NWFP, FATA and Khyber Pass
Phew!! This must be one of the most exhaustive weeks that we have had. After returning from AJK (see previous posting), we departed for the next visit to North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The journey to Peshawar took us about three hours, with a break at an attraction along the way. The Attock Fort, situated along the bank of the Indus was built by the Moghuls, during the period of Akhbar the Great. The fort overlooking the Indus and Kabul rivers is strategically located, currently housing one of Pakistan Commando Units. We were also taken to a room where the former PM, Nawab Shariff was housed when he was under arrest; before his self exile to Saudi Arabia. Further along the way, we came across to PAF Bases, i.e. at Kamra (home of the Mirages) and at Risalpur (a training base). I remembered few of our colleagues passed through PAF Base Risalpur as QFIs (such as Uncle Loke, Alwi, Mohan and late Rashiff).
We reached Peshawar and checked into the Pearl Continental. That night we were invited by one of our colleagues (a local) to sample a local Bar-B-Q at one of the hotels in town. The next day we called upon the Chief Minister of the Province. Quite an interesting character. He insisted to converse in Urdu and fond of giving long answers to our short questions. For the allied officers' benefit, his answers has to be translated and that intensified the agony. NWFP is one of the most backward province in Pakistan. Some of the social economic indicators are high population growth, very high poverty (45%), very low literacy rate (56% amongst men and 25% amongst women) narrow resource base, low human resource, heavy debt burden. Nonetheless some of the potentials available are hydel potential, forestry, minerals and gemstone and gateway trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics. The other major problem is that, currently the province is home to about 1.8 million Afghan refugees. At the height of the conflict, the province had close to 4 million refugees. After 20 years most of them has returned to Afghanistan, but whatever remains has more or less got integrated into the society. The problem is, they continued to be part of social ills as most of them are engaged in illegal activities, mostly smuggling, poppy cultivation (currently about 6,000 acres)and gun running. After the visit to Chief Minister, we visited the Army 11 Corps were we had lunch. No 11 Corps is responsible for the security of the whole province, including Federal Administered Tribal Area (FATA). The army only entered FATA in 2001 (consequent to Pakistan's joining the war against terrorism) as before this, the area is considered very hostile and out of army's jurisdiction. FATA is ruled by tribal warlords called Maliks. No 11 Corps was also involved in the recent earthquake relief, whereby in NWFP there were 22,000 death and 15,000 injuries.
That night we were invited to the governor's house for dinner. The governor (an ex-Navy officer) gave us a specific briefing on FATA. FATA comprised of 7 districts, Bajaur (where the recent US attack took place), Khyber, Kurram, Mohmand, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan. FATA is loosely governed by the central government, through the provincial governor. The governor is assisted by local administrators called "political agents" nominated from the various tribes. Here warlords rules and tribal law called "jigra" (council of the elders) is used to settle any disputes amongst various tribes. It is also based on "collective responsibility" whereby the whole tribe will be held responsible until the culprit is identified (sounds like our cadet days at RMC). The justice is swift and punishment harsh (again, sound like the cadet days). FATA has been the frontline area on many occasions. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, FATA was used by the US as a conduit to transfer weapons and also as training grounds for mujahideens. These mujahideens, mostly from Arab states (see my earlier postings) are later to become part of the problem to the US. Whatever remains here, formed the Al-Qaeda and of course, FATA is always their sanctuary, until today.
The next day, we visited the famous Khyber Pass. We traveled to the famous Khyber Pass, which sits on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Khyber pass is about 33 kms long and the narrowest part used to be only passable by two camels. Currently, it is about 33 meters wide and work is still proceeding to widen the part to permit traffics. We visited the "Khyber Rifles", a sort of border militia (Frontier Force) that guards the region. We saw tribal dances, had lunch and toured a well-documented museum. They had pictures of numerous world leaders who had visited the area including Jackie Kennedy, three US Presidents, Princess Di, the Raja Permaisuriri Agong (the late mother of present Agong) and several other world leaders. We were told that $2 billion in trade passes from Pakistan to Afghanistan on this road every year. That doesn't count the smuggling that occurs which would add a huge amount to the total. This area of the NWFP is part of the tribal areas you hear about on the news. The terrain is rugged and so are the people. The border is over 600km long and to say it is difficult to patrol is an understatement. The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan referredred to as the Durand Line. The line was agreed as officiboundarydry line betweBritishish India and Afghansitan on 12 Nov 1893. Sir Henry Mortimer Durrand from the British side and Amir Abdul Rahman Khan from the Afghan side signed the historical document. We past several villages. Many of the manfolks just sit by the road side watching the vehicles passing by. Looks like this is the main activity of the folks here. Many of the homes sit behind massive walls made of brick, dirt, or mud. The walls are so high you can't see the homes behind them. There's no telling what goes on in this area; it's truly an unsolvable policing problem.
