PROFILE

1             Introduction

1.1        Background of the Region

Swat is historically an important area. Its rich archeological treasure is testimony to a glorious past. Its serene natural beauty, abundance of water, forest, wild life, good agriculture and grazing land and its strategic position provided a good milieu to nurture civilizations but at the same time attracted invaders. The coins found here provide ample evidence of transactions with contemporary civilizations. Alexander came here in 327 B.C; Gandhara Civilization reached its zenith here; and Mahmud of Ghazna's forces invasion of Swat in early 11^th century A. D. brought the area under the fold of Islam. Pukhtuns of different tribes gradually occupied the region a thousand to eight hundred years ago who were subsequently driven out by Yusufzai Pukhtuns in the 16^th century who live here ever since. Living in a classical tribal matrix, they finally laid a skeletal structure of a state of their own in 1915 in Swat which was subsequently organized and solidified from 1917 onward. The state was expanded and territories outside Swat were incorporated in it. However the territory westward from Landakay, already brought under British protectorate, could not be brought under the fold of the Swat State. In 1969 Swat State, along with the two princely states of Dir and Chitral, was merged in Pakistan and was made a district of the Malakand Division of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan.   

The area of the former Malakand Division is 29,872 sq. km. In 1976 the right bank Indus Kohistan was separated from Swat District and was made part of the newly formed Kohistan District. Later on Buner and Shangla were also separated from Swat District in 1995 and 1997 respectively and were made full-fledged separate districts. Swat District lies between 34⁰-13'-55" and 35⁰-53'-40" north latitudes and 70⁰-47'-15" east longitude in the former Malakand Division of North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The area of the present day Swat District is about 3798 sq. km with a population of 1.249 million (Population Census Report, 1998).

Saidu Sharif, Mingawara, Marghuzar, Malamjaba, Miandam, Madayan, Bahrain, Kalam, Utror, Mahudand, Kumrat, Shahi, Lowarai pass and Shandoor are the sites worth seeing in the former Malakand Division. Numerous other sites (lakes, side valleys and peaks) at various distances and heights with their virgin beauty are only accessible by foot and have always left an unforgettable refreshing memory to the minds of those who have seen these places.  

When the princely states of Swat, Dir, and Chitral were merged in Pakistan in 1969, the people were exposed to a centralized departmental way of governance. It was difficult for the people to understand the new system while the government’s functionaries remained distant from the people. This new situation created a gap between the people and the government. Poor planning, lack of good governance, increase in population and migration to the region further aggravated the situation. This resulted in the degradation of physical, social and cultural environment of the region. Excessive deforestation, unplanned expansion of human settlement in urban and rural areas, pollution of water bodies, mismanagement of land use, increased violence and insecurity are some of the visible results.

Some university graduates in different disciplines started discussion on the decay in socio-economic order and changes in demographic realities of the region in historical perspective. This discussion included the negative impacts on natural and built environment due to poor management of resources and exploitation by vested interests. The meetings were very humble to begin. There was one register to record the minutes of the meetings and for each session a secretary and a chairman was appointed. It took almost one year to develop a consensus on the sectors in which works had to be done and EPS was thus formed in 1991.

2                  The Society (EPS)

2.1     Background of the Society

Environmental Protection Society (EPS) is a non-governmental organization (NGO). Since its inception in 1991 till 1997its main activities and projects were concentrated in District Swat. The Society earned a good name and started its journey towards professionalism as well and extended its interventions to the districts of Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Buner, Shangla, and Malakand Agency where EPS had already developedgood working relations with most of the organizations and departments of these areas.The Society maintained the tempo of work till 2008, when the Executive Board of the Society took the decision to expand EPS area of operation and work for the uplift of other areas through out the country and establish a new office in Islamabad. Due to the man induced complex disaster, Malakand Division, specifically District Swat confronted with a lot of damages and more than 2.5 million people displaced from their place of origin. On July 20, 2009 some of the areas of Malakand Division were declared safe by the concerned line agencies and the early stage of recovery initiated. EPS temporally closed its Islamabad Office and focused on Malakand Division to play its due role for the uplift of the area.  

Founded in 1991, EPS was registered in 1994 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It is a non-profit and non-ethnic organization concerned with the physical, social and cultural environment of the Country.

2.2     Vision

Conservation and improvement of Physical, Social, and Cultural Environment.

2.3     Mission

EPS strives for economic prosperity and clean and well managed environment in NWFP through concurrent and culturally viable approaches with a blend of professionalism and voluntary zeal.

2.4     Values

Democratic, Self-reliance, Honesty, Integrity, Social Acceptability, and Participatory Approach.

2.5     Philosophy

Collective Broad Based Sustainable Development.

2.6        Objectives

Objectives of the Society are to;

a.    Provide a forum for bringing together experiences related to natural and built environment from individuals, institutions and organizations.

b.    Do and promote research and actions in environment and related disciplines in the best interest of human beings.

c.    Publish and prepare reports, monographs, films, case studies, and journal in English, Urdu or any other language for defusing knowledge.

d.    Publish literature and educational material, organize exhibitions, establish library/libraries and museum(s), and acquire information in fields related to environment with the approval of the concerned authorities.

e.    Grant gratitude to any person or persons who may be or have been officer(s) or servant(s) in any capacity of the society, for the relatives or dependents of any such persons and make payments towards insurance in respect of such persons or their relatives or dependents and subscribe or guarantee money for charitable objectives.

f.     Mobilize/organize and train/enable communities for collective actions to promote sustainable development, and to achieve it through promoting values of civil society.

g.    Highlight issues of governance, related to sustainable development, through advocacy.

h.    Create awareness regarding environmental pollution and environmental degradation, and its effect(s) on human health, social set-up, economy and politics.

i.     Provide loans and grants to deserving persons for poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

j.     Work to eliminate regional, ethnic, economic, social and gender inequity and discrimination in the development process.

3        Working Strategy

          EPS is involved in Research, Advocacy, Social Organization, Human Resource Development, and Service Delivery related directly or indirectly to environmental issues in broader sense. Some of the actions are materialized, other started and still others are proposed through the active participation of the stakeholders. EPS strives to achieve its ends working within the bounds of the local cultural and traditional norms.

4        Organizational Structure              

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5                   Projects Accomplished by EPS    

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      8      EPS Publications

      10  Students Research Supported by EPS

EPS encourages and supports researches of students of various Universities. The researches conducted by the students from different institutions both from the country and abroad and supported by EPS, so far, are;

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      11      Training Modules/Manuals Developed by EPS

         Annex A

                        EPS Councilors for the year 2009                   (Click 4 details) 

         Annex B

                        EPS Staff for the year 2009                             (Click 4 details)

         Annex C

                         Training Potential available with EPS            (Click 4 details)