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The Valley of Swat, known for its natural beauty and cultural heritage, has suffered from extremist activities and recent floods that have damaged its infrastructure. Swat-Kohistan, a mountainous area within Swat, is rich in potential for eco-tourism and winter sports but faces economic challenges, leading to significant migration of its population to urban areas. The region is home to diverse ethnic groups and languages, with a total population of approximately 265,000.

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Samreen Azim
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32 views1 page

Untitled

The Valley of Swat, known for its natural beauty and cultural heritage, has suffered from extremist activities and recent floods that have damaged its infrastructure. Swat-Kohistan, a mountainous area within Swat, is rich in potential for eco-tourism and winter sports but faces economic challenges, leading to significant migration of its population to urban areas. The region is home to diverse ethnic groups and languages, with a total population of approximately 265,000.

Uploaded by

Samreen Azim
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PESHAWAR: The Valley of Swat is famous for its fruit laden orchards, fertile la nds, snowcapped peaks, the

mighty and zigzagging River Swat, waterfalls, lush gr een pastures, azure lakes and not the least, the relics of Gandhara and Darada c ivilisations. But extremists distorted its hospitable image by their activities. It is rightly called Switzerland of Pakistan. In 2002, a Swiss tourist declared Swat more beautiful than her homeland. When asked how she found Swat she replied, In beauty Swat is more than Switzerland but there is no Gul Khan there in my homeland . Gul Khan was the name of the securit y personnel assigned with the duty to escort the tourist. She was very tired of the gun. Thus security issues destroyed every aspect of our lives. These have even damage d the image of our heavens like Swat. Adding to the destruction by the insurgenc y the floods in Swat two years back damaged the remaining infrastructure, partic ularly of the upper narrower valley of Swat. This part is usually termed as Swat -Kohistan, the mountainous valley in the extreme north of Swat. This valley is almost equal to the rest of Swat in terms of area. The valley beg ins upward from Madyan and ends with Ghizer (Gilgit-Baltistan) and Chitral in th e north; with Indus Kohistan in the west while it meets Upper Dir in the East. T his is the part for whose beauty Swat is famous for. Here lie the gleaming peaks of Koshein (Mankiyal Peak) and Palasaar or Falak Ser. Along the main valley of Swat Kohistan a number of sub-valleys lead to the vast pastures and precious for ests. Each of these side valleys has dozen of azure lakes. Mahudand and Kandol lakes a re just two among many that have so far been accessed. By the banks of these lak es are the glaciers which feed the River Swat. The sub-valleys have great potent ial of winter sports such as skiing. Moreover, they can be used for trekking and other eco-tourism ventures. Ethnically Swat-Kohistan is home to the ancient Dardic languages Torwali, Gawri, Badeshi and Ushojo with Torwali in majority. Total population is estimated 265,000 with fewer sources of livelihood in the fo rm of terraced and scarce arable land. This is the main reason why the people of Swat Kohistan migrate to cities especially in winter, and almost 30 percent of the Torwali people have permanently migrated to major cities of Pakistan. Other sources of income for a fringe of society are tourism and the loyalty from fores t logging.

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