We struggled back to the hotel in the evening, dead tired from the tough journey to the Pass. Nevertheless, I am glad I made it to the place as I have heard so much about it.
Note: Photographs of the trip can be viewed in my photo blog here.
We reached Peshawar and checked into the Pearl Continental. That night we were invited by one of our colleagues (a local) to sample a local Bar-B-Q at one of the hotels in town. The next day we called upon the Chief Minister of the Province. Quite an interesting character. He insisted to converse in Urdu and fond of giving long answers to our short questions. For the allied officers' benefit, his answers has to be translated and that intensified the agony. NWFP is one of the most backward province in Pakistan. Some of the social economic indicators are high population growth, very high poverty (45%), very low literacy rate (56% amongst men and 25% amongst women) narrow resource base, low human resource, heavy debt burden. Nonetheless some of the potentials available are hydel potential, forestry, minerals and gemstone and gateway trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics. The other major problem is that, currently the province is home to about 1.8 million Afghan refugees. At the height of the conflict, the province had close to 4 million refugees. After 20 years most of them has returned to Afghanistan, but whatever remains has more or less got integrated into the society. The problem is, they continued to be part of social ills as most of them are engaged in illegal activities, mostly smuggling, poppy cultivation (currently about 6,000 acres)and gun running. After the visit to Chief Minister, we visited the Army 11 Corps were we had lunch. No 11 Corps is responsible for the security of the whole province, including Federal Administered Tribal Area (FATA). The army only entered FATA in 2001 (consequent to Pakistan's joining the war against terrorism) as before this, the area is considered very hostile and out of army's jurisdiction. FATA is ruled by tribal warlords called Maliks. No 11 Corps was also involved in the recent earthquake relief, whereby in NWFP there were 22,000 death and 15,000 injuries.
That night we were invited to the governor's house for dinner. The governor (an ex-Navy officer) gave us a specific briefing on FATA. FATA comprised of 7 districts, Bajaur (where the recent US attack took place), Khyber, Kurram, Mohmand, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan. FATA is loosely governed by the central government, through the provincial governor. The governor is assisted by local administrators called "political agents" nominated from the various tribes. Here warlords rules and tribal law called "jigra" (council of the elders) is used to settle any disputes amongst various tribes. It is also based on "collective responsibility" whereby the whole tribe will be held responsible until the culprit is identified (sounds like our cadet days at RMC). The justice is swift and punishment harsh (again, sound like the cadet days). FATA has been the frontline area on many occasions. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, FATA was used by the US as a conduit to transfer weapons and also as training grounds for mujahideens. These mujahideens, mostly from Arab states (see my earlier postings) are later to become part of the problem to the US. Whatever remains here, formed the Al-Qaeda and of course, FATA is always their sanctuary, until today.
The next day, we visited the famous Khyber Pass. We traveled to the famous Khyber Pass, which sits on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Khyber pass is about 33 kms long and the narrowest part used to be only passable by two camels. Currently, it is about 33 meters wide and work is still proceeding to widen the part to permit traffics. We visited the "Khyber Rifles", a sort of border militia (Frontier Force) that guards the region. We saw tribal dances, had lunch and toured a well-documented museum. They had pictures of numerous world leaders who had visited the area including Jackie Kennedy, three US Presidents, Princess Di, the Raja Permaisuriri Agong (the late mother of present Agong) and several other world leaders. We were told that $2 billion in trade passes from Pakistan to Afghanistan on this road every year. That doesn't count the smuggling that occurs which would add a huge amount to the total. This area of the NWFP is part of the tribal areas you hear about on the news. The terrain is rugged and so are the people. The border is over 600km long and to say it is difficult to patrol is an understatement. The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan referredred to as the Durand Line. The line was agreed as officiboundarydry line betweBritishish India and Afghansitan on 12 Nov 1893. Sir Henry Mortimer Durrand from the British side and Amir Abdul Rahman Khan from the Afghan side signed the historical document. We past several villages. Many of the manfolks just sit by the road side watching the vehicles passing by. Looks like this is the main activity of the folks here. Many of the homes sit behind massive walls made of brick, dirt, or mud. The walls are so high you can't see the homes behind them. There's no telling what goes on in this area; it's truly an unsolvable policing problem.
We struggled back to the hotel in the evening, dead tired from the tough journey to the Pass. Nevertheless, I am glad I made it to the place as I have heard so much about it.
Note: Photographs of the trip can be viewed in my photo blog here.
posted by besutian at 10:32 PM
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