Once a large community that for many centuries ruled the scenic northern Pakistani district of Chitral and adjoining border areas of Afghanistan, the Kalash minority tribe has shrunk to around 4,000 people. They speak the Kalasha language and are now confined to three small valleys (Rumbur, Brumbret and Birir), high up in the Hindu Kush mountains.
Critics say successive Pakistani governments have done little to address the extinction threat to the Kalash and have failed to develop their poverty-stricken area to make it accessible for tourism to boost local economy.
Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) Chairman Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan visited Bumborat village of Kalash valley on a fact-finding mission regarding the issues that the Kalash community faces.
Chieftains from three valleys – Kalash Birir, Rumber and Bumborat – attended the open forum and briefed him about their problems.
They said that the people of Kalash have been living in these three valleys and are facing specific problems.
They said that the Oak forest was their cultural and traditional heritage and Kalash tribe distributed their land along with Oak forest trees, but in present land settlement, Patwaris have declared them as state property and no person in Kalash put his signature on the settlement.
The Chieftains alleged that land settlement staff was drawing their salaries at home without performing their duty and that is why that after a long time and spending huge amount of money, the land settlement was still not complete.
“There is no schools or colleges for girls in three valleys of Kalash as well as they also are facing lack of health facilities,” they added. The road condition was deteriorated and sometimes patient expire before reaching to hospital.
Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan said that NCHR was an independent organization, which plays a role to ensure human rights. He expressed his "concern" over the "dilapidated conditions of the roads" only.
Government does nothing
Pakistani officials acknowledge the “sorry and sad” situation facing the Kalash and also admit nothing is being done to reverse it.
“A lot of people are leaving their culture and their religion because of a lot of immense social pressure and there are forced conversions,” warns Fouzia Saeed, head of the national institute called Lok Virsa, which focuses on promoting and raising awareness about traditional Pakistani cultures.
Activists and researchers note the Kalash settlements are being rapidly encircled by the growing Muslim population because over the years the improvised pagan community has lost control of large parts of their lands to Muslims through sale or mortgage in exchange for paltry loans.