Pakistan: TTP threat panics Kalash people

The Tehreek-i-Taliban threat of attacks has frightened the Kalash tribe living in three segregated valleys of southern Chitral. Luke Rahmat, a Kalash tribesman holding a master’s degree, told Dawn here that the Taliban threat had filled more than 3,500 members of his community with terror. He said though the TTP threat’s authenticity had yet to be established, it had terrified the Kalash people, who had confined themselves to homes after sunset fearing attacks by the banned outfit. “My seven-year-old daughter is so terrified that she’s sleepless nights. I found her awake at night on return from another valley the other day as she wanted to see me around in the wake of the Taliban threat,” he said. Mr Rahmat blamed the recent terrorist activities in Kalash valleys, including the beheading of a Spaniard along with a herdsman, for the fear. Tash Khan, another Kalash tribesman, said members of his community were known for non-violent disposition. “In their known history, members of Kalash community have never committed murder or suicide,” he said. The tribesman said the Kalash people preferred peace to everything else and were even ready to leave their valleys if they were asked to do so. Meanwhile, local leaders of religio-political parties insisted the threat to Kalash people was a hoax. Former Jamaat-i-Islami MNA from Chitral Maulana Akbar Chitrali said some people had tried to harm the TTP-government peace talks by issuing a video released by the Taliban two years ago. He said the Muslim and Kalash communities had been living peacefully for centuries and that Muslims never posed any threat to the Kalash people. MNA from Chitral Shahzada Iftikharuddin said strict measures should be put in place to ensure protection of the Kalash community. Meanwhile, a meeting was held in Bumburate valley here on Friday in which Chitral deputy commissioner Mohammad Shoaib Jadoon and officers of law enforcement agencies asked both Muslim and Kalash communities of the three valleys to be vigilant. Shoaib Jadoon told Dawn that the administration assured Kalash tribesmen of their safety.