SWAT: Seventeen years after the massive displacement of nearly 1.8 million people from the Swat Valley, memories of those painful days still haunt its residents. For those who witnessed the events of May 2009, the mass migration remains one of the darkest chapters in the valley’s history.

On May 9 and 10, 2009, thousands of families fled their homes as military operations against terrorists intensified across Swat, Buner, and Lower Dir. Roads once crowded with tourists and traders turned into endless lines of vehicles carrying frightened families, household items, and crying children. Many people left behind homes, businesses, orchards, and livestock built over generations.

“We thought we would return after a few days,” recalled Haji Rahman, a resident of Mingora. “I left my house without even locking the door. My children were crying. We had a comfortable life, but when the shelling started, none of those things mattered anymore,” he said.

The United Nations later described the displacement as one of the largest and fastest human migrations in recent history. Families moved toward Mardan, Swabi, Peshawar, Charsadda, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, and other cities. Some walked for miles before finding transport, while others spent nights on roadsides, in schools, mosques, and unfinished buildings.

Residents say promises of rebuilding militancy-hit infrastructure remain largely unfulfilled

The extreme summer heat made survival even harder. Temperatures in the plains crossed 40 degrees Celsius, unbearable for people accustomed to Swat’s cool climate. Children fainted while standing in food queues, elderly people suffered heatstroke, and overcrowded camps created severe hardships for women and children.

The camps in Mardan and Swabi quickly overflowed with displaced families. Thousands lived under canvas tents that became unbearably hot during the daytime. Relief organisations distributed flour, rice, sugar, cooking oil, blankets, and drinking water, while long queues formed daily for food and medical assistance.

Despite the difficulties, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa opened their homes to displaced families.

Shahid Khan, a schoolteacher from Swabi, remembered the solidarity shown during those difficult months.

“People of Swat were not treated like refugees. We considered them our guests. Almost every house in our village hosted one or two displaced families,” he said.

In Mardan and nearby districts, shopkeepers extended credit to families who had no money, farmers donated milk and vegetables, and volunteers distributed cold water along roadsides. For many displaced families, this hospitality became one of the few bright memories of an otherwise traumatic period.

Beyond physical hardship, the emotional trauma was enormous.

Abdul Basit, who was a student at the time, remembered spending long summer days sleeping on bare floors in overcrowded shelters.

“The worst feeling was dependency,” he said. “In Swat we lived with honour and comfort, but in the camps we stood in long lines for food packets.”

Many teachers, businessmen, and middle-class families lost their sense of dignity and stability. Students missed an academic year, while thousands continued to suffer psychological trauma long after returning home.

Three months later, after military operations weakened Taliban control, the government announced that displaced families could return home. Convoys of buses and vehicles slowly moved back toward Swat, carrying exhausted families hoping to rebuild their lives.

However, many returned to scenes of destruction and grief.

Abdul Khaliq, another resident, said his father had stayed behind to protect the family home while the rest of the family migrated. He was later killed by terrorists, and the family could not even attend his funeral.

“When we returned home, we found the doors broken and wild bushes growing everywhere,” he recalled. “The sight of my father’s blood revived our grief. The whole family broke down in tears.”

Markets had been destroyed, schools damaged, and bridges shattered. Bullet marks covered many homes, while fear and uncertainty still lingered in parts of the valley.

Despite these hardships, the people of Swat gradually rebuilt their lives. Shops reopened in Mingora, farmers returned to orchards, and tourism slowly revived.

At the time of displacement, both the government and international donors promised large-scale reconstruction and development projects for Swat. Billions of rupees were announced for roads, schools, hospitals, and economic revival. Officials repeatedly promised that Swat would become a model district after the conflict.

However, many residents say those promises remain largely unfulfilled even after 17 years.

Basic infrastructure problems continue, hospitals remain under-equipped, and roads and bridges are repeatedly damaged by floods. “Where did all the funds go?” asked Parvez Alam, a resident of Gul Kada.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2026