.. by Wg Cdr Fardad Ali Shah (rtd)
CHITRAL: Chitralis are widely regarded as law-abiding and gentle people who rarely create law-and-order problems. They are often described as civilised in their own way, maintaining strong and healthy social relationships within their communities. These are admirable qualities.
Barring noble exceptions- there exists a troubling aspect of social behaviour in Chitral that cannot be ignored. It reflects a deeply rooted contradiction: a tendency to submit before the powerful while bullying the weak (locally summed up as “susto te sunjat”). This duality exposes a harsh and a cowardly streak.
Equally disturbing is the casual cruelty toward the other creatures of Allah whom Allah Almighty has ordained to co-exist with us humans. The cruelty often begins early. Small children roam with slingshots, scanning trees for birds to strike. Even tiny finches (chillngee), fragile as butterflies, are not spared. ( I personally confess guilt of this behavior in my childhood). A child raised in such an environment is destined to grow desensitized to compassion, and for him kindness becomes an unfamiliar instinct.
The disturbing pattern extends into adulthood. Armed men with shot guns can be seen hunting migratory doves and ducks which pass through Chitral during seasonal journeys. Traps, decoys, and artificial ponds are set up at considerable expense-to lure and kill these innocent visitors. There is nothing sporting or noble in this; it is just a calculated sadism.
One painful example stands out: Reported recently, a pair of doves that had nested under a veranda roof, tending to their young, never returned one day. They had been shot. The chicks, still waiting to be fed, were left to perish. Such acts reveal nothing but profound cowardice.
Perhaps the most disturbing tradition is the age old practice of “boik doozhi”—burning sparrows at night as they roost in chinar trees of a persons house. Although this custom is fading due to the declining sparrow population, its moral ugliness has rarely been challenged in mosques, sermons, or social gatherings.
The general attitude toward street dogs and injured animals is no better—marked largely by outright cruelty.
And then there is the modern display of this mindset: hunters posing proudly beside a bleeding markhor on its knees, or laying out rows of slaughtered ducks and doves for photographs to be shared online. This is not any victory. It is the celebration of outright heinousness.
If this culture is to change, responsibility must be shared. Religious leaders, in particular,should boldly and repeatedly condemn this cowardly cruelty in every sermon. Social activists and conscientious individuals must also step forward to challenge and dismantle this entrenched mindset.
Silence only sustains it. Confronting it is the first step toward a more humane society. .. Chitral, 18 April 2026
9 thoughts on ““Susto te Sunjat”: The cowardly part of Chitrali culture we must abandon”
You have spoken my heart, honestly. I have also been wanting for quite some time to create a video on this very issue.
The reality is that, unfortunately we often stand at the forefront when it comes to cruelty towards animals. By placing tools like slingshots in the hands of little children, we unknowingly train them in cruelty from a very early age. Innocent birds, which are part of nature’s beauty, become easy targets of our actions.
Similarly, migratory water birds that travel long distances to add beauty to Chitral are instead of being welcomed are instead met with guns as if they are our biggest enemies. This is not only tragic but also raises serious questions about our collective mindset.
It is time we reflect on this behavior and start teaching our future generations compassion, empathy and humanity.
Thank you, Fardad Sahib, for this piece.
An excellent and thought-provoking article highlighting an important issue within our society. The writer courageously addresses harmful cultural practices that hinder progress and collective responsibility. Such honest discussions are essential for the development of Chitrali society. Appreciating the author for encouraging positive change while respecting cultural values. Hopefully, this message will inspire reflection and constructive reform among readers.
You have highlighted a most significant matter of concern towards the wildlife. Just today, I asked my house servant, where the house sparrows have gone, I don’t see any. He told me the same act cruelty that you have highlighted in your article. Suggest You take up this issue with the DC and Scouts Commandant to ban duck and dove hunting.
All the schools and colleges’ headmasters must be guided to promote taking care of all animal life particularly the wildlife.
Chitral News has been raising issues of existential nature in a society that has resigned itself to its fate awaiting some miracle to happen. Miracles do not happen on their own; we cause them to happen. Remember, all creatures are bound together in food and life chains. One can not survive without the other. This realization should go into the nurturing of a child at home, school and place of worship. Laws formulated for the purpose must be implemented.
How can we expect mercy from decendants of Haabeel (Abel) and qaabeel (caines) who being just the third and fourth persons on earth couldnt tolerate each other leading to the first ever murder setting example for humanity. Violence is in the genes of mankind. Some kind hearted people worldwide are crusading against violence in all forms and maybe are able to change the genes of humanity in this regard. Let’s hope.
I agree with the author we should teach our children to respect all creatures of Allah and show compassion and this should be imbibed in them from an early age. But I don’t think this behavior is limited to Chitralis. It exists everywhere, from east to west. We shouldn’t place all the blame on one community.
What matters is that we recognize it and work toward positive, lasting change.
A “secure society for birds” should be one of our goals. To achieve this, we should emphasize that caring for animals and avoiding unnecessary harm are part of our moral and, for many, religious responsibilities. In a time when food—especially meat—is readily available, hunting small birds is no longer a necessity. Instead, it becomes a choice, and one that should be guided by compassion and restraint. By recognizing this shift, we can encourage a culture that values the protection of bird life rather than its casual harm. Behavior change sticks better when it comes from trusted, local voices and aligns with cultural norms. Teachers, community elders, and respected local figures can frame practices in ways that feel relevant rather than imposed. That’s often more impactful than top-down messaging.
These days gun shots at the break of dawn startle one as if some battle has begun, whereas they are just the shots fired in cruelty and cowardice against migratory ducks and doves who seek refuge in our trees and ponds.- What a pity. How can we expect mercy from the lord of the universe.