Saboor Ahmed
THE trucks are loaded again in Bajaur.
Mattresses tied with rope and children carrying school bags that may never open again reflect a scene that is not just a tragedy of the moment but a cycle repeating every few years. For the people of Bajaur, displacement has become a haunting routine.
Anyone who understands the word “home” realizes it embodies protection and calm. For Bajaur’s tribal communities home has always been more than a physical place yet one they are forced to abandon time and again. Around 250000 residents fled their houses during military operations in the early 2000s as part of the War on Terror. Some became nomads in Afghanistan while others scattered across Pakistani cities. Once militants were driven out the innocent returned and rebuilt their homes brick by brick from the ruins left by gunpowder and missiles.
When the United States withdrew from Afghanistan on August 21 2021 the Taliban’s return reshaped regional dynamics. Their acceptance of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) revived an old threat. Instead of protecting its citizens Pakistan allowed the resettlement of TTP in tribal areas, a decision that ignored the voices of locals who would bear the consequences. This proved disastrous. The TTP regained strength in Bajaur. Thousands of people protested only to be dismissed as anti-Pakistani. Media largely ignored their cries and those in power treated their lives as an experiment. Their homes may not be as grand as those in Islamabad but their dignity is not worthless. Videos on social media often show how quickly the state’s writ disappears as night falls in Bajaur.
The previous regime’s appeasement of terrorists was disastrous for national stability. If the state truly valued resettlement it should have considered Bengalis in Karachi who remain marginalized or flood victims in South Punjab or Afghan refugees still living without recognition. Instead resources were directed towards accommodating militants rather than innocent citizens.
Now the slogan for another operation has returned. Once again families are forced to leave their homes and children will grow up displaced in places where they do not belong. Each cycle deepens despair and burdens urban areas while leaving scars on generations. Footage of people loading their belongings on trucks is resurfacing once more reminding the nation of costly mistakes by generals and politicians. The State must acknowledge these errors and hold accountable those who chose to bring militants back.
True peace requires custodians of the State to correctly identify problems and avoid solutions that lead to renewed violence. Resettling the TTP ignored the most important stakeholders—the people of Bajaur. Their consent was never sought and their grievances remain unresolved. Just as concerns in urban centers are taken seriously so too must Bajaur’s voices be heard when national security is at stake.
Raising this issue ensures Bajaur’s people are not silenced by political convenience. Displaced citizens deserve recognition and a platform to be heard before their despair turns into resentment. History shows that neglect fuels opposition and sometimes violence. The state must now choose dialogue over dismissal accountability over denial and protection over repeated displacement. Only then can Bajaur truly be home again—a place of safety permanence and dignity.
—The writer is occasionally contributes to the national press.
