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Stories from Buner
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| Innocent Children of Buner |
The first five days many of people who fled their villages due to the military operation against militants, spent under the open sky as there were not enough tents for every single family. A number of injured children were received upon arrival in Swabi district. People are coming on daily basis every day thousands of people are fleeing Buner and are coming to Swabi.
They walk for hours in the mountains and in some cases mothers were pregnant and having number of children with them. Many people on their way from Buner to Swabi got stuck in the middle of mountains for hours and days with not enough food and water, women with barefoot walking in the hilly terrain.
A local villager from Swabi said he saw women walking with barefoot which were bleeding badly.
With all other negative impacts of this disaster one of the major issue is the children’s education. Most of the children at the camp were in grades 3 or 4 but they can not go to school any more
1) they left their villages and
2) all the schools in Swabi district have been.
People here no matter of what age, from young children to the eldest ones in the camp have been severely traumatized.
They have no idea some times what they are doing, saying or want. Each time there is a plane or helicopter flying over the camp children especially think that these are those that have destroyed their villages and then they start to panic. Most of the children said they have nightmares about gunship helicopters, as per them they can not sleep properly and cant eat enough food any more. |
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| Children of Buner |
- Imad Ali age 13 likes cricket but he can not play it here as the camp is too congested and there is no any facility around for him and friends to play.
- Asif Ali is of age 6 and likes football but does not have one.
- Shahid Ali is 8 years old he likes cricket but he needs the equipment; bats, balls for him and his friends.
- Abdul Raziq is 13 years old and was in grade 5th back home in Bunir. Abdul Raziq often have nightmares about gunship helicopters. He said it is not only me but most of the children here are going through the same as many of them shared what they experienced.
- Salman Khan – age 3 – Nursery student: Salman with innocent expressions on face couldn’t say much but “yes” when asked if he was scared when the fighting started in his village.
- The children were so excited to share their interesting sport games but were not happy about not having been able to play their favorite games. Each one of them requested for play area where they could play their favorite games.
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| Stories from Buner |
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 Story of Noor Bibi |
Story of Kamil Bakhsher |
Story of Muhammad Nabi |
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| Story of Ghafoor |
Story of Lal Bibi |
Story of Shahzad Ali |
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| Story of Widow Kakai |
Story of Young Naila |
Story of little Shahid |
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| Story of Muhammad Ullah |
Story of Usman Zada |
Masoom’s story |
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| Story of Noor Bibi |
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 Age: 35
Location: Buner, NWFP Pakistan
Occupation: House Wife
Spouse: Zahirullah
Children: two daughters; Saaleha and Shakira and five sons Sher Ali, Muhammad Nabi, Akrabud din, Sher Bhadur
It was a normal day when from no where gunship helicopters came in to our village and started bombarding the area, it was so sudden that I did not know what to do. My main concern was my children who I started to worry about immediately without wasting any minute I together with my kids left home and so were the other neighbors. In this chaotic situation I had no idea that I lost my daughter Shakira (9 years old) and so was my husband lost. It was so powerful bombardment that everyone panicked and every one was just trying to escape. I had no idea where to find both of them and at the same time my main concern was the safety and well being of my rest of five children. I had my youngest son Sher Bahadur who is 1 years old. It was too much for him to go through and so was for the rest of the children to witness the bombing in our village and destruction that it brought as a result.
We walked for hours and as we were fleeing I got hit by a piece of shell fired by the security forces. The injury was severe and it started to bleed badly but there was no way I could get any medical treatment at that time. So I had to leave it as it is while carrying my 5 children. I can not explain what I as going through to see my little kids going through all this misery. There was no food and we had nothing with us but the only clothes that we had on as there was not much time to take any belongings with us and we had no means of taking any of it either.
We had no idea where we were going to end up when luckily me and my children were taken by some kind people all the way to this camp (Tarakai Camp) in Swabi district (neighboring district to Buner where the operation is ongoing). Here me and my children have been given all that we needed at that point the medical treatment, food and this tent with a fan as it is extremely hot. We have been  given enough food and I have been given special medical care by the management of the camp due to my injury. Though I have been treated for the last few days I still feel severe pain. But with all these miseries the good thing is that my husband was able to find us but our daughter is still missing. We have no idea where she is, we know she is alive but we have no idea where and in what condition she is. I wish she could be back with her family soon, I cant wait to see her, not having her around is painful more than the injury I have got.
