AROUND RAKAPOSHI

Life among Muslims in northern Pakistan

Smashwords dition

Pu!lished !" Ai#h$e %ooks on Smashwords Ai#h$e %ooks && 'oul!urn( NS)( Australia Around Raka*oshi +o*"right , -./. !" %rian H0 1ones IS%N 234&.&24.4/.3&5&2

D DI+A6ION 6his !ook is dedi#ated to Marie( who hel*ed to write it0 )ithout her( the e7*erien#es re#ounted here would not ha8e !een an"where near as ha**" or as memora!le0 All rights reser8ed0 No *art of this *u!li#ation ma" !e re*rodu#ed( stored in a retrie8al s"stem( or transmitted in an" form !" an" means 9 ele#troni#( me#hani#al( *hoto#o*"ing( re#ording( or otherwise 9 without the *rior written *ermission of the *u!lisher0 6he onl" e7#e*tion is !rief :uotations in *rinted re8iews0 Smashwords dition( Li#en#e Notes 6his e!ook is li#ensed for "our *ersonal en$o"ment onl"0 6his e!ook ma" not !e re& sold or gi8en awa" to other *eo*le0 If "ou would like to share this !ook with another *erson( *lease *ur#hase an additional #o" for ea#h *erson0 If "ou are reading this !ook and did not *ur#hase it( or it was not *ur#hased for "our use onl"( then *lease return to Smashwords0#om and *ur#hase "our own #o*"0 6hank "ou for res*e#ting the hard work of this author0 Note; Most of the *ersonal names in this !ook ha8e !een #hanged to *rote#t identities0

'Rakaposhi -- far the loveliest mountain on earth' (Emily Lorimer, 1939)

CH !"ER #$E% &E'$( H !!) More than one thousand "ears ago( de8oted monks #ar8ed a larger than life&si<e image of the %uddha on a #liff fa#e at the entran#e to Kargah Nullah0 Standing !" the water #hannel that runs !eneath it( we looked o8er the 'ilgit 8alle"( stret#hing out far !elow our feet0 It was a huge 8ista with the ri8er winding la<il" through it( flanked !" *at#hworks of tin" fields and e8en smaller dwellings( all #las*ed in the stee* = of the mountain sides0 6housands of metres a!o8e it all were the gla#iers and snow&#a**ed *eaks0 6he s#ene made me feel tin" and insignifi#ant( a mere s*e#k on the surfa#e of +reation( and "et at the same time elated0 Sur8e"ing the grandeur( our friend remarked( >)ho wants #ities and sho**ing malls when "ou #an ha8e this?@ Half&$okingl"( I re*lied( >6rueA %ut with all this( sometimes I wouldn@t mind $ust a !it more #on8enien#e and one or two fewer in#on8enien#es0@ And "et e8en as I said it( I thought( %ut( then( would all this !e what it is now( if there were more #on8enien#es and one or two fewer hardshi*s? And then I thought( %ut that@s life( isn@t it? Life is essentiall" ironi#( so that "ou #an ne8er ha8e all of what "ou want in the same *la#e at the same time( and so often the things that "ou lo8e and en$o" are s#attered all o8er in time and s*a#e( united onl" !" "our desires and affe#tions0 At the same time( running through m" mind was a greater thought; that "ou should not onl" !e ha**" with what "ou ha8e when "ou ha8e it !ut( e8en more( that "ou are trul" ha**" when "ou know( reall" know( that "ou are ha**"0 And there( those "ears amongst the 8alle"s and *eaks of the Karakoram and Himala"a ranges of northern Pakistan( we were trul" ha**" and had the good fortune to know that we were0

CH !"ER "*#% "R +EL "R + 'L, Brom the s#ene a!o8e( fast&re8erse the ta*e of m" life !" one "ear to earl" A*ril -..-( and "ou would find me standing on the edge of a road a!o8e a surging ri8er( with !oth of us 9 the dri8er and me && *eering into the #hasm that the water has slashed through the mountains0 A!o8e us( the ro#k fa#es #lim!ed stee*l" for thousands of metres to disa**ear into the #louds0 6he s#ene was !oth awe&ins*iring and terrif"ing( an elemental one of ro#k and water on a grand s#ale( Mother Nature as an im*la#a!le giant( a huge dis*la" of the elements( where *un" humans were of no #onse:uen#e and where the" would !e shaken off like Lilli*utians when the ne7t rainfall( snowstorm( or earth:uake sent mud( ro#k and shale thundering down( wi*ing out houses( swee*ing awa" terra#es( hurling 8ehi#les into ra8ines( and #rushing tra8ellers0 )e were halfwa" !etween Islama!ad and 'ilgit on the Karakoram Highwa"( known lo#all" as the KKH( when the dri8er sto**ed the #ar so that we #ould stret#h our legs and take in the 8iew0 6he dri8er( a #lean&#ut "oung man from Islama!ad who had worked in A!u Dha!i !ut had ne8er !een north of the *lains and the foothills of his own #ountr"( *uffed on a #igarette( *eered at the houses and flims" terra#es *er#hed !etween *eaks and #hasm( and asked me( >Sir( wh" do *eo*le li8e here?@ I thought through *ossi!le reasons( all of whi#h seemed im*lausi!le( and then answered( >I don@t know0@ )e stood there in silen#e0 6rul"( we did not know0 )hile we dro8e onwards( I #ontinued to !e !oth fas#inated and alarmed0 6he road( *u!li#ised as an international highwa"( was a mere not#h( onl" a tentati8e s#rat#h( along the #liffs and mountain fa#es0 It was a !attered *ie#e of tarma# at most ten metres wide( its edges eaten awa" !" ro#k falls and erosions( its surfa#e sometimes no more than mud and dirt0 Burthermore( there were no !arriers( no matter how flims"( to *rote#t 8ehi#les from a fatal tum!le into the torrent a hundred metres or more dire#tl" !elow0 Do we alwa"s want to know the future? )e think that we do( !ut *erha*s we don@t on a road like the KKH( where it would ha8e !een more #omforting if I had not !een a!le to see our route snaking and winding into the distan#e ahead( *ro8iding 8isual #onfirmation that the future meant that this death& def"ing( *re#arious( twisting&and&turning ride would #ontinue for hour after hour with no res*ite0 6he Karakoram Highwa" is one of the highest( *a8ed international roads in the world0 It #onne#ts +hina and Pakistan a#ross the Himala"an and Karakoram mountain ranges and stret#hes /(C.. kilometres from Kashgar in the Din$iang region of +hina to Ha8elian( less than a few hours@ tra8el from Islama!ad( in the A!!otta!ad distri#t of Pakistan Eor 8i#e 8ersa( de*ending on *oint of 8iewF0 6he KKH was !uilt !" the go8ernments of Pakistan and +hina( where it is known as the Briendshi* Highwa"( and was #om*leted in /245 after -. "ears of #onstru#tion0 6he human toll was e7traordinar"; more than 4.. Pakistani and an unknown num!er of +hinese workers lost their li8es while !uilding the highwa"0 6he task of !uilding the KKH was not onl" #om*li#ated !" the e7treme #hallenges of the terrain( !ut also !" the fa#t that it runs through one of the world@s most earth:uake&*rone regions( where( without let&u*( the Asian and Indian #ontinents #ollide with titani# im*a#ts0 In s*ite of diffi#ulties and dangers( the highwa" also #arries a signifi#ant num!er of tourists and mountaineers who are attra#ted !" the fa#t that the region is home to fi8e of the world@s /G *eaks a!o8e 4... metres in height Ein#luding K-( the world@s se#ond&highest *eakF and has more than fift" *eaks a!o8e 3... metres0 In addition( tourists and s#ientists are

attra#ted !" the fa#t that three of the worldHs longest gla#iers outside the *olar regions are lo#ated in the Northern Areas0 Brom a southerl" a**roa#h( making its wa" northwards from the 'rand 6runk Road( at first the KKH tra8els fairl" easil" as it winds through the foothills0 Howe8er( the going !e#omes tougher as the road a**roa#hes the $un#tion with the Indus Ri8er at 6hakot %ridge0 Brom there( dwarfed !" the mountains( the KKH twists and turns a!o8e the ri8er for a!out -.. kilometres until( near 'ilgit( it lea8es the Indus for a !rief tri* along the 'ilgit Ri8er !efore it makes its wa" u* the Hun<a Ri8er( through the region known as Hun<a0 Binall"( it #lim!s to the Khun$era! Pass( whi#h( !e#ause of snowfalls( is onl" o*en for si7 months e8er" "ear0 Brom there( the KKH makes its wa" into western +hina0 It was A*ril -..- and I was making m" first tri* on the KKH0 6he *re8ious e8ening( I flew from Kara#hi to Islama!ad and sta"ed in a hotel near the air*ort( where the *ro*rietor told me that he had instru#tions from the Aga Khan Uni8ersit"( m" *otential em*lo"er( to wake me at C0C. a0m0 ne7t morning so that I would not miss m" flight0 Although this seemed to !e too earl" for an internal flight that was s#heduled for 50GI a0m0( I was in a strange #ountr" and was #om*letel" in other *eo*le@s hands( !eing *assed from *erson to *erson like a #ouriered *a#kage( so I $ust nodded and a##e*ted m" fate0 Sure enough( it was far too earl"J Islama!adKRawal*indi air*ort was still #losed and in semi&darkness when I was dro**ed there0 Also "awning( I sat on a !en#h wat#hing "awning #leaners swee*ing awa" the de!ris of the *re8ious da"0 )hen( finall"( the air*ort o*ened at a!out the time that the #all to *ra"er sounded from the near!" mos:ue( I #he#ked in for m" flight to 'ilgit0 %ut not for long; after less than half an hour in the de*arture lounge( I was ad8ised to #he#k out !e#ause the flight had !een #an#elled due to !ad weather0 I *i#ked u* m" suit#ase and( as instru#ted( im*lemented Plan % !" *honing Mr %utt of A8is to ask for a dri8er and #ar0 )hile I waited for them to arri8e( the outer #on#ourse !egan to fill with *eo*le0 6here were !earded men in dull&#oloured shalwar kamee<es and women with heads #o8ered in shawlsJ some were in 8eils( some wore !la#k !ur:uas( !ut most were dressed in !rightl" #oloured shalwar kamee<es with 8oluminous du*atas0 EDu*atas are large shawls that are worn o8er the torso and are dra*ed !a#kwards o8er the shoulders0 6he" and the shalwar kamee< are the standard gar! && in fa#t( the uniform && of almost all Pakistani women0F 6o add to the *ress of humanit"( growing thi#ker !" the minute( there were hawkers( dri8ers( *orters( and ta7i dri8ers looking for fares0 It was a strange( almost eerie feeling( to reali<e that I was the onl" foreigner EHingle<HF amongst all these *eo*le who dressed in wa"s that would !e #onsidered !i<arre in m" home #ountr"( and who s*oke languages that I #ould not e8en distinguish( let alone name0 6his was onl" a!out si7 months after the infamous H2K//H( the aerial atta#ks on !uildings in New Lork and )ashington( when the )estern media were *ortra"ing most Muslims( *arti#ularl" those with swarth" #om*le7ions( flat hats( and straggl" !eards( as sa8ages who had murderous designs on all infidels0 Here( on the #on#ourse of Islama!adKRawal*indi Air*ort( there were s#ores of men with swarth" #om*le7ions( flat hats( and straggl" !eards and I guessed that I #ertainl" dressed and looked like an infidel0 6he knowledge of m" differen#e made me feel it#hil" un#omforta!le( like an antelo*e e7*osed without #o8er on a sa8annah *lain0 )as I alread" !eing targeted !" o**ortunisti# $ihadis( eager to hit a soft target and im*ro8e their standing on the hea8enl" s#ore!oard? Howe8er( although I felt isolated and #ons*i#uous( no one *aid mu#h attention to me( e7#e*t for the hawkers and ta7i dri8ers( to whom I was $ust another foreigner who had more mone" than he needed and would !e ha**" to !oost the lo#al e#onom" !" *arting with some of it0 Although I was almost o8erwhelmed !" the new sights and sensations( I had the wit to remem!er that I needed some *ro8isions to sustain me during the /C&hour tri* that la" ahead0

Howe8er( I had !een warned that food !ought along the road would *ro!a!l" ha8e a dire effe#t on m" stoma#h and general health0 6oilet ha!its and general #leanliness in Pakistan are not alwa"s of the highest order0 %e#ause I was there to !e inter8iewed for a $o! and #ouldn@t run the risk of !eing in#a*a#itated when I should !e making a good im*ression( I did what an" other sensi!le *erson would ha8e done under the #ir#umstan#es; I !ought a !ottle of water and a *a#ket of ginger&nut !is#uits0 Reassuringl"( the la!el on the *a#ket of !is#uits informed me that the" had !een manufa#tured under li#en#e to HM the Mueen( while the seals on the !oth the !ottle and the *a#kage suggested to me that germs were e7#luded( allowing me to feel #onfident that this $udi#ious sele#tion would #arr" me safel" through whate8er la" ahead0 Onl" mu#h later( as I got to know more a!out Pakistan( did I hear horror stories of su**osedl" *ristine !ottled water that was a#tuall" *olluted lo#al water that had !een in$e#ted into !ottles through #unningl" #on#ealed holes0 And( with regard to the *urit" of foodstuffs in sealed #ontainers( one soon learns that Pakistan is one of the *ira#" #entres of the world( where authenti#&looking !ut fake re*rodu#tions of an"thing and e8er"thing are manufa#tured0 In fa#t( it is diffi#ult to find an"thing !ut *irated re*rodu#tions of items su#h as +Ds( D=Ds( >fashion la!el@ #lothing and a##essories( !ig&name wat#hes( and #om*uter software0 Soon I was( $olting( !um*ing and twisting along the KKH in a /0C litre 6o"ota +orolla sedan that was too light for the rigours of the road0 6o add to m" !ewilderment and fan m" #uriosit"( I knew almost nothing a!out the territories and terrain through whi#h I was *assing0 Ha8ing !een in8ited to attend the inter8iews less than three weeks earlier( I had 8er" little time to gather information( es*e#iall" as I had to make *re*arations for the tri*( get a 8isa( and make arrangements at m" *la#e of em*lo"ment0 In fa#t( I knew 8er" little at all a!out Pakistan( in s*ite of the fa#t that it is the world@s si7th most *o*ulous #ountr"( with a *o*ulation of a!out /5. million *eo*le at the time that I first set foot there0 I knew that it was the Muslim&ma$orit" segment of what was the %ritish Ra$ until Partition in /2G30 Also( !eing a #ri#ket enthusiast( I had 8isual images of !are&walled( #on#rete stadiums that were filled with 8olatile s*e#tators in *la#es su#h as Kara#hi( Lahore( Rawal*indi( and Multan( whi#h I would ha8e !een hard *ressed to find on a ma*0 In fa#t( most of m" im*ressions of Pakistan stemmed from m" a#:uaintan#e with the Pakistani #ri#ket team( whi#h interested me for a num!er of reasons( one of whi#h was that it seemed to !e infused with so mu#h *oliti#al intrigue that it was e8en more 8olatile than its fans0 Bor instan#e( I remem!er that during the late /22.s a Pakistani #ri#ket team *la"ed a test mat#h with fi8e former #a*tains and one #urrent #a*tain on the field at the same time0 6hat meant that more than half of the fielded team had worn the #a*tain@s mantle( whi#h had to !e a re#ord for an" team in an" s*ort0 +learl"( !eing a Pakistani #ri#ket #a*tain was like re#ei8ing the kiss of death or holding a si<<ling hot *otato0 Howe8er( although the *oliti#s of Pakistani #ri#ket were %"<antine( there was no dou!t that the *la"ers #ould *la" the game( if gi8en the #han#e0 I admired *la"ers su#h as )asim Akram( )a:ar Lounis( and Shahid Afridi( who !rought flair and e7#itement to the game0 6hen( of #ourse( there was Shoai! Akhtar( one of the world@s fastest !owlers( who e*itomi<ed so mu#h that was *arado7i#al a!out Pakistani #ri#ket in the sense that he #ould shatter the e:uanimit" of his own team and dri8e his own #oa#h to distra#tion e8en more :ui#kl" than he #ould shatter his o**onents@ stum*s0 I also had some literar" and #inemati# images of the region to *ro8ide faint light in the darkness of m" ignoran#e0 Bor instan#e( Salman Rushdie@s no8el HMidnight@s +hildrenH e8okes Partition and su!&#ontinental so#iet" elo:uentl" while his no8el HShameH *owerfull" de*i#ts the *oliti#al and religious storms that !atter Pakistan0 6hen( of #ourse( there was the mo8ie H'andhiH( with its *ortra"al of the *oliti#s of inde*enden#e and the horrif"ing 8iolen#e

of Partition0 Howe8er( #ome to think of it( that was mostl" set in India *ro*er( whi#h reminded me that most of m" 8isual and literar" images of the region related to India0 EHKimH and HPassage to IndiaH loom large0F It was as if Pakistan languished in India@s shadow( with India *ro$e#ting a !ig( !right( and !ustling image while Pakistan was indistin#t and o!s#ure0 Although I see things differentl" now( that is how it was in m" mind at the time0 So( when I landed at Kara#hi air*ort( m" mind was almost a ta!ula rasa with regard to Pakistan0 As a result( almost e8er"thing that I saw and e7*erien#ed was intense and dramati#; the ri#kshaws and motor !ikes( the #lothes( the o8erwhelming #rowds( the gru!!" !uildings( the sagging *ower #a!les that were strung like washing lines a#ross streets( the 8er" sha*es of the !uildings( the strange s#ri*t( the high&*rowed tru#ks with their garish de#orations( the near&sui#idal dri8ing( and then( on the KKH( the gar!age( the soaring *eaks a!o8e( the surging water !elow( and the twisting( snaking road !efore0 6hen( to add to the drama of m" first e7*erien#e of the KKH( during the late afternoon a dou!le&#a!( four&wheeled dri8e 8ehi#le #ontaining armed men drew a!reast of our #ar and signalled us to sto*0 As a foreigner who s*oke no Urdu( alread" feeling like flotsam !o!!ing on a sea of 8olatilit" and strange #ustoms( I was a**rehensi8e0 Howe8er( it turned out that these were not highwa"men !ut *oli#emen who( ha8ing noted m" *resen#e when I signed in at the entran#e to the Northern Areas( had de#ided that I needed s*e#ial *rote#tion0 Shades of 2K//( I guessed; the fall of the 6win 6owers re8er!erated e8en here in the remote Himala"as0 A *oli#eman #arr"ing a semi&automati# rifle got into the #ar and instru#ted the dri8er to sto* at the nearest *oli#e station whi#h( like all of its kind( looked like a fort( with thi#k walls( gun slits( towers( and #renallations0 +learl"( in the Northern Areas of Pakistan( a *oli#eman@s lot was not an eas" one0 In fa#t( less than two "ears later( I saw at first&hand that although these fortifi#ations might look like fantas" *ro*s in a Boreign Legion mo8ie( the" ha8e a deadl" serious fun#tion0 Like medie8al #astles( the" are !ulwarks against resti8e and disaffe#ted *o*ulations0 Inside the *oli#e station #um fort( I *rodu#ed m" *ass*ort and waited while there was a lot of #ra#kling #on8ersation in Urdu on the radio0 6hen( with a different armed *oli#eman in the !a#k of the #ar( we set off again0 Bor the ne7t few hours( sto**ing at e8er" *oli#e station #um fort along the wa" and e7#hanging our es#ort on ea#h o##asion( we made our !um*"( winding wa" towards 'ilgit0 I was so naN8e( and *erha*s so influen#ed !" the fa#t that I was in a #ountr" that was offi#iall" *ro#laimed as Islami# Efull name; >6he Islami# Re*u!li# of Pakistan@F that I misinter*reted the signs in Urdu s#ri*t that were *ainted on ro#ks !" the side of the KKH0 Surel"( I thought( e"eing the towering mountains and s*e#ta#ular #hasms through whi#h we were *assing( in su#h a de8out #ountr" the graffiti must !e *raising might" Allah( the #reator of all of this magnifi#en#e0 It was onl" a few months later( after I got the $o! and settled in to m" new surroundings( that I #larified the matter0 One da"( as we a**roa#hed some graffiti *ainted on a roadside ro#k( I asked our dri8er( >Didar( what does that sign sa"?@ He looked at me in some sur*rise and said( >Sir( it is an ad8ertisement for *eo*le to sta" at the Diamer Hotel in 'ilgit@0 I asked him( >Is that what the" all are O ad8ertisements for hotels?@ He looked at me in e8en more sur*rise && sur*rised at m" nai8et"( *ro!a!l" && and re*lied( >Les( sir( that is what the" are0 Also( the" are ad8ertising other things like soa* and washing *owder0@ So mu#h for *raising Allah for the magnifi#ent *eaks and #hasmsA )hen we finall" arri8ed in 'ilgit( it was *it#h dark0 8en the main roads did not ha8e street lights or lit&u* sho* fronts0 6he dri8er and I knew nothing a!out the town( we did not ha8e a ma*( and we la#ked instru#tions( so( !eing in the dark in all senses( we dro8e around asking for dire#tions0 Howe8er( the few lo#al *eo*le who were mo8ing a!out at that late hour

of /.0.. *0m0 && 'ilgit does not ha8e a 8i!rant night&life O seemed to !e as mu#h in the dark as we were0 After dri8ing around for a while( !" good lu#k we found a hotel where the re#e*tionist *ut me in tou#h with m" #onta#t *erson( Dr 1unaid Na<ir( a senior a#ademi# from the main AKU #am*us in Kara#hi0 Dr Na<ir wel#omed me with relief0 )e were a few hours o8erdue !e#ause of the dela"s with the *oli#e and the onset of night( so he *ro!a!l" feared that we had e7*erien#ed a !reakdown or worse0 He #he#ked me into the Serena Hotel( 'ilgit@s !est( where( in s*ite of the lateness of the hour( the kit#hen *rodu#ed a huge *latter of 8egetarian #urr" and ri#e0 It was now after // *0m0 and( sin#e ha8ing !reakfast at a!out G a0m0( /2 hours earlier( I had su!sisted on onl" !ottled water and a *a#ket of ginger&nut !is#uits whi#h( in s*ite of Her Ma$est"@s li#en#e( had not done mu#h to fill the 8oid0 Not sur*risingl"( I de8oured the meal to the last grain of ri#e0 8en now( "ears later( I still ha8e fond memories of that late&hour meal at the Serena Hotel( 'ilgit0 After that( I sle*t soundl"( se#ure in the knowledge that( although I was in strange and *ossi!l" dangerous surroundings( at sea in a #om*letel" foreign #ulture( I was !eing #ouriered !" handlers who until now had mo8ed me safel" from tumultuous Kara#hi on the southern #oast to farthest 'ilgit in the northern mountains without a hi##u*0

