VIEW: Unanswered questions —Zubair Torwali

The Swat flogging video embarrassed the provincial government to the extent that its ministers accused the person who had personally brought the video out before the world. The video was also termed as a means to sabotage the ‘peace’ deal
Swat has witnessed many
harsh and cruel days. For about two years, it presented a view of Afghanistan during the heyday of the Afghan Taliban. The man who ignited the situation against the state of Pakistan — Sufi Mohammad — was spared (seemingly by design) for about three years. The MMA was then the ruling government in the province. In 2008, a half-hearted operation was launched under the name of Rah-e-Haq but it was evident then that the action being taken against the insurgents was not serious. However, soon the situation became very grave and serious when the hanging of slit-throated and beheaded bodies became a routine, and the Grain Chowk in Mingora became notorious as the ‘Khooni Chowk’. Upon intense pressure from the people of Swat and the media, the government decided to try and settle the issue peacefully. A long deliberation and negotiations were carried out at the start of 2009 to reach a settlement. In the wake of this endeavour, a peace deal was signed with the Taliban in February 2009. Emboldened by the very apparent capitulation on the part of the government, the militants expanded their writ to the nearby districts of Buner and Dir. The people’s reaction to the peace deal was mixed. Some thought it would bring permanent peace to the Valley but there were many who were cynical and thought that the peace deal was carried out on the terms put forward by the militants. They were of the opinion that since the Taliban were non-state actors, they would not comply with the truce. Their apprehensions proved true and the Taliban extended their ‘rule’ beyond Swat.

When the dilemma reached its peak, there appeared a video sometime in April, wherein the Taliban were reportedly flogging a girl. The video took the media and civil society by storm. To many Swatis the video was not surprising as they had witnessed incidents much more brutal than the flogging being shown in the video. It was perhaps the timing of the video that made headlines and breaking news, or perhaps the fact that seeing is more shocking than hearing or reading. The video embarrassed the provincial government to the extent that its ministers accused the person who had personally brought the video out before the world. The video was also termed as a means to sabotage the ‘peace’ deal. The social activist who dared to show the video was harassed and was shown crying out for help.

Reaction from the Taliban over the video was also confusing but their spokesman accepted responsibility on the grounds that Islam allowed such punishments for adultery. He went on record saying that the girl deserved harsher treatment than the mere flogging but she was spared, thanks to the Taliban.

Now, almost a year has lapsed since the video was shown to the world. On March 30, 2010, headlines announced that the video was, indeed, found to be a fake after investigation. It was claimed that a ‘local’ from Swat confessed that he had been paid Rs 0.5 million by an NGO to shoot the video. This latest scenario about the validity of the video has created some pertinent questions.

First of all, the timing of this news about the bogusness of the video is very important. Is this information meant to malign the military, which has successfully cleared Swat after a yearlong operation? If looks are anything to go by, it appears so.

Secondly, is this a new move to mentally prepare the people of Swat for a comeback of militancy? The news doubting the originality of the video will certainly warm some hearts towards the Taliban. Is all this an initial episode of yet another conspiracy against the people of Swat?

Thirdly, does this video refutation not imply a significant amount of bad press for the NGOs that are contributing towards the rehabilitation of Swat? As the main blame is on an NGO that, as the news would like us to believe, bribed a certain ‘local’ to shoot the video, the people of Swat will eventually begin resenting the humanitarian agencies that are operating there.

Fourthly, why has it taken a full year to investigate the matter? All this could have been concluded in the very beginning.

Lastly, who is this local person and the others who were interrogated in the investigation? When the video was first shown, it was understandable to speak up in the media while requesting anonymity as Swat was in the grip of anarchy. Now, when Swat is in the safe hands of our military, why are these locals still anonymous and unidentified?

I have interacted with many educated and well aware Swatis about this latest development. All were very cynical and angry. They consider this current piece of information to be a part of some big conspiracy.

Amidst such a clumsy situation, they appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take up the issue and investigate the matter in depth so as to let the people of Swat, and Pakistan in general, know the facts about the real situation. A free and fair investigation in this regard by the country’s apex court will unravel the conspiracy.

The writer is a freelance analyst based in Swat. He can be reached at ztorwali@gmail.com