My husband has went to take care of his brother who has been severely injured due to the operation in our village. His condition is serious and we are praying for his survival.
We don’t know where all this came from we do not understand all this we have no idea about this. We could never imagine about what we are experiencing today.
We originally belong to Bajaur, when the military started operation against militants we moved to Buner hoping for safety and security of the whole family. But it was not so long before the start of the fighting in the area and we were again made to move but this time it was much more painful than last time.
Little Akram ud Din is suffering from Diarrhea as the water is not so clean and hygiene conditions are not so good. There are many such children suffering from this in this camp.
There is nothing like home and we cant wait to be back home where we can live the way we used to. This way of life is very tough and we are not comfortable with it at all. |
| Story of Kamil Bakhsher |
Age: 13 years
Vilage: Buner, NWFP
Siblings: 4 sisters and 3 Brothers (including him)
One day when everything was normal all of sudden helicopters came and started firing and shelling in our village. It was so scary and every one panicked, we were not prepared for it and therefore we had no idea what we were going to do. Everyone was just trying to run away and so did we, in this chaotic situation I lost my parents and all my siblings. I then ran towards my uncle’s home but they all left their home already, I then started to run towards other people and joined them but during all this time I could not find my family.
Everyone was coming towards Swabi and so I got on a vehicle and joined some fellow villagers. They came to this camp (Tarakai Camp) where we were provided water, food immediately upon our arrival. My neighbors offered me to stay with them. It has been a week since I am here but no sign of my parents but I strongly believe that they will come one day and I will be with my family back again (with tearful eyes and full of emotions).
My only wish is to be reunited with my family to see my parents and siblings and be with them. And I cant wait to be back in my village.
I used to play with my siblings back home and I miss all that here I can not play the whole day I wait and hope that my parents will come. It is different to be without family.
I would like to finish my studies and become an engineer to help my family. Here at the camp there is no proper place where we can play. Life here is tough and with not having my loved ones around it is meaningless. I see other children with their parents around them taking care of them. I cant sleep properly I can not eat properly I can not do anything but to think of my lost family members. |
| Story of Muhammad Nabi |
Age: 12 years
Student: grade 6th
Village: Kilkaran, Buner
Siblings: 4 brothers and 5 sisters
Muhammad in a miserable condition among other children so desperate to talk about his experiences and share what he witnessed  had torn clothes on which he hadn’t changed since he arrived at the camp as he had no more clothes for him all that they had was left behind while fleeing their village.
Before he witnessed this situation Muhammad’s family been through a painful loss of their only breadwinner his father. He used to be in police and was a patient of heart. One day he had a severe heart attack and died some 5 years back. This was the start of the difficult life for Muhammad and his family but they had no idea there was something else waiting for them to experience something that not only Muhammad and his family but the resident of the whole area could have never imagined.
I was speaking to another child when Muhammad intervened and started to answer what I asked from the other child. I was so impressed with the confidence this little teenager had and how intelligently he talked about different things.
“I was helping my mother at home in house chores when all of sudden we heard noise which we never heard in years it was the noise of helicopters and then heavy firing and shelling started. This was all so strange and shocking but we had no time to think about and immediately left our home to find some safe place. We walked for 6 hours in the mountains with no food and no water. Luckily one of our relatives had something to eat which he shared with us and we found a water stream from where we drank water. I still remember how hard it was and all of us were extremely exhausted especially my mother was not able to cope with it but she had no other choice.
“After the arduous journey in the mountains by foot we came to a point where we had to get on a vehicle to get to Swabi the nearest safest place. The vehicle brought us to this camp. Its been around seven days since we came here but nothing is the same as it used to be back home. Here we do not have school, I cant go to school. There is no proper play area here. Each time I see and hear helicopters I get so scared as I think these are the ones that came to my village. This is how every single child feels here at the camp. We talk to each other about this and we talk about life back in our village where we were happy, free and had everything we wanted. I used to have a friend back at school his name was Sher Wali, I have no idea where he is I haven’t seen him in days and I do miss him so much” said Muhammad Nabi.
Muhammad and his family lives in a big tent sharing with a number of other families. As per his mother the condition of the tent is very poor, it is extremely hot and unhygienic. It was visible that the living condition of the family and others was bad.