&a-aar s.ene alon/ the 00H

During the ne7t da"( I was whirled through a round of inter8iews and dis#ussions at the Professional De8elo*ment +entre North EPD+NF( a #am*us of the Aga Khan Uni8ersit" EAKUF( as well as at lo#al s#hools and sister organisations in the Aga Khan De8elo*ment Network0 6he da" ended at a!out /. *0m0 after dinner with the fa#ult" mem!ers of PD+N where( after the meal( I sat #hatting to Dr Na<ir while the fa#ult" !usil" s#ri!!led their assessments of m" suita!ilit" as a #andidate for the *osition of head of their #am*us0 6he assessments must ha8e !een fa8oura!le( !e#ause I got the $o!0 arl" ne7t morning( Dr Na<ir and I were dri8en to 'ilgit air*ort where( on#e again( I #ame u* against one of the realities of tra8el !etween 'ilgit and down#ountr" O namel"( that air tra8el through the Himala"a and Karakoram Mountains was unrelia!le( un*redi#ta!le( and fre:uentl" infre:uent0 6he main reason was that the G.&seater B-3 Bokker air*lanes #ruised at a ma7imum height of a!out -- ... feet Ea!out 53.. metresF a!o8e sea le8el( whi#h was lower than man" of the *eaks amongst whi#h the" flew0 )ith the *ilots ha8ing to fl" !" sight amongst the *eaks and 8alle"s( !" m" estimate annuall" a!out G.P of the flights were #an#elled !e#ause of the un*redi#ta!le mountain weather0 In fa#t( the weather was so 8olatile that it was :uite #ommon for a flight to take off from Islama!ad or 'ilgit Eha**" *assengersAF

and then ha8e to turn !a#k when #onditions #hanged en route Eha**iness re*la#ed !" frustration and gloomAF0 )hen I first flew on the 'ilgit route( the Bokker air*lanes were alread" long *ast their sell&!" dates0 6he" had the air of old workhorses that *lodded on from da" to da" out of a sense of dut"( doggedl" relia!le !ut la#king get&u*&and&go0 6he #a!in and seats were narrow and #ram*ed( the u*holster" was worn and tatt"( and the windows were streaked and s#rat#hed0 Howe8er( old and de#re*it though the air*lanes were( I was alwa"s ha**" and relie8ed when the twin engines roared and the *lane !egan to mo8e onto the runwa" at Islama!ad or 'ilgit !e#ause it meant a8oiding a tri* on the KKH0 In *arti#ular( I remem!er m" first flight through the western Himala"as( ga<ing almost e#stati#all" at the 8ast $um!le of *eaks and 8alle"s( dotted with snow" #a*s and la#ed with tur:uoise&#oloured ri8ers0 s*e#iall"( I remem!er the sight of the huge massif of Nanga Par!at Eat 4/-I metres( the ninth highest *eak in the worldF sliding *ast the air#raft@s right wing while a fellow *assenger *ointed out the ti* of K- Eat 45// metres( the se#ond highest *eak in the worldF on the north&eastern hori<on0 Later( I learned that Nanga Par!at is sometimes ni#knamed >Killer Mountain@ !e#ause C/ #lim!ers died on its slo*es !efore the first su##essful as#ent was made in /2IC0 A detail like this onl" adds a little more drama to a massif that is s*e#ta#ular from an" dire#tion0

$an/a !ar1at from the air

Another striking memor" of fl"ing in the region is the o##asion when I stood in the #o#k*it as a Bokker #lim!ed out of 'ilgit on a #loudless da"( fl"ing dire#tl" towards Nanga Par!at@s great north fa#e with its huge( gleaming fa#ade of i#e and snow0 6he #ragg" fa#e drew e8er #loser until it filled the winds#reen like an image on a massi8e #inema s#reen !efore the air*lane !anked to the right to follow the Indus southwards around the flank of the massif0 I also re#all standing on a water #hannel high a!o8e 'ilgit on a fine( #alm da"( wat#hing a southwards&!ound Bokker #lawing its wa" out of the 8alle"0 It was a tin"( e8er& diminishing green and white dart against the immensit" of the ro#k fa#es until finall" the air*lane itself was in8isi!le and onl" the faint humming of its tur!o*ro*s e#hoed along the 8alle"0 In the fa#e of su#h fragilit" set against su#h !land immensit"( how #ould one hel* !ut refle#t that human !eings( in their ho*es and as*irations( are onl" a little lower than the angels 9 to ha8e the temerit" to fl" through su#h immensit" in a tin" thing made of flims"

metalA && and "et( when their mortalit" is set against the long time s*an of the uni8erse( in Hamlet@s words the" are no more than :uintessen#e of dust? Although these sentiments are so #ommon that the" might seem trite( the" ha8e real im*ort under su#h #onditions0 After a #rash in #entral Pakistan during -..5( the Bokkers were re*la#ed with A6R G-&I.. air*lanes0 Perha*s the #hange has meant that fewer flights are #an#elled0 Howe8er( I dou!t it; the ma#hines might ha8e #hanged( !ut the mountains and the weather do not #hange( and *ilots #annot fl" !" instrument through the mountains0 Like the *assengers( the dri8ers in the Northern Areas are *hlegmati#0 )ith full fuel tanks in their four&wheel dri8e 8ehi#les( the dri8ers wait at the air*ort with *a#ked o8ernight !ags( read" to set off along the KKH as soon as a flight is #an#elled0 And that is what we did( the first time I was due to tra8el from 'ilgit to Islama!ad O on#e again( I was denied the *leasures of a flight through the Karakorams and western Himala"as in fa8our of a /C&hour s*rint along one of the world@s highest *a8ed highwa"s0 Here are some of m" lasting im*ressions of the KKH( generated during do<ens of tri*s; Im*ression one; Pakistanis lo8e #ri#ket0 6he" *la" it all the time and e8er"where O on ur!an !uilding lots( on #it" side streets( on !oulder&strewn mountain sides( on #leared fieldsOe8er"whereA Often( #oming around a tight #orner on the KKH( we would find a grou* of !o"s *la"ing #ri#ket on the road where it widened $ust a little to a##ommodate a *arking area or a 8iew *oint *er#hed a!o8e a *re#i*itous dro*0 6he grou* would s#atter and then( after our 8ehi#le *assed( the game would re#ommen#e immediatel"( as if this was the real *ur*ose of the highwa" and 8ehi#les were $ust a regretta!le nuisan#e( like sand flies in the summer heat0 In 8iew of the #ondition of the road( with its *otholes and !um*s( it looked as if the *it#hes usuall" took a lot of s*in and *rodu#ed un#ertain !oun#e for the *a#e !owlers0 Im*ression two; 8en the toughest stoma#h is likel" to !e tested !" the KKH0 Bor instan#e( ne8er !efore or sin#e has m" wife( Marie( suffered from tra8el si#kness0 Howe8er( the KKH did for her( as it did for man" others0 After e7*erien#ing a few !outs of tra8el si#kness on the road( she insisted that( whene8er *ossi!le( we should take an o8ernight !reak when we tra8elled !etween 'ilgit and Islama!ad or 8i#e 8ersa0 I s"m*athi<ed with her !e#ause although I ha8e tra8elled on rolling shi*s( on !u#king air*lanes( and along s#ores of thousands of kilometres of rough roads without feeling e8en a stoma#h tremor( there were a few o##asions on the KKH when I thought that m" #lean sheet was in imminent danger of !eing sullied0 Im*ression three; 6he dangers of the road are real and e8er&*resent0 Bor e7am*le( on#e( unwisel"( we set off from 'ilgit in s*ite of a light dri<<le0 After a!out an hour or two on the road( the dri<<le turned into stead" rain and all of us( dri8er and *assengers( tra8elled in tense silen#e for the ne7t two or three hours( ho*ing that we would not !e stru#k !" one of the KKH@s infamous mudslides or ro#k falls0 In fa#t( there was so mu#h rain that the du#ks were fluttering around in *otholes in the road when we arri8ed at Dasu( whi#h marked the end of the first *hase of the tri*0 Soon after that( there were huge sighs of relief when the weather #leared and !lue sk" a**eared in the narrow s*a#e !etween the towering *eaks0 Later that da"( after we settled into our hotel in Islama!ad( a #olleague from PD+N tele*honed me to sa" that he had !een seriousl" #on#erned a!out our safet" !e#ause two 1a*anese tourists who left 'ilgit a!out an hour after we did were killed when their 8ehi#le was stru#k !" a ro#k fall0 6hat news added to m" determination ne8er again to tra8el on the KKH when there was a *ossi!ilit" of rain0 %ut how #ould one know in ad8an#e what sort of

weather might !low u* during a /C&hour tri* through 8alle"s amongst some of the world@s highest mountains? 6here are human dangers( as well0 At %esham( halfwa" !etween 'ilgit and Islama!ad on the KKH( a Pakistani #olleague and I !roke our $ourne" at the P6D+ EPakistan 6ourism De8elo*ment +or*orationF motel0 Sitting on a terra#e ne7t to the !road( rolling( surging( gre"&green Indus Ri8er( we took tea and en$o"ed the warm sun( the :uiet( and relief from the twists and $olts of the road0 6he onl" 8isi!le a#ti8it" was fift" metres u*stream where( in a small !a" out of the #urrent( a !o" swam amongst his water !uffaloes( s#ru!!ing them while the" lu7uriated in the water( onl" their ridged !a#ks and heads showing a!o8e the water0 Although this was a motel for international tourists( with hot showers Ewell( sometimesAF( a lun#h !uffet( and a gift sho* that sold lu7urious shawls and e7*ensi8e ornaments( disorder and danger were ne8er far awa"0 Pointing u* at the houses and terra#es on the mountain side a!o8e us( m" #olleague said #asuall"( >Lou know( %rian( if we go u* there( the *eo*le will kill us0@ He added that( when the highwa" was !eing !uilt( the Pakistan Arm" had to *rote#t the +hinese workers against atta#ks( while air for#e $ets had strafed lo#als who were tr"ing to sto* the #onstru#tion work0 Im*ression four; Ba#ilities are of un#ertain :ualit"( e8en along this #om*arati8el" tourist&intensi8e route0 On#e( in the middle of winter( Marie and I !roke our $ourne" at the same P6D+ motel in %esham0 )hen we arri8ed at a!out 4 *0m0( the re#e*tionist did not ha8e a re#ord of our reser8ation( e8en although m" se#retar" had *honed earlier that da"0 No matter O we were the onl" guests sta"ing at the motel( so there were *lent" of rooms0 Howe8er( in s*ite of that( the re#e*tionist :uoted a tariff that was mu#h higher than the one that had !een :uoted to m" se#retar"0 Ha8ing sorted that out( I asked( >)ill the water !e hot?@ E%" now I was wise in the wa"s of rural hotels in PakistanF0 >%ut of #ourse( sir@( re*lied the re#e*tionist( looking offended at the :uestion0 %efore we settled into our a**ointed room( I tested the water !" turning on the hot ta* in the wash !asin0 +old water rushed out and flooded o8er m" shoes0 6here was no waste *i*e0 I *honed the re#e*tionist( who es#orted us to another room0 6here( when I turned on the ta*s in the !asin( although water did not flood o8er m" shoes( there was still no hot water0 )hen I *ointed this out to the re#e*tionist( he took me to the window and said( >Sir( "ou #an see that there will !e hot water0@ Outside( at the rear of the !uilding( two men were lighting a wood fire under a !la#kened drum that ser8ed as a water&heating tank0 )hen I asked( >How long will this take?( the re#e*tionist shrugged and suggested that( in 8iew of the ra*id *a#e of the *ro$e#t( there would !e a flood of hot water !" the time we returned from en$o"ing our e8ening meal in the dining room0 6his was not the #ase0 Howe8er( to !e fair to P6D+ %esham( there was a su**l" of te*id !ut showera!le water in the morning0 )hile on the su!$e#t of hotels and hot water( there was another o##asion at another P6D+ hotel( this one at Rama Meadows under the eastern flank of Nanga Par!at( where there was neither ele#tri#it" nor hot water0 A#tuall"( it is not #orre#t to sa" that there was no ele#tri#it" !e#ause during mid&afternoon( when an arm" general and his entourage dro**ed in !" heli#o*ter( the hotel generator started u* and there was light e8er"where0 Howe8er( when the general de*arted( the generator was swit#hed off0 At a!out the same time( one of the staff mem!ers stoked a fire under the water&heating drum near our room0 )hen there was no water in our shower after half an hour( I *ut more wood on the fire0 Still no hot waterA After a da" of walking and ram!ling( we #ould do without ele#tri#it" !ut not without hot water so( with a large !u#ket in hand( I walked through the dining room *ast a grou* of 1a*anese tourists and into the kit#hen( where I demanded >garam *ani@ Ehot waterF0 In the e8ent( I got a few !u#kets of warmish water0 )ith this we were a!le to take a >Pakistani shower@( whi#h entails standing

in the shower #u!i#le and throwing small *ails of water o8er one@s head0 )e grew a##ustomed to doing this in ele#tri#it"&star8ed 'ilgit and found that it was :uite an effe#ti8e su!stitute when the *lum!ed fa#ilit" wasn@t a!le to *rodu#e the goods0 Im*ression fi8e; Along most of the length of the KKH !etween Islama!ad and 'ilgit( there are no women to !e seen0 6he" are all #on#ealed in stri#test *urdah( #onfined !ehind high walls that *rote#t them from the ga<es of strange men0 On#e or twi#e( when I did see a woman !" the roadside( it was onl" a glim*se of a huddled sha*e( knees drawn u* to her #hin( #om*letel" #o8ered in dark #loth( #rou#hed with her !a#k to the highwa" as if she was tr"ing to erase herself from the world while waiting for some man O *ro!a!l" father( hus!and( or son O to arrange trans*ort0 Huddled( !ent o8er( #lad in 8oluminous( dull& #oloured ro!es( the" looked like sa#ks of *rodu#e waiting to !e #olle#ted0 6hese huddled( effa#ed forms reminded me of an in#ident that Der8la Mur*h" re*orts in her a##ount of her !i#"#le ride through Afghanistan during the earl" /25.s E6he !ook was *u!lished in /25I0 As Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle !" +entur" Pu!lishingF0 At one *oint( #onditions !eing unsuita!le for #"#ling( she was tra8elling in a ri#ket" old !us full of men0 )hen she disem!arked for a tea !reak( she noti#ed that two !ur:ua&#lad women were tra8elling on the roof ra#k of the !us0 )hen she asked what the" were doing there( #linging to the roof in #old #onditions on a dust"( *otholed road( she was told that the women were seriousl" ill and were tra8elling to Ka!ul( a!out /... kilometres distant( for medi#al treatment0 Howe8er( #ustom and tradition did not allow them to tra8el inside the !us with the men0 EIn #ase "ou are wondering wh" Der8la Mur*h"( also a woman( was tra8elling inside with the men and not on to* of the !us( the reason is( as Marie e7*erien#ed in Pakistan( that *urdah rules are often rela7ed for foreign women0F Im*ression si7; 8er" da"( hundreds of laden tru#ks make their la!oured wa"s u* and down the KKH0 Most of them are anti:uated&looking %edfords( with rounded !onnets( high sides( !rightl" *ainted de#orations and huge( *row&like #onstru#tions that *ro$e#t o8er their #a!s0 I ne8er did find out wh" these tru#ks are so !rightl" de#orated and ha8e su#h distin#ti8e sha*es0 6he !est e7*lanation that I heard is that the #olours and de#orations might hark !a#k to *atterns that were !rought to the su!&#ontinent !" %ritish #oa#hes and wagons during the /2th #entur" O and( #ertainl"( the de#orations are similar to those on *resent&da" nglish #anal !oats0 )hate8er their histor"( these tru#ks are !ig( #um!ersome( and numerous on the KKH0 Baster 8ehi#les not onl" ha8e to wea8e *ast them !ut also ha8e to look out for on#oming tru#ks that might !e o##u*"ing more than their fair share of the road on the hundreds of tight !ends on the highwa"0 Howe8er( head&on #ollisions are un#ommon !e#ause a 8ehi#le #oming around a !end on the wrong side of the road is a #ommon o##urren#e and dri8ers alwa"s anti#i*ate and make wa" for the transgressor0 6his tolerant attitude #ontrasted fa8oura!l" with dri8ing ha!its in some other *arts of the world su#h as Southern Afri#a( where a lot of the dri8ing is sui#idal and where a 8ehi#le taking a #orner or a rise on the wrong side will often !e wi*ed out( together with the *eo*le in the on#oming 8ehi#le0

tru.k on the 00H

Im*ression se8en; 6he ha<ards and disru*tions of the KKH #an !e enormous( !ut lo#al *eo*le are :uite !lasQ a!out them0 As I said( mudslides and landslides are *erennial ha<ards on the KKH0 A*art from the danger that the" *ose to tra8ellers( the !ig ones #an #ause serious disru*tions0 Bor instan#e( while we li8ed in 'ilgit( on one o##asion all of the land routes to the rest of the world were se8ered for almost three weeks0 6o the south( the KKH was !lo#ked !" huge landslides after unusuall" hea8" rains0 6o the north&west( the Shandur Pass to +hitral was also #losed as a result of the same storm0 In an" #ase( taking the Shandur route would onl" ha8e led to a #ul&de&sa#( !e#ause +hitral@s a##ess to the wider world was !lo#ked !" snow to the south Ethe Lowari Pass was #losed e8er" winterF and !" !andits who made the western route through Afghanistan inad8isa!le0 6o the north&east( the Khun$era! Pass to +hina was still #o8ered in its winter !lanket of snow0 It was earl" s*ring( and with almost nothing read" to !e har8ested lo#all"( the region was de*endent on su**lies from down#ountr" 8ia the KKH0 'ilgit ran out of su**lies of almost e8er"thing( from flour Eno #ha*atisAF to #hi#kens Eno Pakistani national dishAF0 Blights( weather *ermitting( did not relie8e the situation !e#ause although the Bokkers #ould #arr" *assengers( the" #ould not #arr" mu#h #argo0 In an" #ase( most *eo*le would not !e a!le to afford the higher *ri#es of airlifted goods0 At first( there was an almost total a!sen#e of fresh su**lies0 6hen( as the Brontier )orks Organisation( E!illed as the >'uardians of the KKH@( the arm" #or*s that is res*onsi!le for maintaining the roadF workers made inroads into the landslides( *orters #arried su**lies o8er the o!sta#les and loaded them on to 8ehi#les on the other side0 Although this raised the *ri#es( at least food was a8aila!le0 Binall"( almost three weeks after the fa#e of the mountain side slid down a#ross the road( the tru#ks !egan to roll into 'ilgit and normal ser8i#e was resumed0 A few weeks later( I tra8elled to Islama!ad 8ia the KKH and #ould see the de8astation that the landslides had #aused0 Huge stret#hes of the road had sim*l" disa**eared( to !e re*la#ed !" rough( mudd" tra#ks after graders and !ulldo<ers had done their work0 6he tarred surfa#e( if it had sur8i8ed( was out of sight( *ro!a!l" a few metres !elow the *a#ked earth0 A glan#e u*wards re8ealed the reason for the *ro!lem O the #liffs in these areas were almost entirel" #om*osed of sand0 It did not take a geologist to work out that the ne7t earth:uake or rain storm would #ause them to slide again( and so on( ad infinitum0

