- Advertisement -
DIR LOWER, Sep 18 (APP):As monsoon clouds silently drift away from the emerald peaks of the Punjkora valley, the people of Dir district bid them farewell not just with a sigh of seasonal change but with etched deep into the memory of time.
As people are rushing toward modernity and adopting innovation, Dir’s residents are all set to say goodbye to monsoon majec, which tells a story not just of weather, but of primitive history, heritage, and a profound connection with nature and the past of Ghandhara civilization.
In the shadow of towering pines and mist-covered mountains, the elders of Punjkora Valley gather in ochre-roofed homes, telling tales that date back to the Gandhara civilization that flourished in Dir, Swat, and Buner of the Malakand division.
Around flickering wood fires, the villagers pass down stories to the new generation with warmth and friendship, enjoying the mouthwatering chappli kabab and trout fish with Qehwa, not just to remember Dir’s glorious past, but to remind them of custodians on sacred ground famous for the Gandhara civilization.
The people of Lower and Upper Dir districts, sits at the convergence of natural splendor and historical richness, started from Komrat to Punjkora and Timergrah to Maidan valleys.
From the banks of the Punjkora river to the lush green Kumrat Valley, every stone and trail seems to whisper tales from thousands years of history, reminding us of the onslaught of the Aryans, Achaemenids, and eventually the spiritual and architectural flourish of Gandhara.
“Dir was not just a passerby on the road of history but was on a cultural crossroad, moving from antiquity to innovation,” explains Bakhtzada Muhammad, Director at Museums and Archaeology Department while talking to APP.
“From Aryan burial sites at Timargarh to the grand stupas and monasteries left by the Buddhists, the land of Dir is a canvas of primitive civilizations,” he reiterated.
Chakdara Museum, a modest yet magnificent structure built with local Malakandi stone, guards over 2,200 ancient relics, with around 2,000 years old. Statues of Lord Buddha, Gandharan frescoes from Swat, and intricately carved artifacts from Andan Dheri and Gumbatuna stand as silent custodians of the monumental past of Dir.
His visit, as a young officer, during the siege of Malakand, remains a pivotal moment in the British Empire’s efforts to control the then North West Frontier Province (now KP).
Today, the Churchill Post, named after the British Prime Minister, stands as a historical relic, often visited by tourists retracing colonial-era footprints.
Following independence, Dir transitioned from a princely state ruled by the Nawabs to full integration into Pakistan in 1969. But the spiritual roots of its founders remain alive in the social fabric.
Once known for its remote villages and challenging terrains, Dir has in recent decades embraced the waves of modernization, without losing sight of its soul.
Local resident Shagufta Bibi (67), now in her 30s, recalls her grandmother’s stories of walking hours to find a basic health clinic. “Today, my daughter learns in a school equipped with computers, and my parents can see a doctor within minutes,” she smiles.
The region now boasts about 2,538 schools, over 583,000 enrolled students, and 20,348 teachers that was a leap forward from 2012-13 figures. Similarly, health infrastructure has surged, with 72 hospitals in Lower Dir alone.
Witnessing qualitative transformation in socioeconomic, tourism, infrastructure and health sectors. Dir has not just about buildings or schools but hospitals with better labs, trained staff, and diagnostic tools fully equipped to mitigate people’s sufferings.
Infrastructure is paving the path to prosperity. The upcoming Dir Motorway, a Rs 3.2 billion initiative, promises by KP Govt will reduce travel time and enhance trade and tourism connectivity with the rest of the province.
Once completed, the motorway will not only connect Chakdara to Dir Upper faster but also unlock the region’s economic and tourism potential immensely.
Perhaps the most ambitious leap forward is the 14-kilometer cable car project that will connect Kumrat Valley to Madaklasht in Chitral.
At Rs 32 billion, it is poised to become one of Asia’s longest cable car systems, attracting over 10 million tourists annually to Malakand division.
In Kumrat Valley, the green meadows are no longer just playgrounds for shepherds but destinations for trekkers, vloggers, and eco-tourists. With new camping pods at Larum Top and Shahi Bin Shahi, the KP government is responding to rising demand for sustainable and affordable tourism infrastructure for economic gains.
“We came here to explore Kumrat,a mesmerizing beauty,” says Waris Khan, a tourist from Karak. Besides enjoying the trout fish and Chappli Kabab with green tea, Dir”s transition from antiquities to innovation impressed me the most.”
Amidst all the change, he said Dir retains a delicate balance between antiquity and modernization without erasing its cultural heritage.
Besides tall buildings, modern transportation, and women’s colleges, children now carry smartphones, but they still listen to stories of Alexander’s arrival and the rise of the Nawabs of Dir. The glow of electric bulbs has replaced oil lamps, but the warmth of communal storytelling and age-old rituals like the farewell to monsoon remains untouched.
“We have heard about kings and conquerors, saints and sages which found all true here,” says Waris Khan with a knowing smile. “But Dir’s mountains still stand, and so do its traditions.”
From the sacred relics of Gandhara to the steel blueprints of planned Dir Motorway, this land carved by time and tempered by tradition continues to evolve here.
In every wind-swept pine, in every stone-carved Buddha, and every child’s laughter echoing in a modern classroom, Dir has always been a place where past and future walk hand in hand, taking tourists into its majesty.