Swat in protest

Like expected, the Taliban have re-emerged in their former stronghold, less than a decade after the military operation to wipe them out of Swat valley. And they’re no different than they were all these years ago, with girls’ education and women empowerment causing them much alarm.

But who is to blame? The state? Or the government?

In September last year, following the fall of Kabul to the Afghan Taliban, much speculation was made about the spillover of this development into Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region with the emboldening of the TTP. Punjab has remained relatively safe from their threat.

The fall of Kabul in September 2021 was followed by an agreement with the TTP, mediated by the Afghan Taliban, the contents of which remain elusive to this day. This hurt the sentiments of many in Pakistan, particularly the families of APS victims who rightly felt it tantamount to betrayal.

Only a year later, a school van carrying girls was attacked, during which the ill-fated driver of the van got killed while two students were injured. The timing of the attack coincided with Malala Yousafzai’s visit to Pakistan for flood relief work. One wonders whether this was a warning for her or just bad timing.

The people of Swat have rejected this new wave of militancy outright by taking to the streets, demanding stricter security from the government and an investigation into the attack.

In a show of solidarity to expel a common enemy, the people of Swat have done what we as Pakistanis should have done years ago. Strength in numbers was practically demonstrated on October 11 when more than 15,000 people joined the protests against the rising militancy.

The protesters, which included the family of the slain driver, concluded a 40 hour sit-in after successful negotiations with the local administration and a warning to march towards Islamabad in the event that their demands were not met within 24 hours.

But what is the way forward? Will Pashtuns continue to bear the brunt of inaction at the state level to address the growing militancy in KP? Where does the state hold little Pashtun girls who dare to dream? As mere collateral damage?

The current state of affairs in Swat brings forth the memories of Malala Yousafzai who was shot in the head in October 2012 by the TTP for speaking up for girls’ right to education. Luckily, she survived and became a symbol of resistance against terrorism globally. Many in our land still refer to her as a foreign sponsored agent. And the state has done nothing to dispel that view. At least, not enough to keep other girls like her safe from the TTP threat. When all focus should be directed towards eliminating militancy in KP, the government and opposition has been busy throwing dirt at each other, and the public busy deliberating the likelihood of presenting leaked audios in a court of law as evidence.

There has been no joint parliamentary session to discuss this grave issue or pass a joint resolution. Is it because the people at stake are Pashtuns, and more so, Pashtun girls, who’s only saviours are indigenous civil rights movements?

We have the second highest number of out of school children (OOSC) in the world with approximately 22.8 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 not attending school.

Disparities based on gender, socioeconomic status and geographic location exist. A survey conducted by BISP as part of the National Socioeconomic Registry census in October last year revealed that 39 per cent children (4.7 million) in the 5-16 age bracket were out of school in KP. Amongst the 4.7 million, 2.9 million included girls, which is alarming.

If ensuring access to education for girls in Swat and the KP region by containing militancy and beefing up security doesn’t strike a chord with the state, our hope of faring well on global gender indices will remain a distant dream and gender equality will remain a myth for future generations.

The writer is a human rights activist and expert on women and children’s rights.