In less self&reliant so#ieties( landslides !lo#king roads would !e traumati# e8ents0 Nothing would mo8e without the su*er8ision of the *oli#e and the emergen#" ser8i#es( heli#o*ters would dash to the s#ene( warnings and re*orts would !e s*lashed a#ross the national media( there would !e demands for the go8ernment to >do something@( and radio and tele8ision would #arr" inter8iews with sho#ked and traumati<ed tra8ellers0 Howe8er( in the Northern Areas a #ommon&or&garden landslide is regarded as $ust another fa#t of dail" life( hardl" worth e8en a mention0 6he dri8ers of the !lo#ked 8ehi#les $ust shrug and get to work( rolling the !oulders o8er the edge into the ri8er and #learing awa" the lighter de!ris0 6hen the !ig 8ehi#les dri8e o8er what remains of the slide( trail!la<ing a *ath for the smaller 8ehi#les0 6raffi# !egins to flow( taking the o!sta#le in its stride0 Some time later( the >'uardians of KKH@ will arri8e with a !ulldo<er to #lear the road0 Howe8er( the" ne8er #lear awa" the tra#es #om*letel"; after ea#h landslide( at the 8er" least there will alwa"s !e a few more de*ressions or *otholes( and a little less tarred surfa#e0 Lo#al *eo*le are so #asual a!out the dangers of tra8elling in the region that it #an !e dis#on#erting0 Bor instan#e( one da" I was tra8elling southwards on the KKH with Pakistani #olleagues when I saw that a huge landslide was under wa" a#ross the ri8er0 Bor hundreds of metres in width a#ross the stee* fa#e of the mountain( ro#ks( shale and sand were tum!ling down from a great height into the ri8er !elow0 Brom our *ers*e#ti8e( on the o**osite side of the narrow 8alle"( the de!ris was sliding down in furled wa8es( gi8ing the a**earan#e of an old&fashioned #inema #urtain #oming down in a se:uen#e of folds0 )hen I drew m" #olleagues@ attention to the s#ene( the" glan#ed u* !riefl"( nodded #asuall"( and then went !a#k to their #on8ersation as if nothing remarka!le was taking *la#e $ust a#ross the ri8er0 Howe8er( while I wat#hed the a#tion( I wondered what had #aused the slide0 )as it an earth tremor? If so( wh" wasn@t it ha**ening on our side of the 8alle"? How did we know that a slide wasn@t alread" under wa" on the mountain side a!o8e our heads? %ut what was a *erson to do? If "ou allowed thoughts like these to di#tate "our a#tions( "ou would ne8er tra8el in the Northern Areas( so it was !oth *ra#ti#al and e7*edient to *ut them out of "our mind and get on with "our life0 Im*ression eight; One does not easil" forget the KKHA Marie still has 8i8id memories of her first e7*erien#e of tra8el !etween >down#ountr"@ and 'ilgit0 She re#alls that( after we arri8ed in Pakistan to !egin the #ontra#t with AKU( we sta"ed in Kara#hi for a!out a week0 6hen( sa"s Marie( >%rian arri8ed !a#k one e8ening and said that we were going to go to 'ilgit with some of the senior management the ne7t da"0 )e took the air*lane to Islama!ad( and then another flight to 'ilgit0 6his did not seem so !ad0 How wrong #ould I !e? )e sta"ed in the !est hotel in 'ilgit( and I got to know the staff :uite well0 %rian was out ea#h da" at the PD+N #am*us0 A few times I went u* and met the PD+N staff0 6he" reall" were a delightful grou* of *eo*le0 After a week of !eing shown around !" the staff( it was time to go !a#k to Kara#hi0 6his is when I learned the truth a!out the Northern Areas for m"self0 arl" one morning we dro8e to the air*ort( onl" to !e told that the flight had !een #an#elled0 6he dri8er was alread" *re*ared( so all fi8e of us #lim!ed into the 6o"ota Prado and started the tri* down the KKH0 In all m" life I ha8e ne8er suffered from #ar si#kness0 Howe8er there is alwa"s a first time0 6his tri*( whi#h seemed to go on for e8er( was m" first e7*erien#e of motion si#kness0 6he road twisted and turned around hair*in !ends0 6he dri8er s*ed along and then !raked as he got to the ne7t !end0 6he ri8er flowed on one side of the narrow road( whi#h had *otholes almost !ig enough to swallow a #ar0 Ne7t to it was the mountain with its *er*etuall" falling stones0 6o make me e8en more ner8ous( the dri8er wat#hed the road and the hillside for ro#k falls and mudslides0 )hat a tri*A 6he head of AKU&I D and I took turns !eing #ar&si#k0 )e arri8ed in Islama!ad late that e8ening and I fell into !ed gratefull"( ho*ing that I would not ha8e to re*eat the tri* too man" times0@

Howe8er( that was not the #ase0 Marie would get to know the KKH 8er" well in the "ears that followed0 %a#k in Kara#hi( I #om*leted m" indu#tion as the head of PD+N and after a few da"s we *a#ked our suit#ases and headed north 8ia Kara#hi air*ort and Pakistan International Airwa"s0 )hen we rea#hed Islama!ad( we found that there was no flight to 'ilgit( and none likel" for at least a week0 A *hone #all to A8is !rought us a #ar and dri8er within a!out an hour0 )e had alread" !een u* sin#e G0C. a0m0 and it was now a!out 2 a0m0( so we felt wear" at the mere thought of another /C hours on the KKH0 Marie remem!ers the o##asion as follows; >6he "oung dri8er was sweet !ut had 8er" little nglish0 I remem!er sto**ing for lun#h at a go8ernment rest house( and wishing that the tri* was o8er0 6he s#ener" was reall" s*e#ta#ular0 I ne8er #hanged m" mind a!out this0 It was $ust the winding road that got to me0@ )hile #he#king some fa#ts on the internet( I #ame a#ross an a##ount !" a %ritish #ou*le who tra8elled the whole length of the KKH from western +hina to Islama!ad during -..-0 6his is what the" wrote a!out their tri* along the Indus gorge !etween 'ilgit and 6hakott %ridge; H6he stret#h of the KKH !etween Dasu and Pattan is the most e7*osed of the whole wa" from +hina to Islama!ad0 Here the road is at on#e *hotogeni# and hair&raising R long stret#hes ha8e no side guards of stones or metal railing0 It was in these *arts of the road that our dri8er was #onsistentl" determined to show us his rall"ing talents0 He would a##elerate into !ends( delighting in making the stones at the edge of the *a8ed area go fl"ing into the a!"ss R )e were not e7*erts on Pakistani mas#uline ma#ho so we $ust *ut our trust in 'od and the four t"res and were not a little relie8ed to e8entuall" des#end from these horrors to the o*en 8alle" town of Pattan0 6his relief was short&li8ed as the KKH on#e again re&as#ends onto the side of the #liff a!o8e the gorge for a further !lood&#urdling run down to %esham R It was a *ale Marian who finall" turned into the *arking lot of our little guest house at %esham at the end of this dri8e of o8er nine hours from 'ilgit0 SLou #an gi8e me ten thousand *ounds #ashS( she said( Sand I wouldn@t do that dri8e againS0 Perha*s something of an e7aggeration !ut Kohistan is( to sa" the least( interesting dri8ingH E6his a##ount was *u!lished !" %o! 'regor" under the title >Kashgar to Islama!ad & a dri8e along the Karakoram Highwa"@0 I a##essed it at htt*;KKwww0#ullen0demon0#o0ukKKKHKkkh&re80htm on /st August -..4F0 6he" were not the onl" tra8ellers who found the KKH ner8e&wra#king0 If tra8el on the KKH is ha<ardous and un#ertain( then( as one #an e7*e#t( the lesser roads are e8en more tr"ing0 6he" wind their wa"s into distant 8alle"s( #lim!ing along e8er more *re#i*itous( unsta!le slo*es to heights well a!o8e C... metres0 6he si<e of this network of roads #an !e gauged from the fa#t that the *o*ulation of the Northern Areas( 8er" roughl" estimated at a!out one and a half million in -..C( is s*read o8er a!out 5I. settlements( most of whi#h are a##essi!le !" >$ee*a!le@ roads and are tu#ked awa" in dee* 8alle"s with almost sheer sides0 Ri8ers !egin at gla#iers at the u**er ends of the 8alle"s and rush down their stee*l" slo*ing floors0 A 8alle"@s entran#e is usuall" its widest *art( where its ri8er runs down into a !roader 8alle" to $oin a !igger ri8er( su#h as the 'ilgit( Hun<a( or Indus Ri8ers0 Here( at the entran#es( roads ha8e to get through fan&sha*ed wastelands of $um!led !oulders that were de*osited there !" floods and gla#ial ad8an#es0

Lan2sli2e on the 00H near (il/it

On#e in the 8alle"( a road has to #ontend not onl" with natural im*ediments !ut also has to infringe as little as *ossi!le on *astures and or#hards !e#ause #ulti8ated lands are *re#ious and the s*a#e is not easil" surrendered for other uses0 In su#h harsh( stee* terrain( #ulti8a!le land has to !e #reated !" hand with s*ade( *i#k( and hoe0 %oulders ha8e to !e #arried awa"( to !e added to !oundar" walls or to the em!ankments of terra#es0 Also( this is a dr" and !arren region that has !een gra*hi#all" des#ri!ed as a >8erti#al desert@( with a8erage rainfall in man" 8alle"s onl" ranging !etween /.. and -.. mms *er annum0 Most of the *re#i*itation is #aught !" the *eaks and higher rea#hes of the mountains( where it forms gla#iers and al*ine meadows0 Brom these high regions( #hi**ing awa" at #liff&fa#es( men ha8e !uilt #anals that drain the headwaters of streams and !ring water down to fields and 8illage0 )ithout these hand&hewn #anals( there would !e hardl" an" human settlements in the Northern Areas !e#ause almost e8er" *lant and tree is fed !" #anal water0 +ulti8ated land( so hard won and maintained with so mu#h la!our( is *re#ious and is not easil" surrendered for >de8elo*ment@ su#h as roads0 6hroughout the region( there are signs of old roads that ha8e !een wi*ed out !" landslides and earth:uakes0 Bor instan#e( from 'ilgit to Hun<a the KKH runs along the southernKeastern !ank of the ri8er until it #rosses onto the o**osite !ank at the !eginning of >Hun<a *ro*er@0 6he reason for the #hange from one ri8er !ank to the other is said to !e that when the *eo*le of Nagar o!$e#ted to the *lan to take the highwa" through their territor"( the more *rogressi8e *eo*le of Hun<a $um*ed at the o**ortunit"0 One result is that Hun<a has !e#ome the most *o*ular tourist destination in the Northern Areas( while Nagar( on the o**osite side of the ri8er( is seldom 8isited0 On the o**osite !ank( high a!o8e the ri8er( is the line of one of the older roads that ser8ed Hun<a until the KKH was !uilt0 6his road sometimes <ig<ags down to ri8er le8el and sometimes #lim!s high along the mountain slo*es0 In *la#es( one #an still see the galleries where the road !uilders #rossed gullies and #hasms along #liff fa#es0 Bor its time( the road must ha8e !een a ma$or #onstru#tion *ro$e#tJ one #an onl" imagine the skill and effort that went into it( and the attendant dangers0 Howe8er( nowada"s the most noti#ea!le as*e#t of this old road is the num!er of *la#es in whi#h it has #om*letel" disa**eared( sometimes o!literated for hundreds of metres at a stret#h( ha8ing !een wi*ed off the fa#e of the mountain !" earth:uakes and landfalls0 In /2CG a %ritish #ou*le( the Lorimers( s*ent /G months in Hun<a( after tra8elling on horse!a#k from Kashmir to 'ilgit and from there to Hun<a0 6he following is a des#ri*tion !" mil" E> 0O0@F Lorimer of a se#tion of road in Nagar( a#ross the ri8er from #entral Hun<a; H6he #liffs on ea#h side here rise an"thing from -... to C... feet and the road around them is a little ledge a few feet wide( some 4.. feet a!o8e the ri8er&!ed0 )hen it is a ledge of firm ro#k( all is well !ut( as I ha8e alread" said( the mountain sides are mainl" #rum!l" masses of stones( !oulders( and sand( and there often seems to !e no reason wh" the road should not $ust

slide down and $oin the other de!ris Eand so often it does( es*e#iall" after the rainF0H E6his :uotation is from *age 4. of LorimerHs Language Hunting in the Karakoram( whi#h was re*rodu#ed !" Indus Pu!li#ations( Kara#hi0 6he !ook was first *u!lished in /2C2 !" 'eorge Allen and Unwin( LondonF0 Although the roads are generall" wider Ei0e0 >$ee*a!le@F nowada"s and some are hard&surfa#ed( or >metalled@ in Pakistani terminolog"( the ha<ards and #onditions of most of the roads( es*e#iall" those into remote 8alle"s( are still similar to those that the Lorimers e7*erien#ed in /2CG0 arth:uakes are another ha<ard of life in the Northern Areas0 6his is to !e e7*e#ted( !e#ause the Himala"an and Karakoram mountain ranges are the *rodu#t of the titani#( ne8er& ending #ollision !etween the Indian and Asian #ontinental *lates0 In fa#t( the #ontinuous mo8ement of the Indian *late makes this region one of the most geologi#all" unsta!le in the world0 Marie had her first e7*erien#e of a ma$or earth:uake while I was awa" in Kara#hi0 It worried her so mu#h that she wanted to slee* in street #lothes from that time onwards so that( when the ne7t :uake ha**ened( she would !e a!le to rush outside without !eing dela"ed !" ha8ing to gra! her #lothes on the wa"0 I wasn@t ha**" a!out her a**arel( !e#ause she usuall" wears a lot less than street #lothes( whi#h is how I like it( so we #om*romised !" lea8ing a small suit#ase with warm #lothing at the front door to fa#ilitate a :ui#k e7it && *resuming that falling de!ris allowed us to make it as far as the front door( of #ourse0 I had $ust got that sorted out when Marie raised another *ro!lem( namel" that( with winter #oming on( we would free<e if we had to hang around outside after our house #olla*sed0 I addressed that *ro!lem !" *utting the 8ehi#le ke"s on a hook a!o8e the suit#ase0 Now the *lan was #om*lete; when an earth:uake stru#k( all we had to do was dash for the front door( gra! the suit#ase and ke"s( run outside( *ull on the warm #lothing( get into the 8ehi#le( start the engine( and sit there warm and snug while we sur8e"ed the *ile of de!ris that used to !e our house0 EHo*efull" the house( whi#h was dou!le&store"ed( would ha8e su!sided neatl" on to its foundations and would not ha8e #olla*sed on to the 8ehi#le0F A few weeks later( at a!out two o@#lo#k one morning I got m" first e7*erien#e of a large earth:uake0 Although I am a relati8el" hea8" slee*er( es*e#iall" at that time of the morning( the noise of the a**roa#hing earth:uake was so loud that it woke me0 Birst( I heard a roaring( rum!ling sound a**roa#hing from the left0 Bor a s*lit se#ond( in that small s*a#e !etween slee* and full awareness( I imagined that I was in London where one #an feel and hear the underground trains when the tra#k is near the surfa#e0 6hat was onl" a s*lit&se#ond im*ression !e#ause immediatel" after that the :uake *assed !"( shaking the house and setting all the fi7tures( in#luding doors and windows( swa"ing and rattling0 6he noise was so #lose and immediate that it seemed to !e *assing !" the o*en window dire#tl" !ehind our !ed0 6hen( all in the matter of a se#ond or less( the giganti# rum!le re#eded in the o**osite dire#tion like a su*ersoni# snake tunnelling its angr" wa" through the earth0 )hat to do? In a shak" 8oi#e( Marie asked if we should 8a#ate the house !ut I said >No( I don@t think that is ne#essar"@ !e#ause it seemed to me that an" damage would ha8e !een done alread"0 6his in#ident not onl" made a dee* im*ression !ut also ga8e us an understanding of wh" earth:uakes often kill and in$ure so man" *eo*le0 6he reason is sim*l" that( when a !ig earth:uake strikes( things ha**en so fast and with so little warning that the 8i#tims hardl" ha8e time to mo8e( let alone 8a#ate their *remises0 In retros*e#t( after our earth:uake e7*erien#es( we #ould see that our #le8er *lans with the suit#ase and the ke"s had one !ig flaw( namel" that we would *ro!a!l" not e8en ha8e got as far as the !edroom door( let alone the front door( if a !ig :uake stru#k and the house reall" did #ome tum!ling down0

Although the !iggest earth:uake that we e7*erien#ed had its e*i#entre as #lose as I. kilometres from 'ilgit( it did no damage in the 8i#init" of the town0 Howe8er( it did a lot of damage in the Astore region( whi#h la" to the east of the e*i#entre and south&east of 'ilgit0 Some time later( we e7*erien#ed another large earth:uake( also during the earl" hours of the morning0 6he e*i#entre of this one was in northern Afghanistan( a!out -.. kilometres dee* and a!out -I. kilometres from 'ilgit0 In s*ite of the distan#e from 'ilgit( !oth on the surfa#e and under the ground( the noise and the sho#k effe#t were a!out the same as the first one0 On#e again( there was no damage in 'ilgit and area0 6hese were the !ig earth:uakes that we e7*erien#ed while we li8ed in the Northern Areas0 Howe8er( smaller rum!les were mu#h more fre:uent0 Doors and windows would shake and light fittings would swing gentl"( as if a wind was !lowing through the house0 It was as if the earth was an athlete who was lim!ering u* for the all&out effort at the ne7t !ig e8ent( whi#h #ould take *la#e at an" time0 6hese smaller rum!les were a reminder that *eo*le in earth:uake&*rone <ones are alwa"s walking on the edge0 6he !ig one #ould strike at an" time( as it did on 4 O#to!er -..I( a "ear after we left the Northern Areas0 6his earth:uake measured a!out 303 on the Ri#hter s#ale( making it similar in intensit" to the /2.5 San Bran#is#o earth:uake( the /2CI Muetta earth:uake( and the -../ 'u$arat earth:uake0 6he e*i#entre was in Mu<affara!ad( less than /I. kilometres from 'ilgit as the #row flies0 Most *arts of the Northern Areas es#a*ed serious damage( !ut areas #loser to the e*i#entre did not; the Pakistani go8ernmentHs offi#ial death toll was 3C(-35 *eo*le( while there was( of #ourse( massi8e damage to infrastru#ture0 )ith our e7*erien#es in northern Pakistan still fresh in our minds( we #ould s"m*athise with the *light of the *eo*le who had !een affe#ted !" the earth:uake0 )e #ould imagine how terrif"ing it would !e for *eo*le who li8ed in dee*( narrow 8alle"s to ha8e whole mountain sides Ohundreds of thousands of tons of earth( mud( and ro#ks O des#ending on them in roaring masses while their 8er" houses #olla*sed around them0 Hemmed in as the" were( there would literall" !e no *la#e to hide from the terror0 )e #ould imagine how easil" the roads( reall" no more than s#rat#hes on the sides of the mountains( would !e o!literated with su#h fero#it" that for kilometres at a stret#h it would !e im*ossi!le to see e8en the smallest tra#e of a tra#k0 )e #ould e8en imagine the diffi#ulties of deli8ering relief su**lies !" heli#o*ters in the fa#e of un*redi#ta!le mountain weather0 It a**ears that Allah is no more mer#iful to his faithful flo#k than the +hristian god is to his flo#k0 Or *erha*s( gi8en the #ommon roots of !oth religions( it reall" is one and the same god( the 8engeful Lahweh( *unisher of transgressors( and the one who treats *un" humans like dis*osa!le *ie#es on a giant !oard game0 CH !"ER "HREE% REL'('#$, (E#(R !H), $5 $ #CC ,'#$ L 5', (REE6E$" CHE34ERE5 ! ,",

