Written by: Sania Ahmed Khan
Posted on: November 20, 2019 | 
| 中文
The Film Crew with their Emmy
A Pakistani documentary, ‘Armed with Faith’, won the News & Documentary Emmy Award for the category of “Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary” last month. Directed by Asad Faruqi and Geeta Gandbhir, the documentary aired on American national television in March 2018, and was premiered in Pakistan at Chalta Phirta Documentary Festival last weekend at the Second Floor (T2F).
Chalta Phirta Documentary Festival is the latest initiative of the Documentary Association of Pakistan (DAP). It is a travelling documentary film festival, going to 11 Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, and Gilgit. For its first screening event in Karachi, DAP founders Haya Fatima Iqbal and Fahad Naveed chose a collection of 6 thought-provoking films such as ‘A Walnut Tree’, ‘Sindhustan’ and ‘Armed with Faith’. With this festival, DAP aims to make Pakistani films that have received international acclaim, accessible to Pakistani audiences.
‘Armed with Faith’ was released in 2017, and follows the men of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU), to the front lines of the war, in the tribal region of KPK, which is closely associated with violence and terrorism. Shot primarily in Peshawar, where BDU is headquartered, the first scene depicts the chaos and confusion that arises in a public space where a bomb is reported to have been planted. The public space in particular, is a construction site in the midst of a busy shopping area. As shoppers and passersby are evacuated, a bomb disposal technician cautiously advances towards what looks like an abandoned school bag. With no communication from his superiors and minimal safety gear, he reaches for the bag. The audience is forced to wonder; does he know what he is doing?
A BDU Officer in KPK
The scene cuts to footage of the Qissa Khawani Bazaar bombing in 2013. Gory shots of an injured, bleeding man being rescued from a burning building makes the audience shift in their seats. A motorcycle is set ablaze; ambulance sirens can be heard in the background. The aftermath of a destructive bomb blast is presented without any censorship.
After 9/11, Pakistan granted the United States access to its land and airspace for the so-called war on terror. KPK is subject to the most attacks in Pakistan because of this, which is portrayed in the documentary, through actual news reports of bomb blasts in American Consulate and Jamrud Market, and the sorrowful shooting in APS in Peshawar.
According to Haya Fatima Iqbal during the post-screening discussion, director Asad Faruqi followed the BDU technicians to their headquarters, training grounds and even their homes. BDU Commander Shafqat Malik is the first character to be introduced, who is seen investigating the effects of a minor Improvised Explosive Device (IED), that has gone off in a remote village.
Inspecting a Suspicious Object
His expertise is evident in the way he picks up a broken piece of the explosive device, and states that the factory code and lot number can be traced from inside the metal piece. In another instance, he examines ammunition and a bomber jacket recovered from the site of a suicide blast. He seems startled that terrorists have gained access to such sophisticated weaponry.
The BDU officer that audience members perhaps most empathized with, was Inayatullah ‘Tiger’ Khan. Young, fierce, and fearless, Tiger trains new inductees in an isolated valley, at the Pak-Afghan border. Inhabited by Pashtun tribes, the rugged terrain makes this valley difficult to maneuver and vulnerable to terrorists. “This is like an entry point for terrorists who want to cause harm to our country. So, we’re the first line of defense in this battle,” says Tiger. “Lions, don’t be afraid. The braver you are, the more accurate your shot will be.” – Tiger’s words echo across the valley.
Inayatullah Khan Investigating a Crime Scene
Towards the end, the documentary shifts focus from action on the field to woes of dependents at home. Ill-equipped and understaffed, it is no secret that to protect the lives of innocent civilians, the brave men of BDU put their own lives at risk. These men come from extremely poor households, and are often the sole bread earners of their families. In a lifetime of serving the BDU, Tiger has destroyed over 7,000 explosives. In his tenure, he has also lost a leg and suffered irreversible damage to his arm.
Some men of the unit suffer from PTSD, having carried the dead bodies of their own friends from the blast site. Others recall moments where injured children have come up to them asking, “Where were you when the blast occurred?”
It is through initiatives like Chalta Phirta Documentary Festival, that compelling stories like these are brought to attetion for intelligent discourse and corrective action. These documentaries inspire and move viewers, as they shed light on important but neglected stories. Be on the lookout for Chalta Phirta Documentary Festival in your hometown during the coming weeks.
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