PEOPLE in North Waziristan recently witnessed a very different kind of action from what they have been used to over the past several years — one that involved no drones, hellfire missiles, gunship helicopters or gruesome beheadings. On Thursday, the Younis Khan stadium on the outskirts of Miramshah, the tribal agency’s headquarters, was the setting of a friendly match arranged by the ISPR between two cricket teams. One was a UK side led by British journalist Peter Oborne and the other a Pakistan XI comprising some of the country’s former cricketing stars, including Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul, among others. For a war-weary population, it was a moment to savour, and they came out in their thousands, schoolboys and tribesmen, to cheer on the players. For years, the locals had endured the brutality unleashed by violent extremist groups in the area and been targeted in multiple drone attacks by the US. Most of the residents had also been displaced by Zarb-i-Azb, the two-year military offensive launched against North Waziristan-based terrorist groups.

Cricket has been used before in the subcontinent to make political statements, usually of the more negative kind with Pakistan at the receiving end. This time, however, the sport has served a far more positive purpose. For starters, it was an opportunity for the army to showcase its successes against militancy in the tribal areas. North Waziristan is of particular significance in this context: once known as the hub of terrorism in Fata, it was the last agency to be tackled by the security forces in their battle against militancy. Not too long ago, a sporting event in Miramshah — even one heavily secured by the army — would have been inconceivable, let alone a contest involving foreign players. The participation of overseas players also guaranteed international media coverage, thereby promoting Pakistan’s ‘soft’ image. Perhaps most important of all, the match provided a much-needed interlude of joy for the people, and was a promise of what is possible in the future.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2017