YARKHOON: A BEAUTIFUL BUT NEGLECTED VALLEY
                                                                    Tariq Mehmood, Islamabad
Part I
There are many beautiful but ill-fated valleys in the lovely Chitral, not having attention of the political representatives whom the people have been coronating with their love, affection, expectations and �CHEAP VOTES�. Yarkhoon valley is one among those. The compound word Yarkhoon originates from Wakhi words ---�Yar� and �Khoon� meaning �friend� and �home� respectively, thus making �friend�s home�. Fidelity and hospitality among the people is perhaps one reason of the nomenclature. Interestingly in the local context, this valley has no defined boundary limits. A man from Chapari going to Brep will consider traveling to Yarkhoon; but a dweller of Brep village does not consider himself �Yarkhoonik�. A �Brepik� going to meet his relatives in Zhupo will be going to Yarkhoon but the relatives at Zhupo are again not �Yarkhoonik�. It goes so on so forth. But who is a true Yarkhoonik, at least I proudly claim to be �Yarkhoonik� by definition of the word. Irrespective of going into historical boundary disputes, for the time being, I take the large area from Brep upwards as Yarkhoon, with due apology from �Brepiks� who may show annoyance to be called Yarkhoonik. However, it will be interesting if some one among our respected elders like Aseer, Dr Faizi, Liaqat Ali, Ali Akbar, etc share their views with the readers on this subject.

This valley, although economically poor and backward in physical facilities, has its own peculiarities. The kind and hospitable people are socially well groomed. Area is rich in beauties of nature; it owns lush green meadows, high mountains, famous passes, blushful streams, roaring rivers, mighty glaciers, precious species of wild life, and what not. Situated in the extreme North of Chitral, it shares boarders with Afghanistan and Yasin valley of Northern Areas while its extreme north � Baroghil - touching �the roof of the world��the great Pamir. Yarkhoon valley lacks the basic facilities of comfortable modern life like road communication, health facilities, quality education, telecommunication sources, accessibility of pure drinking water, etc. yet the people are lively in their disposition. Despite all odds and backwardness this valley is fortunate to have seasoned educationists like Sher Wali Khan Aseer, Ali Akbar, Mas Khan, Bulbul Baig and a host of other learned teachers in the education department. It has produced people of very high caliber working graciously in Armed Forces of Pakistan in officers� rank, in health department as doctors, in banks as managers, in forest department as DFO, in Central Superior Service as officers, in NGOs (like the one established name as Liaqat Ali), in public sector departments (as Chitral Scouts, Police department, etc) and in private sector organizations as well. But these are just a few to name. The increasing number of students in the higher education sector is yet another indicator of better future. Had there been educational facilities of acceptable standard at grass root level, this valley would have proved itself a fertile Montessori in producing capable human resource.
The moderate weather in summers keeps people happy and jubilant enjoying the beauty of nature. But life in the valley is not a bed of roses all the time. In the tough and harsh winters it becomes static, temperature going as low as Minus 30 degree Celsius, making the whole valley serene and tranquil, confining the people to their homes. Like the migrating birds of Siberian belt, most of the male working folk of relatively poorer families, on approaching of the winters, proceed towards the cities to earn their livelihood. The desire for prosperous tomorrow keeps them moving like a persian wheel. But it is the cruelty of fate; even their children join this unending life cycle, producing yet another generation of masons and labourers. So life goes on without notable positive changes.
When one looks from the prism of modern life, the living conditions are pathetic and full of problems. If someone falls ill, the acquaintances take the patient for treatment to distant places like Chitral town, not very far - JUST 300 KILOMETERS FROM BAROGHIL. Education is also at the brink of ugly conditions. There are primary, middle and high schools but poorly administered and yield no fruit. Due to teachers� absenteeism; pupils in certain cases waste the whole day without learning a single lesson. Teachers coming from the distinct areas of the District are not ready to serve in a far-flung area like Yarkhoon. In their absence the school CHOKIDAR is the sole head; entrusted with the responsibility to teach, to administer and to protect the absent teachers. With such a background those who pass their matriculation generally face difficulty to seek admission in a college. Aga Khan Education Services Pakistan (AKESP) has established a few schools in the area; people enthusiastically dreamed for seeing their children to have quality education and to positively change the fate of poor parents in the future, but dreams seldom become reality. So far these institutions have hardly proved better than the government schools. Lack of professional educational administrators in the past years, a great deal of nepotism, unfortunate politics of cast and creed and half hearted efforts of the management couldn�t let these institutions attain the level of quality envisaged for them.
In my valley not only the path of education is bumpy but the unsteady roads make the life further uncomfortable. It takes Herculean task to complete a journey from Chitral town to Yarkhoon Lasht on the road full of stones, mud and risky bends. But to a large area of Baroghil there is no access at all. To sum it up, Yarkhoon is a distant and far-flung valley in Chitral with people facing huge problems of all sorts. However, Yarkhoon is a very important area as well. Firstly from strategic point of view it is a boarder area; the mighty Russians had once enhanced its importance with concentration of forces on the border during their disastrous Afghan adventure in 1980s. Secondly, this valley only can provide passage like a safe heaven to any government�s envisaged project of road link with Central Asian states, extending trade routes or even gas and electricity imports from Central Asia to Pakistan. Lastly, the natural beauty, glaciers and mountain passes have great attraction both for local and foreign tourists. If government is kind to provide basic communication facilities, it can attract thousands of tourists to visit the area every year. (To be continued)