MINGORA: Speakers at a function here on Sunday paid glowing tribute to the late rulers of former princely state Swat, saying Swat was one of the developed and peaceful states as it was ruled by visionary people before 1969.

People from different walks of life belonging to Swat, Shangla and Buner districts assembled at the historical Wadudia Hall in Saidu Sharif to pay tribute to the late rulers of the former princely state.

Miangul Shehryar Amirzeb, the grandson of Wali-i-Swat, the last ruler of the state, in his speech said that the sole reason of the function was to inform the Swati youth that how Miangul Abdul Wadood alias Bacha Sahib and Miangul Abdul Haq Jahanzeb alias Wali sahib ruled the state.

“How did they start from zero and made Swat one of the developed and peaceful states. How they with their meagre resources constructed roads, schools and hospitals and provided speedy justice to people,” he asked the participants of the function.

The hall echoed with a big “no” when Mr Amirzeb asked the participants whether they could find any leader like the rulers of Swat in the present era.

Say they made Swat a developed and peaceful state

He said that a false image of Swatis was shown to the world despite the fact that they were educated, moderate and peaceful people.

Other speakers said that Swat was the only state after Afghanistan where Pashto was the official language and judicial system was based on Sharia and Riwaj (traditions).

They said that due to the model ruling system of the late rulers, people remembered them with great respect.

Renowned historian and writer Mohammad Parvez Shaheen said that Akhund Abdul Ghafoor of Swat united the tribal people of the area into a structured body and later his grandsons founded a modern state for them.

“Though illiterate, Miangul Abdul Wadood, the founder of the Swat state, not only united the people but also transformed the tribal minds into peaceful people by ensuring peace here and then gave them pen to lead them towards modernity and development,” he said.

Mr Shaheen said that restoration of peace in the region was a miracle which proved that he was a man of vision.

Innovative Youth Forum chairman Dr Jawad Iqbal said that both Miangul Abdul Wadood and Miangul Jahnzeb Abdul Haq created opportunities for their people to get education. It could be proved by the wide scale educational institutions in Swat, he added.

Earlier, Mr Amirzeb, who is also an elected district councillor, welcomed all the participants and thanked them to honour the royal family of former Swat state.

The speakers and elders asked the new generation to get united and choose true and loyal people for prosperity and development of the area.

Published in Dawn, October 12th , 2015

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