6he Northern Areas( offi#iall" referred to !" the go8ernment of Pakistan as the Bederall" Administered Northern Areas EBANAF( is the northernmost *oliti#al entit" within the Pakistani&#ontrolled *art of what was on#e the Ra$@s *rin#el" state of 1ammu and Kashmir0 6he Northern Areas are an integral *art of the Kashmir dis*ute0 India #laims that the region is a Pakistani&o##u*ied *art of the *resent Indian state of 1ammu and Kashmir while Pakistan #ontests this and( in turn( #laims all of what was >Kashmir@ during the time of the Ra$0 As a result( although Pakistan has administered the Northern Areas sin#e /2G4( it will not formall" anne7 the territor" !e#ause to do so might !e regarded as effe#ti8el" gi8ing u*

its #laims to the whole of the #ontested region0 6his kee*s the Northern Areas in a *oliti#al lim!o0 6he !a#kground to the dis*ute is that( after the *artition of India in /2G3( the state of 1ammu and Kashmir remained inde*endent while its ruler dithered o8er whether to throw in his lot with India or Pakistan0 Although the mahara$ah would *ro!a!l" ha8e liked to $oin India( if he had to #hoose an allegian#e instead of de#laring inde*enden#e( the ma$orit" of his su!$e#ts( !eing Muslims( undou!tedl" wanted to $oin Pakistan0 6ensions !oiled o8er when tri!al fighters from Pakistan( !a#ked !" regular Pakistani troo*s( in8aded what is now >EIndianF Kashmir@0 In the Northern Areas( whi#h had !een leased to the %ritish !" the mahara$ah( the %ritish&trained( %ritish&offi#ered 'ilgit S#outs regiment re!elled with the su**ort of Pakistan and dro8e the mahara$ah@s arm" towards Kashmir0 6he *resent&da" Line of +ontrol re*resents the *oints at whi#h the Indian Arm" inter8ened and #he#ked the ad8an#e( resulting in a militar" and di*lomati# stalemate that has lasted e8er sin#e /2G40 6he 'ilgit S#outs regiment was mainl" #om*osed of relati8es of the region@s an#estral rulers and other elite grou*s0 6he #ommanding offi#er at the time of Partition( a %ritish offi#er named Ma$or )illiam %rown( a#tuall" ga8e the go&ahead for the >re8olt@ against the mahara$ah to #ommen#e O although if he had not done so( the *ressures were so great that it would almost #ertainl" ha8e ha**ened an"wa"0 6his a#tion !" the 'ilgit S#outs is still #ele!rated in the Northern Areas( where India is #ommonl" referred to as >the enem"@ and where memories and *assions are strong and enduring0 Bor instan#e( one e8ening during -..C when we were dining at the Serena Hotel in 'ilgit( we noti#ed that a ta!le had !een set for a formal dinner0 )hen we asked the head waiter what the o##asion was( he told us that Ma$or %rown@s wife was 8isiting 'ilgit0 Sure enough( a!out twent" minutes later she entered( a##om*anied !" a grou* of lo#al dignitaries who seated her in *ride of *la#e at the ta!le0 Mrs %rown a**eared to !e ro!ust and in good health( e8en although she must ha8e !een at least 4. "ears of age0 )hen we left the dining room( taking a last look at the elderl"( white&haired %ritish woman !eing entertained !" flat&#a**ed( !earded( shalwar kamee<&#lad men( we refle#ted on how a dis*ute that dated !a#k to !efore the middle of the *re8ious #entur" still !ede8illed the relationshi* !etween two #ountries that otherwise had so mu#h in #ommon0 As I said a!o8e( in the Northern Areas most *eo*le li8e in small( widel" s#attered settlements that are often diffi#ult to a##ess0 Not sur*risingl"( as often ha**ens in su#h rugged lo#ations( there is a great di8ersit" of linguisti#( ethni# and religious grou*s0 Lo#al languages in#lude Shina( %alti( )akhi( Khowar( and %urushaski( while Urdu( the national language( is the lingua fran#a of the region0 Peo*le with some s#hool edu#ation usuall" s*eak nglish( whi#h is the offi#ial language of Pakistan0 6he great geogra*hi#al features of the Northern Areas are mountains( 8alle"s( and ri8ers 9 and the great ri8er of the region is the Indus( on whi#h Pakistan de*ends for its 8er" e7isten#e( together with the fi8e ri8ers that feed the Indus after the" #ross the Pun$a! whi#h( not sur*risingl"( means >land of fi8e ri8ers@0 6he ri8ers( all feeding into the Indus Ri8er 8ia the Pan$nad Ri8er are the %eas( +hena!( 1helum( Ra8i( and Sutle$0 )ith a length of C/4. kilometres( the Indus is the longest ri8er in the su!&#ontinent and the third largest in terms of 8olume0 It *ro8ides the ke" water resour#es for most of Pakistan( while( together with its tri!utaries( it waters the Pun$a!( whi#h is the agri#ultural heartland of the #ountr"0 6he Indus !egins in 6i!et( far to the east of the Northern Areas( and as it flows north& westwards( it forms the di8iding line !etween the two highest mountain ranges in the world( namel" the Karakoram range to the north of the ri8er( and the western Himala"as to the south of it0 Along this *art of its #ourse( other large ri8ers #arr" gla#ial waters into the main ri8er( as do hundreds of smaller streams and ri8ers0 Some of the most s*e#ta#ular *arts of the

#ourse of the Indus are in the 8i#init" of the Nanga Par!at massif( where the ri8er has #ar8ed out giganti# gorges that are !etween G(I.. and I(-.. metres high0 6hese gorges are im*la#a!l" awe&ins*iring( !eing dee*( dark( rugged( and near&8erti#al( with the Indus Ri8er rushing( surging( and tum!ling along !elow0 )hen the Indus has rounded Nanga Par!at( it graduall" !ends to the south( until( !etween Peshawar and Rawal*indi( it lea8es the mountains and enters the *lains0 Bor the rest of its route to the sea( now enormousl" wide and slow&mo8ing( it #rosses the *lains of the Pun$a! and Sindh0

#n the roa2 to ,kar2u - a /or/e on the 'n2us River near $an/a !ar1at

)e ne8er saw the Indus Ri8er where it flows a#ross the *lains and deserts south of the mountains although( near its lowest rea#hes !etween Kara#hi and 6hatta( we did see some of the #anals that are *art of a huge network throughout the *ro8in#e of Sindh0 Howe8er( we were 8er" familiar with the Indus in some of the most s*e#ta#ular *arts of its #ourse( *arti#ularl" the se#tion that #arries the KKH !etween 'ilgit and down#ountr"( en route to #ities su#h as Rawal*indi and Islama!ad0 6he awe&ins*iring geogra*hi#al features in this area ha8e had a de#ided effe#t on human #ulture and life st"les( mainl" !e#ause a##ess from outside was so diffi#ult !efore the KKH was !uilt0 6he result was that( during thousands of "ears( the *eo*le in the area known as Kohistan( whi#h s*reads along !oth !anks of the Indus south of +hilas( de8elo*ed in near&isolation( often sus*i#ious of their neigh!ours and definitel" unfriendl" to outsiders0 6he following a##ount !" a +hinese %uddhist monk( whi#h was written earl" in the Ith #entur" + ( des#ri!es the diffi#ulties of tra8el at *la#es along the Indus gorges east and south of Nanga Par!at; H6he wa" was diffi#ult and rugged( Erunning alongF a !ank e7#eedingl" *re#i*itous( whi#h rose u* there( a hill&like wall of ro#k( /.(... #u!its from the !ase0 )hen one a**roa#hes the edge of it( his e"es !e#ome unstead"J and if he wished to go forward in the same dire#tion( there was no *la#e on whi#h he #ould *la#e his footJ and !eneath were the waters of the ri8er #alled the Indus0 In former times men had #hiselled *aths along the ro#ks( and distri!uted ladders on the fa#e of them( to the num!er altogether of 3..( at the !ottom of whi#h there was a sus*ension !ridge of ro*es( !" whi#h the ri8er was #rossed( its !anks !eing there eight" *a#es a*artH E6his was written !" Ba&Hien some time during the Ith #entur" + and has !een *u!lished as A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms:

Being an Account by the hinese !onk Fa"Hien of his Tra#els in India and eylon $A%&% '((")*)+ in ,earch of the Buddhist Books of &isci-line E6ranslator; 1ames LeggeF0 I retrie8ed it from the 'uten!erg Pro$e#t we! site where it is %ook T-/-GF0 6he situation did not #hange mu#h during the ne7t /I.. "ears0 Bor instan#e( e8en as late as the /2I.s( the *referred route to >down#ountr"@ from *la#es su#h as 'ilgit and the u**er distri#ts of the Northern Areas was to Sringar in Kashmir( thus entirel" a8oiding Kohistan( with its unrul" inha!itants and *re#i*itous gorges0 8en toda"( the inha!itants of Kohistan get a !ad *ress0 'uide!ooks warn tourists to *ro#eed with #aution and ne8er to lea8e the KKH unless the" ha8e *rote#tion andKor ha8e relia!le lo#al information0 8en Pakistanis from other *arts of the #ountr" e7er#ise #aution when tra8elling in Kohistan0 6here are good reasons for #aution; for instan#e( while we li8ed in 'ilgit( on a num!er of o##asions shots were fired at 8ehi#les *assing through Kohistan on the KKH( and we also heard a##ounts of !usses !eing sto**ed and ro!!ed !" !andits E#alled >da#oits@F0 As I said earlier( it was at %esham in southern Kohistan that a Pakistani #olleague looked u* into the mountains and warned me( in a matter&of&fa#t 8oi#e( that it was likel" that we would !oth !e killed if we 8entured u* there0 After do<ens of tri*s through Kohistan on the KKH( m" lasting im*ressions are of the *o8ert" of the inha!itants as well as the rough( for!idding a**earan#es of the towns and !a<aars along the wa"0 6he" were stark and fun#tional( somewhat ramsha#kle( with little !" wa" of st"le or aestheti# sense0 6he !a<aars were teeming with !earded men wearing dra!& #oloured( !agg" shalwar kamee<es and skull&#a*s or >*an#ake@ hats0 6he air was som!re and *ur*oseful0 Also( as I said earlier( there were no girls or women to !e seen in *u!li#0 In fa#t( their a!sen#e was so a!solute that it was as if the human inha!itants of the whole region !etween 6hakott %ridge and +hilas #onsisted of onl" one se7( and none other0 Although Islam is firml" entren#hed( it is a fairl" re#ent arri8al in the region #om*ared to religions su#h as %uddhism and Hinduism0 6here are no relia!le statisti#s for religious affiliation( !ut it is generall" thought that Sunni Muslims a##ount for a!out -IP of the *o*ulation( while a!out I.P !elong to the 6wel8er Shias Ei0e0 >mainstream@ ShiasF( /IP are Ismailis( and a!out /.P are Noor!akhshi0 Although Ismailis and Noor!akhshis are generall" in#luded within the famil" of Shias( the" are distin#t enough to !e #ategorised se*aratel"0 )ith a ma$orit" of Shias( the denominational distri!ution in the Northern Areas is 8er" different from that of the *o*ulation of Pakistan as a whole( where Sunnis #om*rise a!out 4.P of the total0 6his #auses tensions !e#ause the fier#e antagonism that e7ists !etween Sunnis and Shias in man" *arts of the Muslim world is also found in the Northern Areas0 Man" Shias in the region feel that the" ha8e !een dis#riminated against sin#e /2G40 6he" #laim that the Pakistani go8ernment #ontinuall" gi8es *referen#es to Sunnis in !usiness( in offi#ial *ositions( and in the administration of $usti#e0 Also( it is felt that the go8ernment en#ourages the in&migration of Sunnis to redu#e the denominational im!alan#e in the region0 6he situation deteriorated shar*l" during the /24.s under the *residen#" of the t"ranni#al 'eneral Uia&ul Ha: when there were man" atta#ks on the Shia *o*ulation0 In one of the most notorious in#idents( during Ma" /244 Sunni assailants destro"ed Shia 8illages( for#ing thousands of *eo*le to flee to 'ilgit for refuge0 Shia mos:ues were ra<ed and a!out /.. *eo*le were killed0 Shias #laim that almost nothing was done to !ring the #ul*rits to !rook( with the Arm" turning a !lind e"e to the atro#ities( while a num!er of those who were arrested were later freed without trial0 %" -...( Shia grie8an#es fo#used on the s#hool te7t!ook that was *res#ri!ed for the stud" of Islami# matters( named HIslamiatH( whi#h is a #om*ulsor" su!$e#t in Pakistan0 Shias

#laimed that the !ook used in the Northern Areas onl" refle#ted Sunni !eliefs0 %" the time we arri8ed in 'ilgit in mid&-..-( *rotests and demonstrations a!out the issue were #ommon( with fre:uent *ro#essions of s#hool#hildren and "oung men mar#hing towards the town #entre in *rotest and with "ouths #ommitting a#ts of #i8il defian#e( su#h as ere#ting road!lo#ks and destro"ing monuments0 During this time the *oliti#al tem*erature( alread" high( rose again when nine "oung men were killed in a dri8e&!" shooting outside a Shia mos:ue in Kara#hi0 ight of them #ame from 'ilgit( and there were 8iolent distur!an#es during the funerals of fi8e of them( whi#h were held in the town after the #offins were returned !" air0 Roads were #losed !" !oulders and !urning t"res( and rioters destro"ed a large( ornamental statue that stood in the #entre of the #howk at the entran#e to the main !a<aar0 6hese tensions es#alated until( during 1une -..G( the" !roke out in an insurre#tion that #losed down 'ilgit and near!" areas for ten da"s0 CH !"ER 7#4R% ,H#", 7'RE5 '$ $(ER arl" on the morning of 6hursda" Crd 1une -..G( we heard an announ#ement !eing !road#ast 8ia a mo!ile louds*eaker at the #howk Einterse#tionF near our house0 )hen our #howkadar Eman&ser8antF Salim arri8ed( we asked him for a translation0 He told us that the authorities had de#reed a #urfew and( from his Shia *oint of 8iew( said defiantl"( >6oda" I... #offins ha8e !een ordered for 'ilgit0 Men are *re*aring to die0@ At the time( I wondered s#e*ti#all" how( in a town the si<e of 'ilgit( fi8e thousand #offins #ould !e *re*ared in one night0 )ere there large reser8e sto#ks( or did the" assem!le #ard!oard #offins( as was ha**ening in *arts of Southern Afri#a to #o*e with the num!er and #osts of deaths from HI=& AIDS? I ne8er did find out0 I *honed some of m" #olleagues( who #onfirmed that the whole distri#t had !een *la#ed under #urfew( with all #i8ilians restri#ted to their homes0 It was #lear that m" *la#e of work would not !e o*erational for a few da"s at least0 Marie *honed Re!e##a( head of the Mountain S#hool where she worked( and got the same information0 At a!out !reakfast time( a $et fighter !u<<ed the 'ilgit 8alle"0 I remem!er sa"ing at the time that this showed that the tension had rat#heted u* a not#h or two0 Pro8iding more #onfirmation of the seriousness of the situation( our lodger( Ra<ia( told us that the Serena Hotel had !een instru#ted to inform its guests that the" should not lea8e the hotel until further noti#e0 Of #ourse( this was another set!a#k for tourism in the Northern Areas( $ust when the industr" was #lawing its wa" out of the #hasm into whi#h it *lunged after >2K//@0 On the other hand( it would !e e8en worse for the trade if tourists were in$ured or killed during hostilities0 Matters were out of our hands and we had no #hoi#e !ut to !e *ragmati#0 )e shrugged and said( >OK( what #an we do a!out the #urfew? Let@s en$o" a :uiet( *rodu#ti8e da" at home0@ Ra<ia went u*stairs to do some work( Marie !egan working on the Mountain S#hool a##ounts( and I settled down with m" la*to* to work on a resear#h *ro$e#t0 At a!out 2 a0m0( Marie *honed our friend( Rowena( who had $ust mo8ed from 'anish to 'ilgit( and asked how things were with her0 Rowena had !een suffering from a !ad tooth infe#tion for a!out fi8e da"s and had an a**ointment with the Arm" dentist that morning0 )e ad8ised Rowena to use his ser8i#es !e#ause( unlike some of the other fa#ilities in town( the surger" was h"gieni# and the e:ui*ment was re#ogni<a!l" from the modern era( e8en if it was rather retro0 Rowena said that she tried to dri8e to the surger" !ut found that all of the

roads( e8en the small lanes( were !arri#aded0 )hen she *honed the dentist to sa" that she had to #an#el the a**ointment( he offered to send an Arm" am!ulan#e for her0 Rowena said thanks !ut no thanks !e#ause( in the light of the situation( the am!ulan#e might !e needed for more serious tasks0 In#identall"( this in#ident( in whi#h lo#al *eo*le went out of their wa" to assist foreigners( was onl" one amongst man" kindnesses that we e7*erien#ed in a #ountr" that man" *eo*le in the outside world thought was teeming with murderous $ihadis who were l"ing in wait to atta#k ea#h and e8er" foreigner who set foot on their soil0 6he first *art of the morning was eeril" :uiet( as if e8er"thing that normall" mo8ed and !reathed had !een wra**ed in a #o#oon0 6hen( at a!out // a0m0 we heard the first rifle shot0 )hat followed was une7*e#ted and s*e#ta#ular0 As the sound e#hoed off the stee* sides of the 8alle"( with ea#h re8er!eration it was am*lified and dee*ened( until what !egan as a shar* #ra#k ended u* sounding like rolling thunder0 Shot followed shot until a furious gunfight was underwa" and the 8alle" was filled with #ontinuous( rolling thunder as indi8idual sounds were a!sor!ed within surging wa8es of re8er!erations0 8en while it was ha**ening( I was reminded( in#ongruousl"( of a mo8ie that I on#e saw a!out Ri* 8an )inkle and the mountain men( whose *la" at skittles filled their remote 8alle" with $ust su#h thunderous sounds0 6hen( within a!out half an hour( we heard e7*losions from the dire#tion of the town #entre( the rum!ling sounds underl"ing the shar* #ra#k of the rifles0 %eing ignorant a!out wea*ons and e7*losi8es( I thought that we were hearing the sounds of large armaments( *erha*s ro#ket laun#hers0 In fa#t( as we found out later( the atta#kers were !lowing u* go8ernment !uildings with d"namite0 As the sounds of !attle re8er!erated( the three of us were restless and distra#ted( tight& stoma#hed and tense( wandering around inside the house( es*e#iall" u*stairs( tr"ing to find !etter 8antage *oints0 O##asionall"( when the shots sounded :uite #lose( we would remind ea#h other to kee* to the rear *arts of the house in #ase a stra" !ullet #ame our wa"0 %ut then( after a while( we would *ut #aution aside and would start *eering out of windows or go outside and stand !" the garden wall( a reassuringl" thi#k stru#ture !uilt of stone( #autiousl" raising our heads $ust a!o8e the *ara*et and looking in the dire#tion of the firing( tr"ing to get a !etter 8iew of what was going on0 6o !e so #lose to a li8e e7#hange of fire was a new e7*erien#e for me( as the #losest that I had #ome *re8iousl" was when I tried to inter8ene !etween demonstrating students and a riot s:uad and ru!!er !ullets !u<<ed *ast me when the s:uad fired at the students !efore #harging at them0 In fa#t( one ru!!er !ullet #ame so #lose that it sounded like a !um!le !ee as it whirred *ast m" ear0 Howe8er( while I *eered o8er the wall( I re#ognised that there is a signifi#ant differen#e !etween ru!!er !ullets and li8e ammunition0 At a!out noon( while the !attle raged( Marie *honed Rowena to en:uire if she was safe and well0 Rowena said that she was fine and was glad to ha8e #om*an"( as her dri8er from 'anish and his wife were with her( together with their si#k #hild( who should ha8e !een re#ei8ing medi#al attention0 Brom Rowena( we heard that there were also #lashes in the Hun<a0 6hat was *ro!a!l" to !e e7*e#ted( as the *eo*le in ad$oining Nagar are all solidl" Shia( as is the *o*ulation of 'anish within Hun<a *ro*er0 It was *oignant to think that we had !een in Nagar onl" a few da"s earlier( en$o"ing su*er! weather and un*aralleled !eaut"( walking on Ho*ar 'la#ier and sta"ing o8ernight in the tatt" !ut hos*ita!le little Ho*ar Hilton Inn0 How were some of the *eo*le with whom we ru!!ed shoulders affe#ted !" the 8iolen#e 9 for e7am*le( our guide on the gla#ier( the waiter at the hotel( or their relati8es? )e re#koned that the" would !e out of harm@s wa"( !e#ause the" were at least an hour@s dri8e awa" from KKH( whi#h would *ro!a!l" !e the fo#us of the a#tion with its *oli#e stations and

