Pakistan in Media

We are hearing increasingly encouraging reports of a marked change in mindsets and attitudes in Swat. People are quite obviously eager to banish the memories of the Taliban from their minds and have been speaking out about the atrocities committed by them. Several accounts have surfaced of the militants being asked to leave villages and there have been gun battles too between local tribal people and the Taliban. But for some categories of citizens, the shadows of the past still lurk. According to international agencies, women in Swat have still to return to work. Security concerns mean that those who had worked previously have in many cases felt unable to return. This is a particular worry given that there are more households headed by women in the area than ever before. The aftermath of war will always mean an increase in the number of widows and fatherless children. The plight of such families is currently unknown. There must be some attempt to collect data on their numbers and to ensure too that women feel able to take up work once again.

It is a fact too that in Swat the public space for women has been reduced. In the past, in the relaxed environment of the valley, women were free to visit shops, hospitals, tailors and other places on their own. They often did so without donning the 'burqas' imposed by the Taliban. The landscape over the past few years has changed for them. These liberties have been denied. Fear lingers on even after the Taliban defeat. Some report that remnants of the Taliban are still present in towns or villages. Pro-active measures are needed to alter the situation. These women must be restored to their rightful place as equal citizens. Indeed urgent schemes are needed to offer vocational training and other help to these women – and especially to those who must support families. The evil rule of the Taliban was symbolized by their grotesque mistreatment of women. The future will be marked by the degree of ability shown in rehabilitating these women, who make up half of the people of Swat.
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