resident of the Valley. I remember the serenity that once prevailed here. And I am sure everyone who has been to Swat in its golden days will agree with me. Who can forget a drive through orchards of apples, peaches and apricots, and a ride along the bank of the Swat River? But Swat has been afflicted with such scars that it will take decades to recover.
Last week, I visited Malam Jabba, Marghzar, Madyan, Kalam, Miandam and other valleys. It was all quiet, and there was no shelling, no crossfire. I felt a gloom surrounding the beautiful valleys. Not only the vales pensive, but even the snow-covered mountains looked sad. As if, like the residents, they wanted to ask some painful questions which might never be answered. Yes, the people of Swat have a number of questions to ask, but they dare not put them to the powers that be.
You can capture people. You can exhort them to kill, just as you can kill people yourself. But you can never stop people's thoughts. Who can stop the citizens of the Valley from demanding who is going to guarantee a lasting peace in Swat, and when? The military? The civil government? Or both? Who will put an end to the targeted killings of peacekeepers? First, who exactly is behind these killings? What will be the fate of the arrested militants? What about the foreign aid received in the name of Swat? And, more importantly, will someone make the effort to restore Swat to being the lovely place it was?
They are not contrived questions, because they are on the lips of everyone in Swat. By people from all walks of life--from drivers to intellectuals. There are, of course, individuals in the country who know the answers to these questions. Will they ever bother to answer them, as they must?
It seems that the media, which used to be on the forefront on the war against the militants, has forgotten the Valley after the completion of the operation. Or perhaps it has other, more pressing matters to attend to, like politics. Thumbs up to the vibrant and free media of Pakistan!
But, dear Reader, these questions are not directed at you. Swat is still a place worth visiting. So the next time you plan a vacation, give Swat a chance to gladden your heart.
The writer is a freelance contributor who heads IBT, an independent organisation dealing with education and development in Swat.(Email: ztorwali@gmail.com)