other go8ernment !uildings0 %ut what a!out %( the mild&mannered tea#her from the Mountain S#hool whose home was in 'anish( right on the KKH( and who entertained us to lun#h there two months earlier( together with Rowena and some of his friends? )hat a!out his wife( who ser8ed us sh"l" !efore retiring to the inner re#esses of the house? )hat a!out %@s #harming little daughter( on whom he la8ished affe#tion? +ould the" !e affe#ted? At a!out /-0C. *0m0( I *honed the Dire#tor of AKU&I D in Kara#hi( to sa" that PD+N was #losed for the da" and would *ro!a!l" !e #losed on the following da" Ean under& estimationAF $udging !" the sound of the !attle that was still raging0 6he Dire#tor said that I D would *ro!a!l" also !e #losed on the following da"( Brida"( !e#ause there were #alls for a general strike in Kara#hi following the murder of a *rominent Sunni religious leader0 He asked whether the gunfire indi#ated that a serious !attle was underwa"( or it #ould merel" !e shots fired into the air0 I said that I would like to !elie8e the latter( !ut that it sounded like a *ro*er shooting( deadl" intent( !low&things&u* war0 He said( >Kee* "our heads down and kee* me informed0@ In#identall"( AKU&I D in Kara#hi had !een #losed onl" a few da"s earlier when mo!s went on the ram*age in *arts of the #it" following the murder of a Sunni #leri#( whi#h followed the death of Shia worshi**ers in a mos:ue !last( whi#h followed an almost endless se:uen#e of tit&for&tat( se#tarian&related 8iolent in#idents0 In 'ilgit( it was the Shias who were raising the tem*erature( in Kara#hi it was the SunnisA As the sounds of the !attle #ontinued( we thought that it might !e wise to *a#k for e8a#uation( $ust in #ase0 %ut what should we *a#k? Pass*orts( of #ourse( as well as #redit #ards and the small amount of foreign #urren#" that we had with us( together with our few items of $eweller"0 Oh( "es( we should also *a#k the large file that #ontained all our *ersonal do#uments0 If it was lost or destro"ed( it would !e time&#onsuming to tr" to get #o*ies of !irth and marriage #ertifi#ates( dri8ing li#en#es( *roof of #iti<enshi*( et#( from the Nami!ian and South Afri#an authorities( *arti#ularl" !e#ause Afri#an >#i8il@ ser8ants are usuall" indifferent and distin#tl" un#i8il when it #omes to *ro8iding do#umentation to mem!ers of the *u!li#0 After all( man" of them owe their *ositions to *oliti#al fa8ouritism( not to *rofessional e7*ertise( and their lo"alties are to their *atrons( not to their #lients0 Ha8ing filled a !a#k*a#k with the #hosen items as well as with three #hanges of #lothing( we felt that we were read" for e8a#uation0 %ut who was going to e8a#uate us? %" what means and to where? )hile we were *a#king( Marie said( >Let@s think #arefull" a!out what we reall" need to take with us0 If we do lea8e( the house might !e looted while we@re awa"0@ Another #om*li#ation to think a!outA A#tuall"( I was not keen to !e e8a#uated !e#ause I felt that I should sta" where m" staff mem!ers were0 I did not want to lea8e while the" remained in the danger <one0 M" father was a master mariner and from him I *ro!a!l" a#:uired the notion that a #a*tain sta"ed with his shi*( no matter what0 Of #ourse( a #a*tain sta"ing with his shi* is onl" a s*e#ifi# instan#e of the adage( with whi#h I identif"( that a good leader does not desert hisKher *ersonnel and is willing to endure what the" do( es*e#iall" in times of hardshi* or tension0 In fa#t( it is during su#h times that leadershi* is reall" tested and *ro8en0 EIt is eas" to !e a good leader when the going is eas"0F )ith this in mind( Marie and I agreed that we would sta" in 'ilgit if we had a #hoi#e0 Howe8er( we knew that we might not ha8e a #hoi#e0 If the authorities ordered us to lea8e( then we would ha8e to #om*l"0 )ith a shooting war on their hands( the" would !e in no mood to #ater to the sensi!ilities of a few foreigners who might !e a !urden if things reall" got dangerous0

After lun#h( Re!e##a *honed and said ho*efull" that the sounds of !attle seemed to !e diminishing0 She also said that she was finding the situation diffi#ult to !ear !e#ause the gunfire reminded her of the time when she and her hus!and were e8a#uated from Afghanistan in the fa#e of the 6ali!an onslaught0 E6hat must ha8e !een awful0 6rue( the 6ali!an are on the sunn" side of histor"@s most notorious sa8ages( su#h as the Mongols and Na<is( !ut ne8ertheless the" are !ar!arians0F 6he situation was e8en more diffi#ult for Re!e##a( !e#ause she had to deal with her three #hildren as well as with the a!sen#e of her hus!and( who was in the UK0 Re!e##a also said that from her house( $ust !elow ours( the" #ould see smoke rising from the !a<aar area0 Howe8er( we #ould see nothing( not e8en rising smoke( !e#ause of the trees that !lo#ked our 8iew0 It was reall" frustrating not to ha8e an" definite informationA At a!out /0C. *0m0( the shooting did !egin to dro* off( !e#oming more s*oradi# until it sto**ed #om*letel"0 Bor the rest of the da"( through the afternoon( there was an eerie silen#e that was !roken onl" !" the sound of 8ehi#les( no dou!t on militar" !usiness( from the #howk !elow our house0 6hen( later in the afternoon( there was the sound of heli#o*ters( #ir#ling here( there( and e8er"where0 )e en8ied the *ilots( who #ould see what was going on0 6he" had the !ig *i#ture and we had no *i#ture0 I *honed some of m" #olleagues( who #ould not tell me mu#h !esides the fa#t that Shia gunmen had !egun the atta#k !" firing into the *oli#e head:uarters and the arm" !arra#ks from *ositions along the sides of the 8alle"0 Also( the" told me that lo#al radio was rela"ing offi#ial announ#ements that the #urfew would last for a num!er of da"s at the 8er" least0 Still hungr" for information( I !egan to sear#h the we! sites of Pakistan@s nglish& language news*a*ers( !ut #ould find nothing0 Perha*s the authorities had *ut an em!argo on news( or *erha*s what was ha**ening in the Northern Areas was not worth re*orting in a 8olatile #ountr" where s#ores of *eo*le( if not more( die 8iolentl" almost e8er" week0 Nor are armed atta#ks on the se#urit" for#es un#ommon in PakistanJ the" o##ur fre:uentl" in the so& #alled tri!al areas along the #ountr"@s western !order( where almost e8er" man routinel" #arries a gun and where the go8ernment@s authorit" is alwa"s tenuous0 At a!out lun#h time( the ele#tri#it" went off0 6his was not un#ommon in 'ilgit( where the ele#tri#it" su**l" was as un#ertain as the PIA flights0 Howe8er( this was summer( when it would normall" #ome on again relati8el" soon( unlike winter( during whi#h it was usuall" a #ase of one da" on( two da"s off0 6his time( howe8er( we sensed that we were going to !e without ele#tri#it" for a long time( !e#ause the lo#al *ower house was at Khomer +howk( whi#h( as we #ould hear( was where some of the fighting was taking *la#e0 I tried to start the generator so that we #ould ha8e *ower for the #om*uters0 DamnA A *erfe#tl" good !atter" that was working well onl" two da"s ago was now flat and useless( and I ne8er learned the art of ti#kling the generator into life !" using the *ull&start0 )ell( we would $ust ha8e to wait until Salim re*orted for dut" at G *0m0 He had the kna#k of *ull& starting the generator( so we should ha8e light !efore nightfall0 Here( I should sa" that Salim li8ed $ust down the lane( so he was a!le to mo8e safel" !etween his house and ours under #o8er of high walls0 Howe8er( there was no sign of Salim at G *m0 )here was he? Bighting a no!le !attle( shoulder to shoulder with his fellow Shias? )e ho*ed not( and we ho*ed that he was safe and well0 At a!out 5 *0m0( Salim arri8ed with news from the front0 7#itedl"( he said that he went down to Khomer +howk( where he saw soldiers running awa" when their o**onents surrounded them0 A great 8i#tor" for the ShiasA )e said( OK( ma"!e that@s so( !ut it sounded like the !ig !attle was more towards the main !a<aar( a few kilometres awa" from Khomer

+howk0 Salim denied it0 A##ording to him( Khomer +howk was definitel" the e*i#entre of the da"@s e8ents0 )hen we asked a!out #asualties( he re*lied that onl" one *erson was killed and se8en were in$ured0 6rul" a mira#leA After more than two hours of almost #ontinuous gunfire( not to mention hea8ier stuff from time to time 9 onl" one killed and se8en wounded? Or was it all $ust friendl"( male&#om*etiti8e stuff( like a fast !owler greeting a new !atsmen with a few !oun#ers and short !alls dire#ted at the ri!s 9 aggressi8e( "es( and !ordering on the in$urious( !ut generall" the sort of gi8e&and&take that the game *ermits? )as it? At 8arious times during the da"( we listened to %%+ )orld Ser8i#e radio news( !ut there was no mention of 'ilgit0 During mid&e8ening( I #he#ked a few we! sites( su#h as the %%+( &awn and The .ation EPakistanF( and the !ail and /uardian ESouth Afri#aF0 6here were no re*orts a!out the u*hea8als in 'ilgit0 6hat was good( as it meant that famil" and friends would not !e #on#erned a!out us0 Still looking for information( earl" that e8ening Ra<ia *honed a lo#al $ournalist( who re*eated what we had heard earlier( namel" that onl" one *erson had !een killed and se8en in$ured0 Ra<ia said( >Oh( reall"( wh" won@t "ou tell me the truth?@ to whi#h the $ournalist res*onded that he #ould not sa" an" more !e#ause it was likel" that !oth *hones were ta**ed0 Pro!a!l" !e#ause we wanted relief from what had !een going on around us( that e8ening we wat#hed two semi&#omi# mo8ies on tele8ision( !oth a!out alien 8isitations0 )h" do Ameri#ans *rodu#e so man" mo8ies a!out aliens? )h" do aliens onl" 8isit Ameri#a and nowhere else on the *lanet? A#tuall"( we thought( here in northern Pakistan( 'eorge )0 %ush seemed like an alien( so distant were his morals( !eliefs( s"m*athies( and understandings from the realities0 )ouldn@t it !e ni#e if %ush would go awa" as easil" as the aliens did in the mo8ies? Down #omes a s*a#e#raft and whooshAA 6he alien is gone0 Ah( !ut to 'eorge )0 %ush( the rest of the world was alien0 )hooshA 6he 6ali!an are gone0 )hooshA Saddam is gone0 Pro!lems sol8ed( and the s*a#e#raft <ooms off to its ne7t assignment0 In fa#t( howe8er( in#ongruous and outlandish as he was( 'eorge )0 %ush and his #loseted 8ision seemed less in#ongruous than the fa#t that all around us !earded men who were gal8ani<ed !" the ideas of a desert 8isionar" who li8ed /-.. "ears ago were intent on killing other !earded men who ga8e their allegian#e to the same 8isionar"( their :uarrel !ased on seemingl" o!s#ure inter*retations of the 8isionar"@s lega#"0 %ut( when he sent his armed for#es to atta#k other #ountries( didn@t 'eorge )0 %ush also #laim that he was ins*ired !" a !earded desert 8isionar"?

0homer Cho8k, (il/it

Later that e8ening( I ste**ed outside for a !reath of fresh air0 Normall" ele#tri#it" shutdowns were <oned( whi#h meant that some *arts of the town would !e lit u* e8en while others were not0 6onight( with the e7#e*tion of a swathe of light from the militar" #antonment( the whole 8alle" was in darkness0 Howe8er( although it was a!solutel"( eeril" :uiet( one #ould almost feel the a#ti8ities and *assions that were seething in houses( *oli#e *osts( and !arra#ks u* and down the 8alle" as men *re*ared for the ne7t da"@s #ontestation0 6he following news*a*er arti#le *ro8ides an o8er8iew of the situation on the first da" of the insurre#tion; HA #urfew was im*osed on the #it" of 'ilgit earl" "esterda" morning to maintain law and order in 8iew of a *rotest #all gi8en !" Agha Uiauddin Ri<8i and other Shia leaders against the s#hool #urri#ulum #ontaining material against their religious !elief0 Howe8er( a rall" was held in defian#e of the #urfew and at least one *erson was killed and se8eral others were in$ured in #lashes !etween se#urit" for#es and *rotesters0 Sour#es said that Assistant +ommissioner of Hun<a( A!dul Hamid( DSP Hun<a( and two other *oli#e *ersonnel and some arm" and Brontier +onsta!ular" troo*s were also in$ured in the #lash0 6he sour#es said that #lashes and in#idents of arson were re*orted also from Nagar( Hun<a and other areas of the distri#t0 A Radio Pakistan 8an( transmitter( *oli#e training #entre( de*ut" #ommissionerHs offi#e( the =IP rest&house and Northern Areas Legislati8e +oun#il Hall were !adl" damaged in atta#ks !" mo!s0 Poli#e stations were also damaged in Dan"ore and Hun<a0 6he sour#es said that a mo! in Hun<a atta#ked a P6D+ motel and set on fire the offi#e of assistant #ommissioner and Alia!ad *oli#e station0 6he" said thousands of *rotesters from 8arious areas were tr"ing to enter 'ilgit #it" !ut law&enfor#ement *ersonnel sto**ed them at 8arious entr" *oints0 A grou* of *rotesters !lo#ked the Karakoram Highwa"( #reating #haos in areas ad$oining the #it"0 It is learnt that eight Shia leaders( in#luding Mr Ri<8i( ha8e !een taken into #ustod"0 Some leaders of the #ommunit" made announ#ements on louds*eakers asking "ouths to assem!le in mos:ues and imam!argahs VShia mos:uesW of their areas and wait for dire#ti8es0 In#idents of aerial firing were also re*orted from different *arts of the #it"0 As a result of the distur!an#es( foreign tourists who were in 'ilgit and Hun<a ha8e started lea8ing the #it"0 A large num!er of tourists had arri8ed in 'ilgit and Skardu in #onne#tion with the golden $u!ilee #ele!rations of the first as#ent of K&-( the worldHs se#ond highest *eak000'ilgit #it" is #alm0 Howe8er( a few untoward in#idents took *la#e on the outskirts of Sakwar and Dan"ore0 A mo! of *rotesters damaged the offi#es of Poli#e Re#ruits 6raining +entre( Sakwar( and Radio Pakistan situated at Dan"oreH E6his was written !" $ournalist Safdar Khan and was *u!lished under the headline >+urfew in 'ilgitJ *rotester killedH in &awn on G 1une -..GF0 Ne7t morning( the se#ond da" of the #urfew( e8er"thing was :uiet && 8er" :uiet && until a militar" #argo air*lane landed at the air*ort and ke*t all four engines roaring throughout its GI&minutes on the runwa"( making a fero#ious ra#ket0 Did the" kee* the engines running in #ase of sni*ers or mo! a#tion? 6he arm" must ha8e !een !ringing in reinfor#ements( !e#ause Marie sa"s that she heard !ig air*lanes landing and taking off three or four times during the night0 I sle*t through it all0 6here was still no ele#tri#it"0 6he weather was warm and soon the refrigerator would !e useless and( moreo8er( this morning we would ha8e our last warm shower until the *ower #ame on again0 Soon we would !e ha8ing what we #alled >Pakistani showers@( whi#h entailed heating water on the gas sto8e( #arr"ing it to the shower room in a !u#ket( and *ouring it o8er our heads from $ugs( as we did two out of three da"s during winter0 )ell( that was onl" a minor dis#omfort and( a#tuall"( it was a sur*risingl" effe#ti8e su!stitute for a shower if the real thing wasnHt a8aila!le0

At !reakfast time( we took sto#k of our su**lies0 )e had no immediate worries !e#ause the tank was full of water( we had C. litres of diesel for the generator( and *lent" of gas for the sto8e0 Although the food situation #ould get !oring if we #ouldn@t get to the sho*s for fresh *rodu#e( on the *ositi8e side there were #herries on the trees( the a*ri#ots were ri*ening fast( and there was s*ina#h growing in the garden0 After !reakfast( I tried to *hone a #olleague( Dr Mir<a( who was tra8elling on the KKH when the #urfew was *ro#laimed( to find out whether or not he got home safel"0 Howe8er( our *hone was not working0 Sus*i#ion( sus*i#ionA Did the" #ut off the *hones of all the foreigners to limit #ommuni#ation with the outside world? Salim used a neigh!our@s *hone to re*ort our defe#ti8e line and was told that a te#hni#ian would attend to it as soon as *ossi!le( #urfew *ermitting0 After !reakfast( *rote#ted !" the high walls and narrow lanes( Marie and Ra<ia walked around the #orner to 8isit Re!e##a and her famil"0 Re!e##a said that her hus!and( 1a#k( *honed from the UK the *re8ious night and got the full stor" a!out e8ents in 'ilgit0 6hat morning her *hone was still working( so it looked as if our defe#ti8e *hone was $ust an unfortunate #oin#iden#e and had nothing to do with #utting off #ommuni#ation for foreigners0 6he morning was 8er" :uiet( seeming to signal a rest da" in the #ontest !etween Shias and the Arm"0 Salim 8entured around the #orner into Ria< Road and got us some *otatoes and onions at a near!" sho*0 Une7*e#tedl"( during mid&afternoon( we found that the *hone was working again0 I *honed Dr Mir<a( who told me that thousands of *eo*le had massed at Dan"ore( a Shia&ma$orit" townshi* on the KKH a!out fi8e kilometres from 'ilgit0 6he" were fa#ing&off with the arm" at two !ridges( one where the highwa" #rossed the 'ilgit Ri8er and one on the alternati8e route into 'ilgit where the road #rossed the Hun<a Ri8er $ust !efore it $oined the 'ilgit Ri8er0 Negotiations were taking *la#e to sto* the #rowds from mar#hing on 'ilgit0 Dr Mir<a said griml" that there would !e massa#res if the #rowds tried to #ross the !ridges and the soldiers o*ened fire0 Later that afternoon( Ra<ia *honed a senior offi#ial to ask a!out the status of the ele#tri#it" su**l"0 He said that after #a!les were sa!otaged in the generating *lant( the" got *ermission from the Arm" to send a te#hni#ian to fi7 the #a!les0 Unfortunatel"( while tr"ing to re*air the !reak( the te#hni#ian got su#h a !ad ele#tri#al sho#k that he had to !e hos*italised0 Now someone else was fi7ing the #a!les and we should ha8e *ower soon0 Our attitude was a *hlegmati#( >)e shall seeA@ )hen we heard that the #urfew had !een rela7ed for a short *eriod( Salim said that he would go down to the #howk to tr" to get some su**lies0 Howe8er( he had onl" !een gone for a few minutes when the shooting started again0 On#e again( first there was the shar* #ra#k of the shot( then the rolling( #rashing e#ho from the #liffs( followed !" fusillades that set u* long rolls of thunderous e#hoes0 Some of the shots sounded :uite #lose and we ho*ed that Salim was out of harm@s wa"0 Not to worr" 9 Salim was !a#k within a few minutes( unharmed( !reathless( !ut without su**lies0 He said that he was waiting at a !aker" on the main road when the firing started and soldiers #ame running( shouting that *eo*le had two minutes to get out of the area0 )isel"( Salim got out fast0 )e were wr"l" amused !e#ause Salim was :uite *lum* and the route from the main road to our house was u*hill all the wa"( so he must ha8e mo8ed at a fast *a#e0 No wonder he was *antingA Salim re*orted that Sunni #i8ilians had $oined the fra" against the Shias and that *eo*le would atta#k ea#h others@ houses under #o8er of dark0 6his raised the *ossi!ilit" of #ommunal 8iolen#e whi#h( unfortunatel" as *ast e7*erien#e suggested( was a real *ossi!ilit"0

