By Fazal Amin Beg
When an area is positioned strategic in geographic term and when the majority of the populace demonstrate themselves highly traditionalist or conservative in different ways, or even those who are highly contrasted to such conservative approaches, series of challenges and issues negatively sustain until and unless a moderate approach doesn’t intervene in the middle to pacify and normalize the situations and states of affairs.Such arguments could be seen valid for different societies or countries across the globe.
There is no dout that conflict and wars always promote insecurity in different contexts, instability in the concerned country, uncertainty of life and living anywhere in any society.Afghanistan is one of those volatile countries, where the people have been demonstrating constantly wars and conflicts among themselves and with the external political powers or forces since its inception.For instance, few of the prominent wars could be evidenced with the imperial powers of the past in historical context such as Anglo-Afghan wars, the former Soviet forces, and recently with the United States and its allies after 9/11.Consequently, the poor masses suffer significantly and are evidenced as victims of the wars , in the face of brutalities and in the hands of the oppressors.
When the Taliban took over the Government in Afghanistan in Summer 2021, series of difficulties and issues emerged not only for the foreigners but also for the Afghans themselves ranging from their physical security to economy or livelihood as well as social and political challenges and unrest on the ground. In such circumstances, many Afghan nationals were compelled to emigrate from Afghanistan again as was witnessed earlier, especially after 1979 in result of wars between the Afghans backed by the United States and its allies versus the former Soviet forces. Like other war zone and serious conflict areas on the surface of the planet, lots of issues the Afghans have to encounter today especially regarding their food and livelihood, education and health sectors, and the like.
In such critical conditions and grave conditionalities, uncountable Afghan families quitted their homeland and managed to take refuge in their neighboring countries especially Pakistan by entering in the country through the mountain and border passes like Chaman in Balochistan and Turkhum in Khayber-Pukhtunkhwa (KP).The northeastern Afghan provinces have their mountain passes as the gateways with Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan Region. These mountain passes thus helped facilitated migration of innumerable people continued their migration and interactions with each other between Central and South Asia and China for the last centuries and millennia.
Well, keeping in view the grave situations in Afghanistan and fearing the Taliban regime, some families from Wakhan of Afghan Badakhshan also felt insecurity and compelled to leave their homeland as they had an option before them. Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani and his entire Family (including six month’s old Ali Feruz son of Baig Muhammad) also migrated in October 2021 via the highly dangerous mountain Pass named Yirs̃hodh Wiyin (incorrectly recorded as Irshad Pass) and took refuge in Hunza with his in-laws as Hunza and Badakhshan,some parts of Central Asia, especially the Pamir Region, have intimate kinship relationship together for, at least, hundreds of years.
The family of Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani live temporarily in refugee status on humanitarian ground and work hard by doing laboring in Hunza.He and his entire family have wonderful and diverse skills , especially in artistic field, and they have not yet been explored or brought to the limelight for over a year. Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani himself is well-known in singing and composition of some Wakhi poetry. It should be noted that he has already contributed to Radio Pakistan Gilgit in the 1990s in the Wakhi program known as “Sado-e Bom-e Dunyo.”
In short, I was fortunate to meet them in their shelterhouse and found all of them so lively despite the fact they are facing hardship while away from their homeland. In this regard, I thought to provide an opportunity for them to have a real fun and jubilance for a short while and had a seating with them.It thus proved so productive, indeed.
It is also noteworthy that Hunza is the birth place and the valley of Gul Parveen’s immediate and extended family members (patrilocal). It was Hunza where parveen was raised and got her early education. Finally she had got married with Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani and has six children now including five daughters and the only son Muiz Khan. The conjugal partners are in their middle age (40+) and have also interestingly two grandchildren, the one Ali Feruz son of Baig Muhammad who migrated to his maternal grandparents homeland when he was only six months and crossed the highest mountain Pass of Yirs̃hid wiyin between Hunza and the Pamir in the month of October.one of their daughters was not feeling well and was unfortunately left in Wakhan who got married there and has a child.
The little kid, Ali Feruz Baig Muhammad, has become one and a half year old now (by November 2022)and interestingly along with his seven and eight years aunts, he was expressing his jubilance by wonderfully dancing on the songs and simple music his grandfather was playing and singing. Hope the viewers would appreciate them and give a like to them after watching their fascinating performance in the video clips.
Though, away from their homeland in Pakistan after Taliban took over the Government in Afghanistan in July 2021, a pair of young sibling, Muiz Khan and Farida Parvin children of Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani and the rising singers, are not away from their Persian environment and the school. They miss their beloved country and in memory, they sing the sweet Persian and Wakhi songs, which could be watched on my YouTube Channel and the related links have been given below.
