CANAL HERITAGE OF NORTHERN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF RA ZHOI KHOT VALLEY, UPPER CHITRAL DISTRICT, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

Research study “Canal Heritage of Northern Pakistan: A case study Ra Zhoi, Khot Valley, Upper Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” has been carried out in order to document, preserve and present the centuries old canal heritage in Northern Pakistan. Ra Zhoi (irrigation canal) in Khot Valley Upper Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is one of the traditional canals in Northern Pakistan is about 350 years old. It is a complex of traditional, mythical, social, environmental and topographical knowledge generated and preserved in a form of unwritten Customary Laws known as Dastoor to regulate water governance system and mobilize the available human/natural resources for the infrastructure management of the Ra Zhoi. Thus the physical infrastructure and Dastoor of Ra Zhoi is an outcome of Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) to provide a framework (social, customary & structural) to secure livelihood, water rights, conflict resolution and disaster risk reduction etc. There are number of traditional regulatory institutions in Northern Pakistan known with different names in different parts to protect the natural resources including water resource and canal infrastructure. For example Yuft, Urfi and Mir Zhoi are old traditional institutions in Khot Valley are the custodians of the centuries old canal heritage of Ra Zhoi by following and practicing the Dastoor for centuries. With the passage of time the Canal Heritage of Ra Zhoi is facing numbers of challenges due to the rapid socio-economic, technological and environmental changes. These challenges have both positive and negative impacts on the social organization, infrastructure and Dastoor of Ra Zhoi. The study found that any attempt of alteration or modification in traditional regulatory institutions, water governance and infrastructure management has resulted damage to the infrastructure and ineffectiveness in performance of the Dastoor of Ra Zhoi. 11 Preservation and challenges of the Canal Heritage of Northern Pakistan and Ra Zhoi can betterly be addressed and managed through documentation of Dastoor, maintenance of the traditional structures of Ra Zhoi, raising awareness, heritage education, policy & advocacy and promotion of cultural tourism in Khot Valley.