SWAT: A local jirga on Saturday rejected the proposed 207-megawatt Madyan Hydropower Project, declaring it unacceptable in its current form and without free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).
The declaration came during a jirga of the Torwali community convened in Bahrain under the ‘Darya-e-Swat Bachao Tehreek’ (Save River Swat Movement).
The jirga, attended by representatives from all Torwali-speaking villages across Bahrain tehsil, including those located within the project’s area of influence (AOI), also included delegations from Kalam and Madyan.
The meeting was held to review community concerns regarding the hydropower project, funded by the World Bank under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hydropower and Energy Programme (KHRE) and implemented by the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO).
World Bank accused of ‘destroying local resources’
Prominent speakers included former provincial minister Malak Muhammad Didar Khan, Malak Khurshid Ali, Malak Nisar Ahmad, Malak Bakht Mand, advocate Iqbal Shah, Malak Dost Muhammad Khan, Raja Mumtaz, Malak Asif Shehzad, Malak Tawas, Haji Mirajuddin, Malak Nawazish Ali, Bahrain trade federation president Khanzada Khan, Inam Ullah, Bakht Nawaz Chamot, Zubair Torwali and youth representatives Tariq Hussain Zeb and Jafar Shah.
Speaking on the occasion, former minister Malak Didar Khan said the Torwali community had been protesting against the project for the past 15 months.
He criticised the World Bank for “ignoring indigenous peoples’ concerns” and pushing communities towards negotiations with the PEDO, which he termed “an unequal and unjust arrangement”. He added that the people had already experienced the “harmful consequences of the so-called development” through the Daral Hydropower Project.
Malak Khurshid Ali said that institutions such as the World Bank had been “destroying local resources” through local implementing bodies or private contractors. Malak Nisar Ahmad praised the Save River Swat Movement for its efforts over the past 16 months, reiterating that the community rejected the project in its current form.
Advocate Iqbal Shah urged unity against “extractive projects that undermine the community’s rights to land, resources and livelihood.” Inamullah said the movement was not dependent on donor funding and was functioning through contributions from local activists.
Zubair Torwali presented an overview of the movement’s engagements with the World Bank, PEDO and government departments.
He highlighted what he called “serious errors and inconsistencies” in the project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP).
He claimed that both PEDO and the World Bank had acknowledged these issues by agreeing to an Action Plan for further dialogue, but noted that progress had stalled due to the bank’s refusal to engage directly and PEDO’s “limited capacity” to negotiate.
The jirga concluded with a collective pledge to defend the Swat River, described as the cultural and spiritual lifeline of the Torwali people and to continue peaceful resistance until their rights are recognised and the river is safeguarded.
The declaration has been adopted in Madyan, Swat Valley, by the elders of the Torwali indigenous community.
Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2025