At present, the children of Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani are getting education in the schools in Gulmit Hunza for the time being .However, these poor refugees, who live in a shelter house, feel insecure mainly due to the law suits and legal standing before the Government of Pakistan in the region. the grand family members have a great draem to migrate from Pakistan to Canada and United States and settle there for the rest of their life and for the sake of their children’s education and their better future. In this regard, they are exploring the legal means and ways to find if the related agencies of the United Nations, the related embassies or high commissions, and other concerned organizations could help facilitate them on humanitarian ground.
I am optimistic that once these refugee families are settled, they will bring in use their talents and potentials to contribute productively and lawfully not only towards their own and familial livelihoods but rather also broadly contribute towards the economy of the respective countries themselves where they are provided settlement nieches.
In conclusion, based on the uncountable human experiences from different geographic areas, I would like to maintain and advocate that conflicts and wars anywhere in the world could never be a permenant solution for the prevailing issues rooted in the societies.It is the component of truthful and meaningful dialogues and friendships that finally wins the hearts and minds of the people. For this purpose, open-heartedness and generosity is the prerequisite. Greed and jealousy are those worst elements that is owned and nurtured by all human individuals at various levels and based on both these worst traits, conflicts of various types and the wars erupt among the human beings at small and larger scale. Both greed and jealousy thus lead individuals towards various types of actions, reactions, crimes and moral erosion, whether the intensity of the criminal results is at a high or low level . When one wins, based on their greed and jealousy, the respective individuals feel satisfied and raises their heads up in arrogance. Moreover, telling a lie or cheating others thus are used as a shield to try to cover up their greed and jealousy or other aspects of undesirable morals. When we claim for being human, it’s then imperative to uphold the universal human values and rights in order to help, support and protect the dignity of all and particularly those who are weak and oppressed in different contexts in diffent societies.
Finally, I would like to mention that after a productive seating for couples of hours with the creative Afghan families in Hunza, Some video clips I had made and published them on my YouTube Channel named “EaglesWorld”. I would appreciate if the concerned philanthropists and particularly the related humanitarian organizations of the United Nations and others at international scale may like to watch them and help facilitate them regarding their permanent immigration to Canada and/or United States.
The related and interesting video clips of the artist family members, especially the young children, could be accessed and watched on the following links of EaglesWorld YouTube Channel, which will provide a deep insight into their talents and potentials:
A Beautiful Persian Song from Afghanistan in the voice of Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani and Family:
Barg-e Guler Wuz G̃hirem, Sakhi Wakhani and Parvin Wakhani:
The Young Singing Siblings of Afghanistan: Muiz Khan Wakhani and Farida Parvin Wakhani
Introduction to Sakhi Wakhani and Family: One and a half Year old Ali Firuz dancing on Savzsar Kũbũtsoret Drem
Interesting Persian and Wakhi Songs sung by the young Siblings of the Pamir: Muiz Khan Wakhani and Farida Parveen Wakhani
Ambar-e Pomir, A Beautiful but controversial Wakhi song between two Poets of Wakhan and Hunza: Ghulam Sakhi Wakhani versus Alam Jan Darya
Lailo, Lailo: A Beautiful Persian Song sung by Sakhi Wakhani and his Children from Afghanistan
A detailed Discussion with some of the poor Refugees of afghan Badakhshan in Hunza:
This video is in English and comprises on over 50 minutes where I have made a thorough discussion with all the temporary migrants/refugees. This very video I’ve not yet made public and will be published when the need and time comes.The concerned organizations that are responsible at international scales such as those in the United Nations and other immediate and responsible stakeholders may get access to it if they are interested to provide their genuine help to them.
Acknowledgement
I am thankful to the vulnerable refugee family members of Afghan Badakhshan for their extended trust and sharing their challenges and issues with me in addition to their artistic talents and potentials.
For being a sensitive member of the United Nations Organization, special gratitude goes to the Government of Pakistan for the kind help and facilitation it extended to the refugees on humanitarian grounds who entered Gilgit-Baltistan Region via the Afghan Pamir border in autumn 2021, though the related security agency has also put law suits against them. Nonetheless, the poor refugees are also taken care in one way or the other.
Last but not the least, the compassionate help and facilitation of the Shia Ismaili Councils and other related civil society organizations of the region as well as some philanthropic community members cannot be ignored and are highly appreciated and valued.
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