Bor instan#e( as I said( a!out fifteen "ears earlier Sunni mo!s from Diamer mo8ed u* the KKH( atta#king Shia 8illages as the" went( while the se#urit" for#es turned !lind e"es to the 8iolen#e0 +ould it ha**en again? Ha8ing nothing mu#h to do and with a lot of ner8ous energ" to work off( to the sound of /25.s and /23.s *o* musi#( Marie( Ra<ia( and I !egan to do our aero!i# e7er#ises in the front *or#h( whi#h had large e7*anses of glass in !oth e7ternal walls0 Suddenl" gunfire !roke out again( :uite #lose0 Bor safet"( we mo8ed to an inside room and #arried on e7er#ising0 Later( Marie said that !efore we mo8ed( she saw a !ullet hit the tree a!out twent" metres in front of the *or#h0 She said that at first she thought that it was a !ird when some of the foliage shook 8iolentl"( !ut then she reali<ed that no !ird would #ause su#h a #on#entrated distur!an#e0 6he e8ening was tense as all of us had in mind the *ossi!ilit" of atta#ks on houses0 At a!out 4 *0m0( Ra<ia lo#ked and !olted the gate as well as all the house doors0 )e wat#hed some tele8ision !ut( there !eing no alien in8asion mo8ies to 8iew( we went to !ed :uite earl" and sle*t well0 I guess our attitude towards atta#ks was that( !eing neither Sunni nor Shia && although Ra<ia was a Sunni( as a new#omer from >down#ountr"@ she *ro!a!l" would not !e a target && the" *ro!a!l" would not affe#t us0 Bor the rest( what #ould we do( an"wa"? On the morning of the third da"( Saturda"( we woke to the *ea#eful sounds of !irds( #hi#kens( and #ows0 6hank goodness( we had not heard the sounds of an"!od" atta#king an"!od" in our area0 And thank goodness we weren@t atta#ked eitherA 6here still was no ele#tri#al *ower( so we heated a *ot of water on the gas sto8e and had a HPakistani showerH0 Mutter( mutterA 6his was getting tediousA At a!out 3 a0m0( Salim re*orted for work and said that a lot of *oli#e and soldiers had !een mo8ing around our area( Khomer( during the night0 He would ha8e heard them !e#ause he li8ed right on Ria< Road( a ma$or thoroughfare( whereas we li8ed down a lane off the road0 6he reall" good news was that( as far as he knew( there had !een no #ommunal 8iolen#e0 At !reakfast time( I *honed Dr Mir<a( who said that the Urdu&language news on Radio Pakistan had #arried a re*ort that the Home Se#retar" of the Northern Areas had announ#ed that( !e#ause the situation was mu#h :uieter( there #ould !e a rela7ation of the #urfew soon0 He also said that during the night there had !een >#lean&u* o*erations@ in a num!er of areas( in#luding Khomer0 It reminded me of offi#ial radio and tele8ision news *rograms during >Soweto time@ Emid&/235F in South Afri#a when( e8er" da" during da"light hours the radio re*orted numerous #ases of 8iolen#e( su#h as arson( rioting( shooting( and deaths( and then during the e8ening #arried reassuring announ#ements that all was :uiet0 6he *attern was that ne7t morning( hostilities resumed( and ne7t e8ening( all was re*orted to !e :uiet0 Dr Mir<a( who was !orn and raised in the Northern Areas and e7*erien#ed se#tarian #onfli#ts in earlier "ears( suggested we should mo8e to the Serena Hotel if #ommunal 8iolen#e started0 Marie thought that might !e a good idea( !ut wondered how we would get there( as the roads were all !lo#kaded0 An"wa"( said Marie( we #ouldn@t $ust lea8e Re!e##a and her famil"( !e#ause we felt that the" needed su**ort0 I re*lied that it looked as if things were !e#oming #almer( so no one would ha8e to go the Serena Hotel( thank goodness0 )hen I looked at the we! site of &awn news*a*er( I found a re*ort a!out an agreement that was !eing negotiated with Shia leaders( where!" there would !e se*arate Islamiat te7t!ooks for Shia and Sunni areas( while mi7ed areas #ould take indi8idual de#isions0 6his looked like the sort of #om*romise that should ha8e !een made "ears agoA

Instead( in the a!sen#e of an agreement( a huge amount of suffering and disru*tion had !een #aused !" offi#ial intransigen#e0 I ho*ed that the" would #lin#h the agreement so that tensions would ease( li8es would not !e endangered( and we #ould all get on with our li8es0 At mid&da"( the Dire#tor *honed from AKU&I D in Kara#hi to dis#uss whether or not a delegation of Uan<i!arian *oliti#ians( a##om*anied !" the President of the Aga Khan Uni8ersit"( should 8isit PD+N during the ne7t week0 I said( >Let@s get !a#k to work first( !efore we de#ide0 If we@re a!le to go to work on Monda"( then the" #an #ome on 6uesda"@0 6o m"self( I thought; )hat a nuisan#e this #urfew isA It for#es one to li8e from da" to da"0 Later that da"( Dr 1unaid Na<ir also *honed with the same :uestion and I ga8e him the same answer0 He said that things had !een 8er" tense in some *arts of Kara#hi !e#ause of the 8iolen#e !etween Sunnis and Shias0 )hen I told him how diffi#ult it was to get to the sho*s( $okingl" he asked if he #ould send a food *ar#el to us0 A sense of humour does hel* to relie8e stress in tense situations0 6here was also a *hone #all from m" #olleague( Sher Asad( who was marooned in Skardu( whi#h is a!out fi8e hours@ dri8e east of 'ilgit u* the Indus Ri8er0 He went there on a work assignment the da" !efore the #urfew started and now it looked as if he was reall" stu#k !e#ause( a*art from the #urfew( he had heard that a !ridge somewhere !etween 'ilgit and Skardu had !een !lown u*0 6his was 8er" likel"( as the area is almost wholl" inha!ited !" Shias0 I refle#ted ruefull" that !" now( Sher Asad must !e used to !eing stu#k( as a "ear earlier he was stranded in Skardu for more than a week after hea8" rains !rought down huge landslides on all the roads leading to 'ilgit0 During mid&afternoon( we dis#o8ered that the *hone was not working again0 )hat was going on? Later that afternoon( our neigh!our( Salman( 8isited to see how we were( as he #ould not #onta#t us !" *hone0 Salman was in the !usiness of arranging mountain treks and #lim!ing e7*editions( so he was feeling des*ondent a!out the fate of tourism in the region0 He said that this #urfew #ame at $ust the moment when tourism was finall" *i#king u* after two and a half "ears in the doldrums following H2K//H0 Salman also told us that he had !een instrumental in negotiating with the authorities for the de*arture of a large num!er of foreign tourists in a hired !us0 Although tourists were ne8er reall" in danger( their 8a#ations would ha8e !een ruined !" their !eing #onfined to hotels for three da"s and then dis*at#hed when#e the" #ame in a #rowded !us( like refugees0 Salman also told us that amongst the e8a#uated 8isitors was a 'erman tra8el agent with whom he had !een arranging a deal0 As Salman said des*ondentl"( that deal would not !e #lin#hed0 )e dis#ussed the general situation and Salman o!ser8ed that the low #asualt" figures #ould !e #orre#t !e#ause( in his o*inion( most of the firing #ame from !o"s and "oung men who were un*ra#tised with rifles and who( kee*ing a safe distan#e from the soldiers( shot without good aim0 Salman #ould ha8e !een #orre#t !e#ause he was familiar with rifles( not onl" as a hunter !ut also as the son of one of the militar" heroes of the 'ilgit S#outs during the /2G4 war o8er the future of Kashmir0 Salman li8ed ne7t door( a#ross the lane at the rear of our *ro*ert"( and had !een getting ele#tri#it" for the last twent"&four hours0 )h" was his house getting ele#tri#it" when we( right ne7t door( were not? Howe8er( that e8ening we had ele#tri#it" againA 6his was great news( after two and a half da"s without itA Now we #ould shower *ro*erl"( use the refrigerator( and ask Salim to attend to all the #lothes that needed ironing0 Perha*s !est of all( we did not ha8e to endure the thum*ing noise of the generator0

6alking of the generator( we were using so mu#h diesel fuel that Salim asked where we would get more when sto#ks were e7hausted0 I had the !right idea of si*honing some from the 8ehi#le( whi#h had a full tank and was not !eing used0 Howe8er( I didn@t look forward to the *ros*e#t as I would ha8e to do the si*honing m"self( !e#ause Salim was un*ra#tised at the task and might swallow some of the diesel and !e 8er" si#k0 Ho*efull"( we would !e a!le to refill our $err" #ans at a ser8i#e station !efore we had to resort to si*honing out of the tank0 %est of all( the ele#tri#it" might not !e swit#hed off again0 At a!out /. *0m0 that e8ening we were in !ed reading when we heard fusillades of gunfire in the middle distan#e0 Although it was *ro!a!l" $ust some hotheads firing into the air( we sighed and wondered if it would this dela" the lifting of the #urfew0 After a :uiet night( on the morning of the fourth da" of the #urfew( on#e again we awoke to the sounds of !irds( #hi#kens( and #ows0 No 8ehi#les were mo8ing( whi#h told us that the #urfew was still in for#e0 6he *hone was still out of order( !ut at least we had ele#tri#it" all night0 )hen Salim arri8ed for work( he said that he had heard on the radio that the #urfew would !e in for#e for the ne7t three da"s0 6his would !e 8er" awkward( !e#ause *eo*le needed to get food( fuel( and medi#ine( a*art from other su**lies0 Salim said that he #ould get some su**lies from a little sho* near!"( so we asked him to !u" lots of Se8en&U* Eto sweeten Marie@s rather tart homemade wineF( *lent" of eggs( and lots of sugar0 6he latter was for Marie to make more wine from the hundreds of ri*e a*ri#ots that were !urdening our trees0 Salim said that all the lo#al sho*s were #om*letel" out of fresh fruit and 8egeta!les( whi#h was not sur*rising( in 8iew of the fa#t that 8ehi#les were not allowed to mo8e into and out of 'ilgit0 If onl" we #ould ha8e gone down to the !ig sho* at Khomer +howk( we #ould ha8e 8aried our diet !" !u"ing tinned food su#h as *eas( mushrooms( !aked !eans( and sweet #orn0 %ut that was out of the :uestion( !e#ause the #howk was one of the Arm"@s strongholds0 As we surmised( and as we saw for oursel8es later( Khomer +howk was !attened down like a fortress0 'ilgit was usuall" :uiet on a Sunda" morning( !ut this morning was e8en :uieter than usual 9 so :uiet that the loudest sound was the rush of water in the #hannel outside our walls( a!out C. metres awa"0 Howe8er( as a reminder of the situation( o##asionall" there was the distant sound of a *atrolling heli#o*ter and on#e a !ig air#raft( *ro!a!l" an Arm" trans*ort( landed at the air*ort0 Later( I reali<ed that there had not !een an" #i8ilian flights sin#e !efore the #urfew started( in s*ite of the fa#t that the weather was *erfe#t for fl"ing throughout the da"s of the #urfew0 )hat a waste of good fl"ing weatherA Bour #onse#uti8e fl"a!le da"s was a rare o##urren#e and the" were !eing wasted !e#ause the Bokkers were grounded for the duration of the #urfew0 Later that morning( Marie and Ra<ia walked around to see Re!e##a0 She was reall" feeling the *ressure( not onl" !e#ause of the #urfew situation !ut also !e#ause she was *a#king to lea8e for the UK in mid&1ul"0 6he house was #haoti#0 Ra<ia used Re!e##a@s *hone to register a #om*laint a!out our d"sfun#tional *hone0 ERa<ia was handling the matter !e#ause she was Pakistani and s*oke Urdu0F 6he offi#ial said that it was likel" that we had !een #ut off !e#ause we had not *aid our a##ount0 Although I knew that this was not true( I #ould not *ro8e it !e#ause the re#ei*t was in m" offi#e at work( whi#h was out of !ounds !e#ause of the #urfew0 6hat afternoon( Ra<ia and I walked around to Re!e##a@s house0 6his time( when Ra<ia *honed the tele*hone *eo*le( the" did not *roffer the >un*aid a##ount@ stor"0 Now the" $ust said that the" #ould not attend to faults !e#ause of the #urfew0 )hen Ra<ia *ersisted with her

en:uiries( she was *ut through to another offi#ial0 As often ha**ens in Pakistan( the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing0 6his offi#ial suggested that lo#al #hildren had *ulled our line out of the $un#tion !o7 on Ria< Road( whi#h( together with the fa#t that the line from the !o7 to our house was de#re*it and needed to !e re*la#ed( would e7*lain the fault0 Although it was true that the #a!le was anti:uated and ran an e##entri# #ourse( first along a wall( then sus*ended on a !am!oo *ole Ewhi#h I had su**liedF( ne7t su**orted !" a tree( and finall" entering our *ro*ert" with the su**ort of our front wall( I had #he#ked for faults and( as far as I #ould see( the #ondition of the #a!le was mu#h the same as alwa"s0 Re!e##a said that shortl" !efore we arri8ed( our mutual neigh!our( Salman( *honed her to sa" that the mos:ues had announ#ed that a tru#e had !een agreed0 Did that a##ount for all the gunfire that we had !een hearing sin#e earl" afternoon? )as it $ust #ele!rator" firing into the air? )e ho*ed that was the #ase0 Brom Re!e##a@s house( I *honed Mir<a( who told me that he had s*oken on the *hone to one of our #olleagues who( ha8ing $ust arri8ed in Kara#hi earlier that da" from a foreign tri*( had asked him whether we had taken refuge in Islama!ad0 I refle#ted that our #olleague did not seem to understand what this #urfew meantA It was like a form of house arrest( as ha**ened in a*artheid South Afri#a( !ut for a different reason0 Lou #ouldn@t go an"where( not e8en down to the #howk( let alone along the KKH to Islama!ad0 At least( under house arrest( 8isitors from #ould #all on "ou( two !" two0 Here "ou #ould onl" #all on( and !e 8isited surre*titiousl" !"( *eo*le who li8ed #lose !" and who #ould mo8e under *rote#tion of the high walls 9 of whi#h( fortunatel"( *urdah&o!ser8ing 'ilgit had an a!undan#e0 )hen we got home( Marie and I agreed( ironi#all"( that if the situation #ontinued for mu#h longer( we might a**l" to the authorities to !e e8a#uated to Islama!ad( not on the grounds of Bear of Death from Assault or 'unshot( !ut on the grounds of Bear of Death from 6edium0 )e had tea with Re!e##a who told us that she had thought that she would !e sad to lea8e 'ilgit and Pakistan after all these "ears( !ut after the last few da"s( she would lea8e with a sense of relief0 As we left Re!e##a@s house during late afternoon( the sound of gunfire was re8er!erating from the ro#k&fa#es0 )e #ould not hear the shots themsel8es( so the a#tion was :uite a long wa" off0 )as it aerial firing or a#tual aggression? )ho knew? )ould it dela" the lifting of the #urfew? )ho knew? )ho knew an"thing at all? )hen we arri8ed home( I #he#ked our tele*hone0 It was no longer making a des*erate( !leating noise0 Now it was $ust *lain dead0 Did the #hange in #ir#umstan#es mean that some!od" out there was attending to the situation( or was it $ust one of those a**arentl" ine7*li#a!le things that ha**ened in Pakistan? Ne7t morning( Marie said that she did not slee* well0 During the midnight hours( she heard the sound of a !ig air*lane landing0 Also( during the night she was !itten !" sand flies( whi#h raised !um*s on her skin and made her it#h0 Normall"( we #ontained the flies !" s*ra"ing our rooms with inse#t re*ellent e8er" da" and !" slee*ing under a mos:uito net that was soaked and s*ra"ed with re*ellent0 6his dis#ouraged the flies( whi#h are tin" #reatures( from *assing through the mesh0 Howe8er( last night@s assault #ame while Marie was sitting at the #om*uter in the offi#e( whi#h meant that we had to o*en a new front in the !attle against sand flies0 6he" are like a 8irus( in the sense that the" are so small that normall" "ou #annot see them !ut "ou #an #ertainl" feel them and see their effe#ts0 Strangel"( the sand flies had refined tastes; the" found me una**eti<ing !ut en$o"ed feeding on Marie0 At a!out 3 a0m0( Salim re*orted for dut" and told us that he had heard nothing a!out the lifting of the #urfew0 He also said that *eo*le in the neigh!ourhood were running out of

food0 His #omment on the situation was( >=er" !oringA@ He was right0 )e were all !ored and frustrated( and so( surel"( were most *eo*le0 Perha*s the authorities intended to use !oredom to for#e the Shia insurgents and their su**orters into #onsidering the error of their wa"s0 %ut( whether the" used militar" for#e( !oredom( or some other method( the situation would #ontinue to fester until there was a lasting settlement of the te7t!ook issue0 M" o*inion was that the authorities should re#onsider their a**roa#h to the matter( as it was the" who foisted una##e*ta!le theolog" on Shias 8ia the te7t!ooks0 It reminded us of a similar situation in a*artheid South Afri#a and Nami!ia( where the authorities used histor"( religious studies( and so#ial studies te7t!ooks to foist their ideolog" on unwilling re#i*ients0 6his strateg" is not onl" unwise !ut also ineffe#ti8e( !e#ause *ro*aganda might su##eed in influen#ing o**ressed *eo*le in marginal areas of their !eliefs and self&understanding( !ut not in #entral areas0 6r"ing to *ro*agate a Sunni theologi#al *ers*e#ti8e would #ertainl" fail with *eo*le whose #entral identit" was grounded in an alternati8e Shia 8iew0 It would also *rofoundl" anno" them and intensif" their sense of grie8an#e and o**ression( as had in fa#t ha**ened0 Although the tele*hone was still out of order( the good news was that we had en$o"ed uninterru*ted ele#tri#it" sin#e Saturda" e8ening0 Su#h a long s*ell was almost un*re#edented e8en during non&emergen#" *eriods0 Pro!a!l" this was !e#ause the te#hni#ians were !eing wat#hed #losel" !" the militar" and were too s#ared to steal diesel fuel whi#h( it was widel" rumoured( was a #ommon *ra#ti#e that e7a#er!ated the ele#tri#it" outages at other times0 Salim also said that the detained Shia leader was refusing to lea8e *rison unless e8er"one else was released with him0 'ood ladA 6hat was shrewd leadershi*A His re*utation would rise as the stor" s*read0 It reminded us of a serious !ut wr"l" amusing stor" a!out the Nami!ian inde*enden#e leader( 6oi8o 1a 6oi8o( refusing to lea8e a South Afri#an *rison in )indhoek( where he was !eing held after s*ending a!out /3 "ears on Ro!!en Island0 )hen his mother was fet#hed from rural Owam!oland to *ersuade him to lea8e the *rison( far from doing that( she said( >6hat@s right( m" son( don@t "ou lea8e unless "our #omrades Von Ro!!en IslandW are also released@0 6he in#ident enhan#ed 6oi8o@s alread" high re*utation for #ourage and integrit"0 6his was a 8er" :uiet da"( with no sounds of gunfire0 In fa#t( there were no sounds of an"thing at all( e7#e*t lo#al goats( #hi#kens( and #ows( as well as #hildren at *la"( and a heli#o*ter that droned around regularl"0 )e had a :uiet night( e7#e*t that we were awoken !" a thunder storm0 At a!out /. *0m0( we thought that we heard the sound of distant gunfire !ut #ould not !e #ertain0 Perha*s it was $ust more distant thunder0 Ne7t morning( the *hone still wasn@t working0 6his was reall" anno"ing( es*e#iall" as it was the si7th or se8enth time in four months that it had !een out of order0 On#e( I got so frustrated with the inade:uate e7*lanations !" the S+O ES*e#ial +ommuni#ations Organi<ationF te#hni#ians that I asked the te#hni#ian at work to ha8e a look at the situation0 He said that the #a!le was old and weathered( so we should !u" a new #a!le to #onne#t to the distri!ution !o7 at the end of the lane to our house0 Of #ourse( we should not ha8e had to *a" for itJ the S+O should ha8e done so0 %ut the" would not( so it looked as if we would ha8e to0 6his was *ar for the #ourse; all the S+O e:ui*ment was anti:uated and de#re*it0 6he distri!ution !o7 on Ria< Road looked like something out of a Se#ond )orld )ar $um!le sale( and( as I said( !etween the !o7 and our house( our #a!le( along with others with whi#h it was intertwined( was su**orted !" a tree( a !am!oo *ole that we su**lied( and two *ower *"lons0 On the *ositi8e side( S+O usuall" fi7ed faults :ui#kl" and the te#hni#ians were :uite o!liging a!out doing so0 Perha*s the" reali<ed that anti:uated e:ui*ment and fading #a!les ke*t them in their $o!s0