What was amazing was that even though this child has been through the toughest time one can ever have, experiences one can’t even think of and witnessed something (war) which in a peaceful society a child of his age could only see in games and movies but this little teenager saw all this in real life. Yet when asked if he would like to say anything to the children in other parts of the world particularly in the UK, Europe and America Muhammad said “my message for the children is to study hard, respect their parents and love their youngsters. With only education you can be a successful person and help the family.”
The potential this child has is enormous to play an active role in the society and secure a bright future but only if he is given what he needs; a peaceful environment and some of the basic amenities of life such as education, health care etc. Which he is lacking at the moment and could result in this child becoming a negative element in the society
Muhammad’s mother Kher Bibi said “we were at home it was morning time I prepared the breakfast and Muhammad Nabi was helping me when we heard helicopters and heavy firing. We were about to start our breakfast when this started and rushed towards a safe place. I was running in the fields with my head not covered and no shoes on. When we came to the camp we had nothing but only the clothes we were wearing. Our financial condition was so bad before this even though we used to get some little amount as pension of my husband but with this catastrophe we are no more receiving it. what we want the most is a home where my children can live with comfort and happiness unlike here where it is too hot during day time and also the hygiene conditions are not so good.
“We have no idea what will happen in the coming days but all we want is peace in our area and once it prevails we would like to go back to our homes.”
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| Story of Ghafoor |
Age: 55
Village: Pir Baba Pocha, Buner
Children: 4 Sons, 1 Daughter (married)
I used to work in the field my son Murad and Liaqat my elder sons would help me in the fields and my two other sons Imtiaz and Adnan are school going in 10th and 11th grade accordingly.
Though our economic situation was not so well before the conflict but what we had peace. We were living happily with whatever little we had. But soon after the military operation started, everything ruined which has made life very difficult for me and many other people in that part of the country.
Some of my family members left before few of us and then when it became very risky to stay there I and my other family members left Buner with leaving everything behind and came to Chahar Guli village in District Mardan.
This is the harvest season for Wheat and we were getting ready when the conflict started. So this year’s income that was going to come from selling wheat in the open market is lost. This has not only happened to me but thousands of others in that region who are suffering from the loss the same way as I do. I request those who can help us to compensate those who have suffered this loss to enable them continue agricultural activities.
Here in the village of Char Gulli we are staying with Shuja Khan. He is a great person an angel I would say as he took his children to his relatives’ house to accommodate us. Not only that he provided us wood to burn for cooking etc and has offered us to use his house hold items too. I have never seen such generosity in my life before and have never met a person like Shuja Khan who would do so much for strangers.
But I personally feel that we are burden on him and also on his family. His children had to leave their house for us and we are using their households items. I know that his family is now suffering because of us. However, Islamic Relief has helped us to overcome this situation.
Today at this distribution in Chahar Gulli I have received House Hold Kit (jerry can, laundry soaps, candles, match boxes, mosquito net and plastic sheet) and Kitchen Kit (cooking pot, frying pan, cooking spoon, rice spoon, water glasses, tea mugs knife, large plate and eating plates). With this I don’t have to rely on Shuja’s household items. This way we have overcome the problem and atleast now both of the families can have some comfort.
I think that the host families because of us are suffering equally as most of them are not financially strong.
I am grateful to Islamic Relief for providing us these items which are most needed among all the millions of IDPs in this region as most of them have left all their belongings back home. And I appreciate Islamic Relief’s initiative that they had identified this need and is helping us to address the issue. |
| Story of Lal Bibi |
Age: 70 years
Location: Village Peer baba, Buner
2 sons and five daughters
I got here with neighbours fled my village due to the danger of losing my life. My sons are not with me they have left me after the death of my husband years back. My daughters are married. I have already been struggling to survive and then the fighting started between armyand militants which brought more miseries in to my already troubled some life.
I first went to Dir district with my neighbours hoping that we could find some place to stay but situation got worse there too and so we decided to come to Mardan. I am suffering from high blood pressure and with this entire struggle to get to a safest place have severely affected me. I was offered place by Gul Hamesha who I knew for long time. Her two sons are laborers making very little money to support the family. And with accepting me to join them has added more in to their already difficult life.
Due to the age factor and because of the miserable life my health condition has became very poor. My listening ability has been affected since ever after the operation in our area. I do not have financial means to get medical treatment done as it is expensive for a person like me.
I am grateful to Islamic Relief for providing us the much needed daily use items which I could have never imagined to purchase from the local market. The prices of all the daily use items here have gone up after a huge demand in the area due to the influx of IDPs from my village and other parts.
