During my early college years at Jahanzeb College, the oldest institution of learning in Swat, I found myself suspended between two political groups. Often, I would stand in their circles, clapping my books in rhythm with their slogans. The reason was simple: after matriculation, Jamiat-e-Talaba Islam (JTI) had campaigned actively on our school grounds and even helped me secure admission to Jahanzeb College. In parallel, my interest in Jamaat-e-Islami had grown through reading Naseem Hijazi’s historical novels.

JTI held study circles in which its leaders spoke about the ideas of Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi—ideas that were far beyond our comprehension, yet appealing in their mystique. My attraction to Jamaat-e-Islami stemmed from two influential works by Maududi: Khilafat o Mulukiyat and Tafheem-ul-Quran. The latter fascinated me with its modern, scientific references used to explain Quranic verses.

A single incident pushed me away from the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba. The Pakhtun Students Federation (PSF) had invited the famed singer Gulzar Alam for a programme in Wadudia Hall on the college premises. To me, this was nothing unusual, and like many others, I attended casually. But as soon as the programme began, a group of IJT activists stormed the hall. They had broken chairs into sticks and suddenly launched an attack, beating anyone in sight.

One of those sticks struck me as well. Within moments, the venue had turned into a battlefield. Eventually, PSF reinforcements arrived with Kalashnikovs. They fired warning shots into the air, scattering the crowd. Many students from both sides were arrested, and the college was shut down indefinitely. After this incident, I distanced myself from all student organisations, including IJT, and the following year I left the college for other reasons.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the hostility between these two parties has a long history. Recent events have once again brought this background to the fore. Across various universities, Pashtun students celebrated Pashtun Culture Day with music, dance, poetry, and colourful performances. One of the largest events took place at Punjab University in Lahore. It is worth noting that........

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