Pakistan assures Ismailis, Kalash tribe against Taliban threat

Published February 21, 2014
Chitral Scouts, Police, border police, elite force and Pakistan Army troops have been deployed on all borders and are on a red alert to meet any challenge in Chitral. – File Photo
Chitral Scouts, Police, border police, elite force and Pakistan Army troops have been deployed on all borders and are on a red alert to meet any challenge in Chitral. – File Photo

CHITRAL: In the wake of recent threats to Ismaili community and Kalash tribe by Taliban, a grand peace jirga (conference) was held at Bumborat in Kalash Valley on Friday to address concerns of the communities.

The meeting was presided over by Commandant Chitral Scouts Col Naeem Iqbal and was attended by Deputy Commissioner Chitral Muhammad Shoaib Jadoon, District Police Officer Ghulam Hussain and Major Murtaza as well as elites from Kalash, Ismaili and Sunni Muslim communities.

The picturesque Chitral Valley in northern Pakistan was once dominated by moderate Ismailis and is also home to the Kalash, a polytheistic people who claim descent from Alexander the Great and who have maintained separate cultural traditions to the predominantly Muslim country.

But migration in recent decades has meant that Sunni Muslims are now the majority in the area, while the Kalash way of life has come under threat by the Taliban, who have also carried out a number of attacks against security forces in the area.

In a 50-minute long video released on Feb 2 on the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) media wing's website, the militants had announced an “armed struggle” against the Kalash and Ismaili Muslims. The narrator warned the Kalash, who are thought to number only 3,500, to convert to Islam or face death.

Addressing to the jirga, Col Naeem Iqbal said that Chitral Scouts, Police, border police, elite force and Pakistan Army have been deployed on all borders and are on a red alert to meet any challenge.

He urged the locals to not take the threat seriously as the video released by the Taliban was not new and made in 2011. He said after the matter was projected in the media, prompting the Supreme Court of Pakistan taking a suo motu notice.

Following the media report regarding the Taliban’s threat to Ismailis and the Kalash tribe, Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took the notice on Thursday.

The apex court said the hearing of the suo motu notice would be held along with the Peshawar church attack case.

People belonging to Kalash tribe, Sunnis and Ismaili Muslim community said that they were confident of the capability of the security forces and hoped that they will be protected by the LEAs.

They demanded from the government to construct roads and give better facilities to local residents of the valley. They also demanded the authorities that a preference should be given to the locals in the recruitment in border security forces, police and Chitral Scouts.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.