With the support that I have been given by Islamic Relief I am positive about the coming time as now I know I am going to survive as there is someone out there to take care of me. I appeal to all those who can help people like me to come forward and help us get out of this terrible situation. |
| Story of Shahzad Ali |
Age: 13
Student: 5th grade
Village: Tekhtaband, Buner
Siblings: 3 brothers and 3 sisters
I am a student of grade 5th and my favorite subject is Math because I find it easy. I love going to school and I liked the time at school when I was with my friends playing different games. My best friend at the school was Nizam who I used to play cricket with but now we are far away from each other.
In the morning my mother would prepare simple breakfast for me (Paratha and tea) and then I would head to school. It would take me half an hour to get to school by walking in the hilly area. It never stopped me from studying because I like to be at school because I believe education is important for children.
After returning from the school my mother would have prepared my lunch and then I would go to mosque for learning Quran and then would go to sleep after I return from the Mosque.
In the later afternoon I used to play with my friends from my village. It was all so much fun to be with friends at school and in the village.
Sadly when the fighting started where I live life became difficult and all the happiness faded away so quickly. We did not have any play ground like children have in the cities but we had peace and that is gone now. Because of the dangerous situation in my village I came with my family here to secure ourselves as we all were scared of the situation in the village. My father stayed back in the village to take care of our house and other belongings.
I can not go to school here and so many other children who came from there are not able to go either. It is a big loss for me and those children because we must study for success in life. I can not wait to be back in my village and go back to school. I miss playing with my friends at school and in the village.
We are staying here in Kalaam Abad (union council Bazaar District Mardan) with my aunty as there was no other place to go. They share their food and water which is so nice of them. My mother got sick when she got here because of the difficult journey she had and the situation she faced.
When some people from Islamic Relief came to where we live and told us that they will be giving us some aid, we were so delighted. I was given a token which was for my mother but because she could’nt come due to sickness I came to collect the aid. There are so many things that Islamic Relief has given me which will help us in the coming time. I am so happy to have this, my mother will be very happy to see this.
I want you to build my village and I want peace in my village. |
| Story of Widow Kakai |
Age: 70 years
Village: Ambela, Dagar, Buner
My back hurts, I am old weak and I am going through pain an inner pain because my two sons are separated from me while we were feeling our village I don’t know where they went. I have never experienced any thing like this in my life before and witnessing war in my our area. When the fighting started we were at home, it became too intense we had no other option but to leave the whole village was running away because of the fear or having killed in the fighting. There was panic and chaos and in this entire situation I got separated from my sons as there were so many people. I looked for them but couldn’t find them, then I came across my neighbours they offered to take me out of there to a safer place. We did not have any money to hire a vehicle so we walked for nearly two days to get here. The journey was painful extremely difficult to cope with as you can see my condition, you can not imagine that I could walk in the mountains for such a long time with no food no water nothing. Thanks to the local people who on the way here offered us food and let us stay with them before we got here.
I came with my neighbours to this village (Chahar Gali) where I am staying at a school. Most of my fellow villagers are staying here. I am in this room with the neighbours they offer me food and taking care of me.
I sleep here on the floor with a very thin sheet, my back hurts badly and I am suffering from chronic disease. I am too weak to deal with this situation. What is so painful for me is not having my two sons around me, they are my everything my life and without them no matter what I have that can not replace my loved ones. I miss them so much. I feel so helpless, if any one can help me to get my sons back that is what I want the most I don’t need food nothing but want them back (Kakai said with full of emotions and with tearful eyes).
Our home, our cattle that is back there I don’t know what is happening to it. I left everything behind all the household items. I came here with nothing, I did’nt even have my shoes on when fled my village the neighbor’s got me this pair of shoes.
My husband died long time ago with his loss we suffered much psychologically and physically dealing with the difficult circumstances after his death.
Often during the night time I get scared and get up due to the sound of the fan as to me it sounds like the helicopters that came in to my village. That sound will remain in my head forever which is scary.
I am penniless have literally got nothing so those people would like to help please do whatever little support you can provide please help us.
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| Story of Young Naila |
Naila is a seven years old girl from Angahpur village in Buner. She is a student of grade 2 and having 2 brothers and a sister; Abdul Hassan, Mansoor and Nazia accordingly. Her father is a driver and with that whatever he earns support his family. All her siblings used to go to school back home.
“I like going to school but I miss it here it is though we are staying in a school but we can not study here as everywhere there are people staying in this building including us and the others” said Naila.