)hen Salim re*orted for dut"( he told us that the #urfew was still in for#e o8erall !ut had !een lifted tem*oraril" in some *arts( su#h as the !a<aar0 Howe8er( our area( Khomer and Khomer +howk( were still under #urfew0 6his was to !e e7*e#ted( as the area was solidl" Shia0 Salim also said that some *eo*le had !een going to the !a<aar under *oli#e es#ort0 )e thought that we #ould tr" that if su**lies reall" ran shortJ howe8er( we did not need su**lies urgentl"( e7#e*t fresh 8egeta!les0 Our most urgent desire was to get a tele*hone te#hni#ian to ha8e a look at our situation0 During mid&morning( we all 8isited Re!e##a and famil"0 I *honed Mir<a( who had no fresh news a!out the #urfew !ut was a!le to tell me a!out 8arious PD+N staff mem!ers who were stranded at 8arious *la#es0 Bor instan#e( during the *re8ious da" two fa#ult" mem!ers tried to get !a#k to 'ilgit from u**er Hun<a E'o$alF where the" had !een working in *ro$e#t s#hools when the #urfew started0 6he" got as #lose as the !ridge at Dan"ore( whi#h is onl" a few kilometres from 'ilgit on a se#ondar" route( !ut were told that the" #ould not #ross !e#ause the !ridge had !een damaged0 So the" went !a#k to Hun<a0 )e also heard a!out some *eo*le who were in 'ilgit on holida" from North )est Brontier Pro8in#e and were stranded when the #urfew started0 6wo da"s earlier( the" heard that the #urfew had !een rela7ed and de#ided to dri8e home 8ia the KKH0 Howe8er( at Khomer +howk the" failed to sto* when ordered to do so and the soldiers o*ened fire( killing three of them and seriousl" wounding the other three0 6hat e7*lained the gunfire that we heard a few da"s ago from the dire#tion of the #howk; it was the sound of a holida" #oming to a tragi# end0 Ra<ia *honed the S+O a!out our *hone and was told that the" would send a te#hni#ian during the #urfew rela7ation *eriod( if he had a *oli#e es#ort( so she tried to #onta#t a senior *oli#e offi#er with whom she is a#:uainted to arrange the es#ort0 Unfortunatel" she #ould not #onta#t him0 Brom other *hone #alls that Ra<ia made( we heard that lo#al go8ernment and the Shia leaders seemed to ha8e agreed to a settlement0 Howe8er( this settlement would ha8e to !e ratified !" the *oliti#ians in Islama!ad0 )ould the" agree to it? It seemed to !e a situation similar to a +atholi#&ma$orit" #ountr" in uro*e in( sa"( the /4th #entur" agreeing to a se*arate dis*ensation for a Protestant en#la8e 9 in other words( it #ould ha**en( !ut onl" relu#tantl" and out of ne#essit"( not !e#ause of #on8i#tions a!out *luralism and religious toleran#e0 At midda"( suddenl" there was no water in the house0 6hat was strange( !e#ause water was entering the *ro*ert" 8ia the mains *i*e at what seemed to !e normal *ressure0 )as the tank@s outlet *i*e !lo#ked( as ha**ened $ust after we took u* residen#e there? )e waited until Munta<( the *art&time gardener( #ame on dut" after lun#h0 He !orrowed a long ladder and( with the hel* of Salim( s#aled the heights and *eered into the tank0 It was em*t" and no water was entering it( e8en although the 8al8e was o*en0 It looked as if the inlet *i*e was !lo#ked so( e8er the o*timist( I said( no *ro!lem( we will fill the tank with the hose&*i*e0 )hen we tried that( we dis#o8ered that the real reason for the la#k of water was that the *ressure was too low0 Salim said that( !e#ause of the #urfew( no one was manning the filtration *lant higher u* in 1utial Nullah( the 8alle" from whi#h Khomer and other *arts of 'ilgit re#ei8ed water0 6hings were $ust drifting and the reser8oir le8el was getting lower e8er" da"0 At least we were still getting some water( e8en if it was a greatl" redu#ed su**l"0 Some *eo*le lower down were not getting an" at all0 )hat to do? )e stood around s#rat#hing our heads until Munta< #ame u* with the solution0 Using the garden hose( he #onne#ted the inlet *i*e to a garden ta*( #ir#um8enting the tank( and soon we had water in all the ta*s on the !ottom floor of the house0 Howe8er( we would !e without hot running water again( !e#ause the onl" working water heater was on the

to* floor( where there was almost no *ressure0 6he main water heater downstairs was out of #ommission( !e#ause it had s*lit o*en and its re*la#ement had not "et !een installed0 So( to get some hot water downstairs( we wired u* the small water heater in the kit#hen( whi#h had !een immo!ili<ed e8er sin#e we had li8ed in the house0 6o our sur*rise( it still worked0 Now we should ha8e instant hot water( e8en if we had to #arr" it to the !athroom and *erform the !a*tism ritual there0 On#e again( farewell to lu7urious showersA SighA )hat would go wrong ne7t? I filled two G.&litre !u#kets with water( to kee* as a reser8e su**l"0 Lurking in the re#esses of m" mind was the sus*i#ion that the de#lining *ressure might mean that the whole s"stem was !eing negle#ted and that soon we would not get an" water at all0 )ho knew what might ha**en? 6he tele*hone was still not working0 6he following *ress re*ort *ro8ides some insights into the offi#ial 8iew of de8elo*ments u* until the si7th da" of the emergen#"; HBor the first time in si7 da"s a two& hour rela7ation was gi8en in #urfew in the sensiti8e *arts of the #it"0 Se#urit" for#es arrested eight *ersons for 8iolating a !an on *l"ing 8ehi#les during #urfew !reak( a senior *oli#e offi#ial said0 He said #ases had !een registered against them0 6he residents in these lo#alities told &awn that the" were nearl" star8ing for !eing under #urfew for the last si7 da"s0 6he" said the" were fa#ing shortage of foodstuff( water( milk for #hildren and medi#ines0 Some residents #om*lained that the" e8en #ould not take *atients to hos*itals due to whi#h one "oung woman died on Monda"0 6he wheat flour was a8aila!le at Rs/I *er kilograms0 6here was a great rush in the market0 Due to non&*a"ment of salaries the *eo*le were fa#ing great hardshi*s in !u"ing essential items from the market0 6he authorities said the dela" in lifting #urfew from these areas was due to the tense situation and se#urit" risk in these lo#alities0 6he administration also rela7ed #urfew for two hours around -*m to G*m in other *arts of the #it" where situation remained #alm0 6he authorities did not allow the use of *ri8ate and *u!li# trans*ort( nor were *eo*le allowed to enter the #it" or go out of it without se#urit" *ersonnel es#orting them0 6he lo#al magistrate *ro8ided !uses and *oli#e es#orts to stranded *assengers0 Peo*le in ad$oining 'hi<er distri#t said the" were also running short of foodstuff and essential items as the 'hi<er&'ilgit road was still #losed for traffi#0 ) APONS R +O= R D; 6he *rotestors on 6uesda" returned the wea*ons snat#hed from the *ersonnel of the Brontier +onsta!ular" EB+F on 1une G to the *oli#e( Northern Areas Home Se#retar" Saeed Ahmed Khan said0 Mr Khan said the *rotestors snat#hed se8en ma#hine guns( and some *istols from the B+ who were guarding the +hinese engineers on the Karakoram Highwa"0 Sour#es said some three B+ *ersonnel( who had !een re*orted missing during the *rotests( returned safel" to 'ilgitH E6his was *u!lished under the headline >Nine held during #urfew !reak in 'ilgitH( in &awn on G 1une -..G0F )e had a :uiet night and awoke to a :uiet morning on the se8enth da" of the #urfew0 Salim said that he had heard that a lot of *hones were out of order in 8arious *arts of 'ilgit and that the te#hni#ians were going around fi7ing them "esterda"0 Perha*s it was the turn for ours to !e fi7ed? At a!out 2 a0m0( a #ar dro8e around the area announ#ing that the #urfew would !e rela7ed from 2 a0m0 to G *0m0 Brom Re!e##a@s house( Ra<ia *honed a senior offi#ial in the S+O( *ointing out that now there was *lent" of time for the te#hni#ians to do their work0 Howe8er( he would not #ommit himself to getting our *hone fi7ed !e#ause he said that Khomer was a dangerous area0

A note on li8ing a dangerous area; as re#ent e8ents illustrated( Khomer seemed to !e a dangerous area when Shia *assions were aroused0 Howe8er( u* until then we had li8ed there for two "ears without feeling at all inse#ure0 In regard to #rime( it was mu#h( mu#h safer than an" South Afri#an or Nami!ian town or #it"0 In fa#t( in our e7*erien#e( it was almost #om*letel" #rime&free( e7#e*t that on#e a radio was stolen from an o*en $ee* that was *arked in the to* *art of our "ard( and e8er"one stole the fruit in our garden0 A**arentl" fruit is #onsidered to !e #ommon *ro*ert"0 During mid&morning( Ra<ia@s *ersisten#e *aid off when two te#hni#ians arri8ed to #he#k the *hone0 After a #ursor" ins*e#tion( the" announ#ed that there was nothing wrong with the line0 8entuall"( after we :uestioned them and the" *ro8ided us with another dose of "ou&*ro!a!l"&ha8en@t&*aid&"our&!ill o!fus#ation( the truth finall" emerged; our *hone had !een #ut off deli!eratel"( along with a!out 5.. others0 6he reason was that our *hone was in the landlord@s name( and he had a Shia name0 )ell( we said to the te#hni#ians( take a good look at us0 Do we look or sound like Shias? 6he" grinned at us and shook their heads0 6hen Ra<ia and the te#hni#ians went to Re!e##a@s home to *hone the S+O offi#e( and after some arguing and de!ating( our #onne#tion was restored0 6hinking that an armed u*rising in the Northern Areas surel" must ha8e !een news in the outside world( #ausing an7iet" to our nearest and dearest( we used our restored #ommuni#ation link to email famil" mem!ers with the news that( in s*ite of gunfights( e7*losions( a #urfew( and some *ri8ations( we were safe and well( if rather !ored0 6he" re*lied that the" had not heard an"thing at all a!out the situationJ howe8er( now that the" had !een informed( the" were relie8ed to hear that we were safe and well0 At mid&da"( a##om*anied !" Marie( Ra<ia and Salim( I dro8e our 8ehi#le down Ria< Road to do some sho**ing0 Ria< Road was littered with large !oulders whi#h( although *artiall" #leared( still made it ne#essar" for dri8ers to <ig<ag #arefull"0 Khomer +howk was swarming with soldiers0 %oth of the main entran#es to the #howk had !ar!ed&wire !arri#ades through whi#h 8ehi#les had to *ass in <ig<ag fashion under #o8er of ma#hine guns0 6he u**er !al#onies of all of the !uildings around the #howk had !een #ommandeered for 8antage *oints and were fortified with more sand!ags and ma#hine guns( while hea8il" armed soldiers in !attle dress formed a mena#ing frie<e all around the #howk0 Unlike the men of the lo#al Northern Light Infantr" regiment( man" of whom were :uite light&skinned( these soldiers were dark& #om*le7ioned0 6he" were men of a Pathan regiment from the western frontier region0 As we left the #howk( Marie remarked that the wall ne7t to the 'atewa" Hotel had !een destro"ed !" an e7*losion0 I did not get a good look at it !e#ause( while dri8ing( I was #on#entrating on a8oiding soldiers( !oulders( !ar!ed wire( and the usual ha*ha<ard traffi#0 Also( I was dri8ing with due #are for the fa#t that there were a lot of ner8ous soldiers a!out( and was also remem!ering the tourists who were killed and wounded there0 Birst we went to +SD( the Arm" store and the onl" >su*ermarket@ in town Eit had two aisles of self&ser8i#e shel8es( so it might !e #alled a Hsu*ermarketHF( where we !ought *lent" of su**lies0 Howe8er( almost no green 8egeta!les were a8aila!le0 6hen we dro8e !a#k through Khomer +howk and down to the main !a<aar0 6here were soldiers e8er"where while at the #howk at the entran#e to the !a<aar( we had to *ass through another !ar!ed&wire !arri#ade0 6he !a<aar itself looked mu#h the same as alwa"s 9 !ut it usuall" looked like a re#entl" o##u*ied !om! site( an"wa"0 6he windows of our regular gro#er" store( Marshalls %aker"( were still #o8ered in *rote#ti8e wooden shutters0 6he" #harged us e7or!itant *ri#es( whi#h we a##e*ted !e#ause we wanted to ha8e good reser8es in #ase of a renewal of hostilities0 6hen we dro8e further into the !a<aar to our regular su**liers of fruit and 8egeta!les0 6here were flies in a!undan#e !ut not mu#h else( so we got a watermelon and

some onions and dro8e home0 Salim !orrowed II. ru*ees to !u" a large !ag of flour( whi#h is a sta*le food in Pakistan0 +ome to think of it 9 how does one get mone" when the !anks are #losed for su#h a long time? Bortunatel" we had :uite a lot of #ash with us when the #urfew started and( if we ran out( Marie #ould IOU the mone" that she had #olle#ted for s#hool fees0 Howe8er( a lot of *eo*le must ha8e !een #aught without mu#h mone"0 And now that *ri#es had shot u*( e8en dou!led in some #ases( the" #ould !e #aught reall" short of #ash0 )hen we arri8ed home( Munta< said that while we were awa"( the *oli#e #ame to the gate to #he#k if all was well0 )hat suddenl" ins*ired them to do this( se8en da"s into the #urfew? An"wa"( the fa#t that the" 8entured this far into dissident territor" must mean that e8en the" felt safe here0 Should we ha8e found that reassuring? On the eighth da"( 6hursda"( the #urfew was lifted from /. a0m0 to 5 *0m0 with the additional #on#ession that *eo*le #ould enter and lea8e the town freel"0 Howe8er( I still #ould not dri8e to work( as tra8el in the dire#tion of the Karakoram International Uni8ersit" EKIUF( whi#h was on the same road as PD+N( was not *ermitted0 6he area around KIU was #losed !e#ause the *eo*le of a rural #ommunit"( Nomal( a!out /. kilometres from 'ilgit 9 a #olleague des#ri!ed the *eo*le of Nomal as >fanati#al Shias@ 9 were #ontesting ownershi* of a large *ie#e of land that was earmarked for the uni8ersit"0 Some time earlier( *eo*le from Nomal o##u*ied the land and a "oung man was killed in a #onfrontation with the arm"0 Now the authorities had used the o**ortunit" *ro8ided !" the #urfew to re&o##u*" the land and anti#i*ated further demonstrations0 It was good to hear that *eo*le #ould enter and lea8e the town freel"0 +ommodit" sto#ks and *ri#es would return to normal soon0 6aking ad8antage of the rela7ation in tra8el restri#tions( Re!e##a@s hus!and( 1a#k( who had flown into Islama!ad from the UK a few da"s earlier( dro8e u* the KKH from Islama!ad and arri8ed in 'ilgit during non&#urfew hours0 He !rought us *lent" of fresh *rodu#e0 Ha**il"( our water situation seemed to !e sta!le0 6he *ressure was still not high enough to raise water into the tank( !ut the inno8ati8e set&u* with the garden hose su**lied us with water all o8er the house( e7#e*t for the water heater u*stairs0 Ra<ia e8en got an ade:uate su**l" of #old water in her !athroom u*stairs0 I 8isited Mir<a( who told me that during #urfew sear#hes( se#urit" for#e *ersonnel a**rehended two men who had assassinated a notorious $ihadi&t"*e Sunni #leri# #um MP in Islama!ad earlier0 Mir<a also said that he heard that the arm" was still #ondu#ting sear#hes in Khomer area !e#ause two *ie#es of hea8" wea*onr" were used there during the fighting and had not !een found "et0 On the ninth da"( the #urfew was lifted from I a0m0 to /. a0m0 After that( the #urfew would !e in for#e again to guard against distur!an#es after Brida" >1uma@ *ra"ers( whi#h are held after lun#h e8er" week and are the main *ra"ers of the week for Muslims e8er"where0 In Pakistan( 1uma *ra"ers are the main s*ring!oard for *rotests( riots( !om!ings( and assassinations0 6hat morning( the water *ressure at home was almost negligi!le0 6his was a serious de8elo*mentA It would !e 8er" awkward and unh"gieni# if the neigh!ourhood lost its water su**l"0 Ra<ia *honed an offi#ial who( after sa"ing that he would look into the situation( *honed !a#k later to sa" that he told the te#hni#ians in 1utial Nullah that he would fire them if the" did not re#tif" the situation0 After two "ears( when we heard this sort of tough( *ur*oseful talk from offi#ials( our attitude was s#e*ti#al; we shall seeA

6o our sur*rise( within a short time two water te#hni#ians arri8ed0 6he" had a look at the situation and then announ#ed that the *ro!lem was low *ressure0 Im*ressi8eA 6hese gu"s #learl" knew their $o!A 6he" said that there #ould !e one of three reasons for the low *ressure; EaF low *ressure at the *um*ing station( E!F a !lo#k in the feeder *i*e( or E#F illegal #onne#tions0 Howe8er( the" said that the" #ould not do an"thing a!out it right then( as the" did not ha8e se#urit" #learan#e and #ould get shot for !reaking the #urfew0 In fa#t( the" had to sneak to our house under #o8er of walls 8ia the !a#k routes0 )e s"m*athi<ed with their situation( as it was thoughtless of their su*erior to #hase them u* without *ro8iding them with #learan#e against #urfew&!reaking0 An"wa"( we *arted ami#a!l" with assuran#es from the te#hni#ians that within -G hours the" would ha8e a team of workers on the $o! during non& #urfew hours0 After Brida" *ra"ers( the #urfew was lifted from G *0m0 to 5 *0m0 During mid& afternoon( our dri8er( Mir Ahmed( arri8ed and told us that he managed to get into 'ilgit from his 8illage( whi#h was a!out C. kilometres awa" along the KKH in lower Hun<a0 )e had nothing mu#h for him to do( e7#e*t take the generator !atter" to the !a<aar for o8ernight attention0 Mir #onfirmed that it would !e unwise to go to PD+N as *eo*le were allowed to #ross the !ridge outward&!ound !ut not to return from that dire#tion0 A #olleague *honed me with the same news and said that although we #ould a**l" for s*e#ial #learan#e for our staff( *erha*s we should dela" doing so for a few da"s !e#ause he had heard that shots were !eing fired at 8ehi#les in the area where PD+N was lo#ated0 6hat was the first that we had heard of it and I de#ided to #he#k the stor" with Mir<a !e#ause the #olleague who *honed me was a great worrier0

