Peshawar and the tribal belt

For the past about 200 years, history of Peshawar is replete with the traditional attacks by the tribals living in the surrounding areas on the common citizens of Peshawar. Peshawar at that time had only one big bazaar and that was Qissa Khani bazaar since times immemorial. During british rule in the subcontinent, attacks by the tribals on the main Peshawar city was ordinary routine but it was for the purpose to defeat the british forces and for the end of british rule. Britishers had to erect a wall surrounding Peshawar with number of gates opening towards different tribal belts. Each gate opening towards a particular area was named after them and still continues to be used. For e.g, a gate opening towards Kabul is named as Kabuli gate, and a gate opening towards Kohat is Kohati darwaza and so on.

After partition of the subcontinent from 1947 till start of Afghan war in 1979 stray incidents of lootings, settling personal scores through killings continued by the tribals but for their economic survival which had no political overtones As said today, the tradition goes on tribals have improved their strategies in attacking Peshawar from the tribal areas but now it is not in shape of theft, looting of Peshawaries as before but they have been dragged into political mainstream of international politics. Now it has reached an alarming proportion and assumed the prominence of international standards. Their unabated attacks are now through remote controlled bombs killing hundreds of innocent Peshawaries but pronouncing it as against allies of Americans. Previously against the british rule now against American rule.

These tribals are ordinary people belonging to tribal belt but now with more sophisticated arms, ammunitions and arts and crafts than before. There is negative improvement in their life standard, they are still hard working people but some of them trapped by international drug smugglers and some by international political vested interests. Who are these talibans? They belong to the latter category.

Reason for this negative trend in their life is lack of proper facilities and look after by the government during this period of one and half century. We are in a very complex situation, if we fight with the tribals Peshawaries suffer, if we start talks with them even situation goes out of control. If there are no talks with Taliban situation is still not under control. If we cooperate with USA even then situation is not under control. Its a No-win situation except for those who operates a drone through remote control. Our political bosses have minted billions of dollars from the Afghan war and thereafter. Everyone of them has milked his own share but no one has cared to look after the interest of these poor people of tribal areas.

The sufferers at last are the local Peshawaries, neither people of other districts in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nor people of other provinces. This situation is better known only to the locals of Peshawar from whose blood the city of Peshawar has turned from one Qissa Khani bazaar into a metropolitan city.