She said “one day tank attacked the area I heard a big bang which I never ever before heard in my life, it was huge and very horrifying. I got so scared, started to cry and asked my father what it was.”
Naila was so excited to talk about her friends back home Amna and Sahra she said “they both are my best friends and I like them so much. But I am so sad that they are not here with me I don’t know where they are. I miss them a lot, we used to play together back in our village but I don’t have them with me any more.”
As much as she was excited in the beginning to talk about the life before the conflict in the area she got so sad and scared when she started to talk about her friends and life in her village.
Naila was taraumatised with what she saw and experienced. For her it was not easy to understand why she and her family had to move from their home and come to this place which is not familiar to her. Why she does not have her friends Amna and Sahra with her why all of them had to separate. These are the questions that are going through her mind which frustrates her because being a child she can not understand the whole situation so easily which is not so helpful to Naila. It is affecting her mental health so badly every day. Naila and many such children needs immediate psycho social support and need to be engaged in fun and educational activities to overcome this.
“Hello to Amna and Sahra” said Naila.
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| Story of little Shahid |
Age: 5 years
a sister Sumera 3 years and a brother Yasin one year
“Shahid was so scared and couldn’t stop crying when he had to leave. Due to the huge blast his ears have been affected and now he can not listen properly” said his father.
“I stayed back home to take care of the house, our animals and households. My brother brought my family to the village of Chahar Gulli. I joined them later as the situation was getting from bad to worse and I had no other choice but to leave.
“He is scared of helicopters and planes since ever he has seen those back home. Each time there is a helicopter flies over this area or a plane he gets scared and run in to the building. His grand mother is trying to help him get out of this trauma.”
“I like car and I used to have one at home but I want one here.” Shahid said.
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| Story of Muhammad Ullah |
Age: 45
Carpenter
2 daughters 2 sons
I have two families from Buner staying with me since over a week time. Their father is staying back in the village to take care of their house, livestock and house hold items. They are my relatives, they had no other choice but to come to my place. I myself am a very poor hardly make enough money to support my own family and now I have nearly 20 more people to provide with food and other necessities.
It is very challenging for me to manage this. There is not enough space at my home there are not enough beds, water, food and other basic amenities of life.
There has not been a single support given to us so far since the crisis started. But I have been told by the local teacher that Islamic Relief has started to distribute some relief items in our village among the displaced families and I look forward to receiving that which will help us greatly in this difficult situation.
I often try to help the children in the family to make them happy and also try to convince them that situation will get better soon and that they will go back home and live normal life as they used to.
Dealing with all this is affecting me and my family psychologically as well. But we are and will do every possible thing to help these families until they go back to their homes.
Two of the family members; mother and a little girl are sick due to Diarrhea and the hot weather as they are not used to it. To get them medical treatment it cost and my financial situation does not allow me do that so easily.
I am not sure when will the situation get better so that they can go back. It is not only me who is struggling with all this situation there is hundreds of such families here in this village who have got the displaced families with them.
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| Story of Usman Zada |
Age: 25
Tailor
Kalpai village, Buner
We are altogether 10 family members living together. I have just arrived together with my parents, my wife and my little daughter Fazilat she is 2 years old. We walked for about 6 hours in the mountains and then got to a main point from there we hired a vehicle and we got here in this village.
Here I have a relative and his family who we are going to stay. He is a security guard in another city barely make enough money to support his family. I am not comfortable with being a burden on him and his family. But I will try to utilise my tailoring skills here and if possible open a shop with some financial support if given. I am so keen to start tailoring business here so that I can support my family and our host family too.
I am not sure what has happened to our house and my tailoring shop.
My family is exhausted and stressed out with the journey we have had today and with what is happening back in the village. But they were so keen to leave and get to some safest place and therefore the tough journey was not something that could stop them.
I am concerned about my little Fazilat she is too young to deal with this. I am not sure how to get the medical treatment for my daughter and rest of family.
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| Story of Masoom |
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Nine-year-old Masoom fled her village with her family three weeks ago. They came to Surkh Dheri and are staying in a local school with other displaced families.
Since then she has been withdrawn and anxious, traumatised by the conflict and her experiences.
Masoom is one of the children attending Islamic Relief’s Mercy Centre. Here the children have safe places to play and learn. And children such as Masoom are being given psycho social support by psychologists to help them overcome the trauma. |
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