By Khalid Kheshgi
Like thousands of war-affected families from Bajaur and Mohmand tribal agencies, Sabar Gul, in his early 50s, had also shifted his family from Lagharai area in Mamoond tehsil of Bajaur Agency to Peshawar when the security forces launched military operation against militants in August last year.
Father of 10 children, including three daughters, Sabar Gul is now living in a tented house at KG-1 sector of Katcha Garhi camp in the outskirts of Peshawar where the relief items including monthly food packages are the only source of livelihood for majority of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Three of his sons are studying in a primary school set up inside the camp, while his two other sons are enrolled at a religious institution somewhere in Rawalpindi. “I do not know the name and location of the madrassah (seminary) where my sons are studying but I know that it belongs to Deobandi school of thought,” the black-bearded Sabar Gul said, adding that he had participated in ‘jehad’ in Afghanistan when the Russian forces invaded the country.
“At least by acquainting my children with religious education, I can earn place in the Heavens,” he said while justifying the enrolment of his sons at the seminary. The man from Bajaur said that he was not happy with life at the camp but due to prevailing unrest and insecurity in his hometown he could not put the lives of his family members at risk.
Sabar Gul has no sympathy with the Taliban militants but at the same time he also has no soft corner for the Pakistan Army as he thinks thousands of families left their houses after the military operation in Bajaur Agency.
“One cannot even think of killing of Muslims and innocent human beings at the hands of real Taliban,” he said while referring to car-bomb blasts and suicide attacks at public places in Peshawar and Charsadda. He said that as the situation in his hometown was not normal, they would have no abode except the camp to live even in winter.
Administrator of Katcha Garhi camp Arbab Arshad said two schools, one each for boys and girls, had been established at KG-1 sector, housing some 1,235 families, and two schools at KG-2 sector where some 790 families were living at the moment. “We are providing free of cost education at these schools where the morning shift is specified for primary students and evening shift for middle and high school students,” the administrator said, adding that they could motivate, but not force, the parents for enrolment of their children in the camp schools.
The former Afghan refugee camp, Katcha Garhi premises is now inhabited by the families uprooted from Bajaur and Mohmand tribal agencies; however, some displaced families from Swat were also living in the sector-2 of the camp.
Shamaki, an aged person from Swat, told this scribe during a visit to the camp that they were about to leave the camp for his hometown in Khwazakhela, as Peshawar was no more a peaceful city.