!oli.e post, $orthern reas

On Saturda" /-th 1une( the ninth da"( we heard that the #urfew had !een lifted #om*letel" during da"light hours0 Marie said( >'ood( we #an get !a#k to s#hool on Monda"@ and I said( >Lets ho*e that our staff mem!ers are #leared to tra8el in !oth dire#tions !" Monda"( so that we #an get PD+N o*erational again0@ I de#ided that when Mir Ahmed arri8ed( we would dri8e to Mir<a@s house and tr" to *hone influential *eo*le to get #learan#e for our staff0 I did not anti#i*ate an" trou!le in doing so( !e#ause( with a large high s#hool

near PD+N( hundreds of students #rossed the !ridge e8er" da" on their wa" to and from s#hool0 On Sunda"( the tenth da"( with the #urfew still sus*ended throughout da"light hours( Mir<a and I dro8e to PD+N( negotiating our *assage at *oli#e and arm" *osts along the wa"0 6hings were fairl" rela7ed and the offi#ers at the !arri#ades told us that there would !e no o!sta#les to PD+N starting work on Monda"0 On the wa"( at the entran#e to the !a<aar and at the !ridge a#ross the ri8er( we *assed more !ar!ed wire !arriers( ma#hine gun em*la#ements( and hea8il" armed soldiers0 Burther along( we *assed the #om*ound that housed the *oli#e head:uarters( whi#h a**eared to !e uns#athed e8en although the !uildings had #ome under fire from the near!" mountain side0 Bortunatel" the #am*us was undamaged and in good order0 I was im*ressed to learn that mem!ers of the ser8i#e staff who li8ed within walking distan#e had gone to the #am*us during lulls in the #urfew to look after the fa#ilities( while two men who were on dut" when the #urfew started had sta"ed there throughout the *eriod0 6he s#e*ti# might sa" that this a**arent de8otion to dut" reall" refle#ted the fa#t that the #am*us( with its #omforts and modern fa#ilities su#h as a generator( a well e:ui**ed kit#hen( flush sanitation and hot water( was a lot more attra#ti8e than the men@s own homes( whi#h were generall" o8er#rowded and *oorl" fa#ilitated0 Although there might ha8e !een some truth in this s#e*ti#al 8iew of the situation( on the other hand( most of these men were Ismailis( and their #ondu#t was t"*i#al of the de8otion that most Ismailis showed towards an"thing that was #onne#ted with the Aga Khan0 6hat afternoon( Marie( Ra<ia( and I met Rowena at the Serena Hotel for mid& afternoon high tea and then went to 8isit her newl" rented house near the ri8er !ank !elow the hotel0 After ten da"s of !eing #onfined to immediate surroundings( it was :uite a head" e7*erien#e to !e so#ialising awa" from the 8i#init" of the house0 In fa#t( it was like !eing li!erated0 Now that the dust was settling( we were getting 8arious o*inions a!out the #onfli#t0 Some Shias and Ismailis felt that the lo#al Shia leaders o8er&rea#ted and that the" should ha8e let the issue lie( as the #ontents of the te7t!ooks would not outweigh the *ower and influen#e of home( mos:ue( and so#iet"0 Ne8ertheless( whate8er one@s *oint of 8iew( it had to !e re#ogni<ed that lo#al *assions had !een inflamed for a long time and had not !een ade:uatel" addressed0 6hat e8ening( I *honed 1unaid Na<ir in Kara#hi to sa" that it was likel" that PD+N would start work ne7t morning0 Dr Na<ir asked how far the #urfew had e7tended and I re*lied that although I did not know the *re#ise details( it must ha8e e7tended to Dan"ore and Hun<a as well( !e#ause there had !een a lot of unrest in those *la#es0 At that *oint the *hone went dead0 I tried to re#onne#t to Dr Na<ir !ut to no a8ail0 6hen our *hone rang and #ut off as he tried to #onne#t to us0 Did the se#urit" *eo*le ha8e nothing !etter to do than #ensor *eo*le who were dis#ussing news that was #ommonl" a8aila!le? Of #ourse( this *hone&ta**ing should not ha8e sur*rised me0 Our internet and tele*hone ser8i#e *ro8ider was +OMSA6S( an arm" organi<ation( whi#h was the onl" ser8i#e *ro8ider in the Northern Areas0 )e also knew that all email messages were read !efore !eing allowed through0 %" Monda" /Gth 1une( the ele8enth da"( the #urfew #ontinued to !e sus*ended during da"light hours and things were more or less !a#k to normal( e7#e*t that there were soldiers and !lo#kades at e8er" ma$or interse#tion0 PD+N and the Mountain S#hool o*ened this da"( e8en although almost all other edu#ational institutions would !e #losed for some da"s "et0

Marie said( >6hank goodness we work for *ri8ate organi<ations( so we #an get out of the house and go to work toda"@0 On 6uesda" /Ith 1une( the #urfew was lifted entirel"0 6he tele*hone ta**ing reminded me of !eing *hone&ta**ed in#essantl"( in addition to other t"*es of harassment( when we li8ed in Nami!ia under the South Afri#an a*artheid regime0 Do o**ressi8e regimes and their fun#tionaries ha8e #hat rooms and fraternal #ongresses where the" e7#hange ideas on how to #ontrol their su!$e#t *o*ulations( or are the o**ressi8e measures O sur8eillan#e( detention( #ensorshi*( *ro*aganda( >*aramilitar"@ thugs( torture( intimidation( et#0 O generated anew in the *er8erted minds of ea#h generation of t"rants( s*ooks( and s*ies? 6he answer is *ro!a!l" >!oth@; o**ressi8e regimes do e7#hange ad8i#e a!out how to kee* their su!$e#ts reined in( while there are a!solutel" no limits to the #ruelties that some *eo*le #an infli#t on others !" instin#t( es*e#iall" when their #ons#ien#es are lo!otomised !" offi#ial mandates Ee0g0 >I was onl" following orders@ or >Our enemies are su!&human sa8ages@F and !" the assuran#es that the" are doing it for a good #ause0 As the situation eased( we !egan to get a !igger *i#ture of what had ha**ened during the unrest0 )e heard that the authorities had detained so man" *eo*le that a whole s#hool had !een taken o8er as a detention #entre0 Regarding #asualties( the offi#ial 8ersion was still that onl" se8en *eo*le were killed0 6his in#luded the three inno#ent holida"&makers who were killed when trigger&ha**" soldiers fired on their 8ehi#le0 Onl" four #om!atants killed after su#h *rolonged e7#hanges of fire? +ould so man" guns ha8e fired so man" !ullets with su#h little effe#t? Howe8er( we did not en:uire too dee*l" into these matters !e#ause foreigners tread #arefull" during insurre#tions and states of emergen#"( es*e#iall" under militar" rule0 After the 8iolent ru*ture of the insurre#tion( *eo*le !egan to *i#k u* the threads of their dail" routines0 At PD+N( although we got the #am*us !a#k to work as :ui#kl" as *ossi!le( we fa#ed limitations !e#ause a lot of our work was with go8ernment s#hools( whi#h remained #losed for another two months0 And( of #ourse( no matter how mu#h we ke*t oursel8es o##u*ied( there was alwa"s the knowledge that this thing had not gone awa" !ut had onl" !een su**ressed for a while0 6here was a sense that when it did resurfa#e( it would !e all the fier#er( with new mart"rs and new grie8an#es adding fresh fuel to the old *assions0 I was reminded of the words of the indigenous Nami!ian leader( Hendrik )it!ooi( who( during the late /2th #entur" when 'erman #olonisers im*osed >*ea#e@ !etween him and a neigh!ouring tri!e with whom he had long&standing dis*utes( said to the 'erman #ommander( >6o me it looks as if "ou are smothering an unresol8ed #onfli#t in all of its fresh red heat( as if with a !lanket@ 6his is the ine8ita!le result when #onfli#ts are >resol8ed@ !" for#e and not !" mediation0 E6he :uotation is from *age 34 of The Hendrik 0itbooi 1a-ers whi#h was *u!lished in /242 !" the National Ar#hi8es of Nami!ia and translated !" Annemarie He"wood and !en Maasdor*0F In fa#t( this was e7a#tl" what had ha**ened in this #ase; the #onfli#t had onl" !een smothered( not resol8ed0 During 1anuar" -..I( a few months after we left the Northern Areas( there was a new and more 8iolent insurre#tion that left more *eo*le dead( in#luding famil" mem!ers of senior go8ernment offi#ials0 Amidst all this hatred and destru#tion( the in#ident that reall" !rought the im*a#t of the #onfli#t home to me was the death of a "oung man who( although a #i8ilian( was em*lo"ed as a *oli#e dri8er in 'ilgit0 I knew him :uite well !e#ause he had !een a dri8er at our #am*us and had dri8en me to a num!er of offi#ial fun#tions0 Man<oor was a 8igorous( handsome "oung fellow who was *o*ular with his #olleagues and had onl" taken the $o! with the *oli#e a few months !efore he was killed0 A*art from the regret that alwa"s a##om*anies a death( es*e#iall" the death of a "oung *erson( it was *oignant to think that Man<oor was *aid less than I... ru*ees *er month(

whi#h was the a8erage wage for a dri8er in the Northern Areas0 Although I... ru*ees( whi#h was onl" worth a!out 5. US dollars at the time( was a *ittan#e to most *eo*le in the ri#h )est( in this im*o8erished region it would ha8e !een a signifi#ant in#ome( and *ro!a!l" the onl" #ash in#ome( for his famil"0 His death would ha8e !een a dou!le !low to them0 CH !"ER 7'+E% ,'($, #7 "HE ! ," In s*ite of the fa#t that the Northern Areas is a region that seems to !e ina##essi!le and remote( for time immemorial it has !een a #rossroads !etween #ontending *owers( ideologies( and religions0 One result is that thousands of ro#k engra8ings are s#attered throughout the region0 Man" sites are eas" to rea#h and e7*lore0 Bor instan#e( there are s#ores of ins#ri*tions and engra8ings on $um!led ro#ks near Alam %ridge( whi#h is where the road to Skardu lea8es the KKH at the *la#e where the 'ilgit Ri8er $oins the Indus0 %eing a relati8el" flat and o*en *ie#e of ground at the $un#tion of two ma$or ri8ers( it must ha8e !een a gathering *la#e sin#e time immemorial0 As with mu#h of what is now India and Pakistan( %uddhism on#e had a strong *resen#e in the Northern Areas0 %uddhism *ro!a!l" s*read from the area in north&western Pakistan that was known to an#ient %uddhists as 'andhara( whi#h stret#hed from modern Peshawar to 6a7ila( $ust west of Islama!adKRawal*indi0 During the %uddhist *eriod( there were religious settlements and monasteries in man" of the 8alle"s of the Northern Areas0 Near 'ilgit( for instan#e( as I said( there is a larger&than&lifesi<e #ar8ing of the standing %uddha on a #liff at the entran#e to Kargah 8alle"( while %uddhist manus#ri*ts were found in the ruins of a monaster" in the 8alle" itself0

&u22hist en/ravin/s 1et8een the 'n2us River an2 the 00H near Chilas

6here is one reli# that is uni:ue amongst more than -.(... items of ro#k art and *etrogl"*hs along the KKH within the Northern Areas0 6his is an engra8ing of a Nestorian #ross( whi#h is #ar8ed on a ro#k at Konodass near 'ilgit at the *la#e where the Hun<a Ri8er flows into the 'ilgit Ri8er0 6he Nestorian +hur#h( sometimes also #alled the Ass"rian +hur#h or the >+hur#h of the ast@( was e$e#ted from !oth the )estern and %"<antine #hur#hes and has a #om*li#ated and tangled histor"0 During and after the 3th #entur" + ( it s*read as far as #entral +hina and *arts of #entral Asia0 Howe8er( !e#ause of *oliti#al and ideologi#al tem*ests( within a few #enturies Nestorian +hristianit" almost #om*letel"

disa**eared from Asia0 Ne8ertheless( there on a ro#k near 'ilgit( less than two kilometres from the PD+N #am*us( is a lone Nestorian #ross that stimulates the imagination to ask who #ould ha8e #ar8ed it in this remote area where there are no other tra#es of this religion0 6he most remarka!le ins#ri*tion on the KKH is on ro#ks at Mansehra( south of the Northern Areas0 6his is one amongst a num!er of far&flung ins#ri*tions on *illars and ro#ks that #ontain edi#ts !" King Asoka( who from -3C to -C- %+ ruled o8er the Maur"an m*ire( whi#h stret#hed from eastern Afghanistan a#ross most of *resent&da" Pakistan( India( and %angladesh0 Legend has it that Asoka was so horrified !" a massa#re when his arm" #on:uered an enem" #it" that he #on8erted to %uddhism and urged his su!$e#ts to do likewise0 He es*oused non8iolen#e( toleran#e of all se#ts and o*inions( o!edien#e to *arents( res*e#t for religious tea#hers and *riests( li!eralit" towards friends( humane treatment of underlings( and generosit" towards all0 In addition( Asoka undertook large&s#ale *u!li# works( su#h as s#hools( uni8ersities( roads( and irrigation *ro$e#ts to im*ro8e general welfare0 Bor his intelligen#e( largeness of s*irit( and integrit"( Asoka has often !een #alled the greatest ruler who e8er li8ed( an"where at an" time0 Bor an"one who ha**ens to !e in north&#entral Pakistan and has an interest in histor"( 6a7ila( a )orld Heritage Site( is well worth 8isiting0 Although it is not stri#tl" on the KKH( ( it is #lose to where the KKH !egins( within eas" rea#h of Islama!ad and Rawal*indi( and is en route for most tra8ellers on the highwa"0 6a7ila was a great #entre of *ower and learning for almost one thousand "ears( from the 5th #entur" %+ to the Ith #entur" + 0 In fa#t( it was alread" well esta!lished when Ale7ander 8isited it0 Bor mu#h of 6a7ila@s histor"( it was a #entre of %uddhist learningJ as a result( the sites #ontain the remains of im*ressi8e stu*as and large monasteries0 Bor the re#ord( a stu*a is a %uddhist religious monument0 6he first stu*as were sim*le mounds of mud or #la" to #o8er su**osed reli#s of the %uddha0 O8er time( !ased on the !ell sha*e( the" !e#ame more ela!orate( with features su#h as #ha*els( frie<es( s*ires( and >*arasols@0 Bor instan#e( a *agoda is a#tuall" a highl" ela!orated stu*a0 I was *arti#ularl" interested in the !uilding at the site named 1andial !e#ause it is #onstru#ted on the lines of a #lassi#al 'reek tem*le that follows Ionian design0 Howe8er( it is #onsidered to !e Uoroastrian( and thus dedi#ated to an Iranian god su#h as Ahurama<da0 )hate8er the truth( it is remarka!le to 8iew and walk around the remains of a 'reek&st"le tem*le in modern Pakistan0 Some of the sites at 6a7ila were destro"ed !" the in8ading )hite Huns during the Ith #entur" + and ne8er re#o8ered from the disaster( while others were !adl" damaged !" earth:uakes in earlier #enturies0 Howe8er( whate8er the #ondition( 6a7ila is an ama<ing #hain of an#ient sites( worth" of its )orld Heritage listing0 Unfortunatel"( refle#ting the hit&and& miss management st"le that #hara#teri<es a lot of *ro$e#ts in Pakistan( the site is *oorl" la!elled and the lo#al guides are not reall" knowledgea!le in the dee* sense0 Rather( the" ha8e rote&learned their routines and #annot *ro8ide an" information outside of their set *atter0 As a result( although we had a general idea of what we were going to see( it would ha8e hel*ed a lot if we had a##essed more information !efore we made the tri*0 Ne8ertheless( e8en *eo*le who are almost entirel" ignorant of the !a#kground and histor" of 6a7ila would surel" !e mo8ed and im*ressed !" what the" see there0 CH !"ER ,'9% 5 'L) L'7E As strangers from a different *art of the world arri8ing in 'ilgit for the first time( the great fa#t that took our attention was the mountains that towered o8er the town0 6he" were

stark( stee*( massi8e( and snow&#a**ed0 As we settled in( Marie found them o**ressi8e( while I found them #hallenging( as if I #ontinuall" had to #ome to terms with m" own human&ness( small !ut dura!le in the fa#e of su#h im*la#a!le immensit"0 6he ne7t as*e#t to take our attention was the a**earan#e of the main town( whi#h was sha!!" and disordered without an" aestheti# a**eal or !uildings of note( stret#hing ha*ha<ardl" along the floor and slo*es of the dee* 8alle"0 In fa#t( in its s:uat( gre" dra!ness the town looked as if it had !een o**ressed !" the surrounding grandeur instead of !eing ele8ated !" it0 Some *arts of the !a<aar were so de#re*it that the" looked as if the" had !een atta#ked !" a mortar and #annon !arrage and had not "et !een re*aired0 Awa" from the !a<aar and the main routes( the residential se#tions had high stone walls lining narrow( winding lanes that were lined with water #hannels0 In these areas( e8er"where there was the sound of gurgling water from the omni*resent #hannels0 Another noti#ea!le feature was the large metal gates( usuall" hea8il" de#orated( that *un#tuated the walls0 Bor us( wandering through residential areas of 'ilgit was like 8isiting a li8ing medie8al s#ene0 6o get to our house from the main road( whi#h was a wide thoroughfare that #onne#ted the KKH to the #entral !a<aar( from Khomer +howk we dro8e u* Ria< Road( a nominall" tarred road that had !een >widened@ !" arm" !ulldo<ers a!out a "ear earlier when the militar" authorities su##um!ed to a modernising fit0 Re#alling the e8ent( an a#:uaintan#e who li8ed on Ria< Road told us that she was ha8ing !reakfast when she heard a roaring( rum!ling sound and( suddenl"( her two&metre high front wall !egan to #rum!le and #olla*se in a #loud of dust( 8i#tim to a huge arm" !ulldo<er that was making its wa" u* Ria< Road on a mission to widen the thoroughfare0 Although another a#:uaintan#e( Rosalind( who li8ed higher u* did not lose her wall( she lost the ram* that #onne#ted her dri8ewa" to the road( so that she would ha8e to negotiate a dro* of half a metre in height to get her 8ehi#le into the road0 After the !ulldo<er had finished its work( there were similar s#enes all along Ria< Road0 6hen( as the militar" authorities@ enthusiasm for im*ro8ement su!sided( the road was left unfinished with #rum!ling 8erges( *otholes( o*en manholes( and the remains of ruined walls e8er"where0 Lo#al *eo*le added to the disorder !" digging u* *arts of the road to la" their own *i*es and #a!les0 Animals( #hildren and other *edestrians wandered all o8er the road( #areless of traffi#( as the first rule of the road is that dri8ers should hoot( hoot( and hoot some more0 Although we ne8er *ut our theor" to the test( we sus*e#ted that there was an unwritten !ut ne8ertheless firml" held rule that a dri8er would !e at fault if heKshe #ollided with some!od" or something without ha8ing hooted long( fre:uentl"( and 8igorousl"( no matter how #arelessl" or ha*ha<ardl" the *edestrian or other 8ehi#le might !e !eha8ing0 A!out eighteen months after we arri8ed in 'ilgit( Ria< Road was re&surfa#ed and for a while it was a *leasure to dri8e on its smooth( wide surfa#e0 Howe8er( this fa8oura!le situation did not last for long; soon some other !ran#h of the militar" administration de#ided that it was time to la" new water *i*es( and a !road dit#h was e7#a8ated right down the middle of the newl" tarred road0 After the *i*es were laid and the dit#h was #o8ered and refilled with dirt( the s#ar was not re&tarred during the rest of the time that we li8ed in 'ilgit0 On our wa" home( ha8ing negotiated Ria< Road in our large GDG station wagon( we then turned into a narrow lane !etween high stone walls( whi#h !e#ame a sort of raised #ausewa" #rum!ling into a water #hannel on one side and into a #ulti8ated field on the other side0 If the 8ehi#le de8iated !" a few #entimetres to left or right( it would slide into the #hannel or roll into the field0 Binall"( we rea#hed our own gates0 %ut now the 8ehi#le had to !e turned to fa#e !a#k the wa" it #ame0 6his was a task that re:uired #areful manoeu8ring to a8oid water #hannels( walls( and em!ankments( not to mention #hildren and stra" animals0

During weekda"s( our dri8er had #harge of the 8ehi#le( !ut during e8enings and weekends( I would ha8e to do all of the a!o8e( in#luding hoot( hoot( and hoot some more0 Dress was another feature that new#omers would noti#e immediatel"0 As in the rest of Pakistan( most men wore the shalwar&kamee<( whi#h #onsisted of a #alf&length tuni# o8er loose trousers( usuall" worn with sandals0 Most men dressed in dra! #olours( su#h as !rown or gre"0 Some men !rightened the s#ene !" wearing white or !lue shalwar&kamee<es( !ut these were un#ommon0 A signifi#ant *ro*ortion of the men wore the flat&to**ed( rolled( >*an#ake@ hat usuall" in dra! #olours0 Man" men were also !earded( in honour of the Pro*het0 Howe8er( men were also free to wear >)estern@ dress( and man" often did0 On the other hand( women alwa"s wore the uni8ersal >uniform@ of all females in Pakistan( namel" the shalwar&kamee< with a du*ata( whi#h is a large shawl that is usuall" arranged o8er the torso and dra*ed around the ne#k0 Howe8er( in #ontrast to the men( women@s shalwar&kamee<es #ame in a wide 8ariet" of !right and attra#ti8e #olours and *atterns( as did the du*ata0 Modest" re:uired that slee8es should e7tend down to the wrists and that the shalwar Ei0e0 *antaloonsF should !e so loose enough around the legs that the ankles were not e7*osed when the wearer was seated0 6he du*ata( *ro!a!l" the most distin#ti8e feature of women@s dress in Pakistan( had man" uses( !esides !eing a modest"&#o8er for the !osom0 It was often used to #o8er the head and( de*ending on the degree of #onser8atism of the wearer( also to #on#eal the fa#e0 Some women( su#h as Ismaelis( often went !are&headed and were usuall" o*en&fa#ed while women of other !a#kgrounds #o8ered their heads !ut not their fa#es( and some also used their du*atas to #o8er their lower fa#es when men were near !"0 A minorit" of women alwa"s #o8ered the lower *arts of their fa#es when the" were in *u!li# *la#es0 Howe8er( the full&fa#e >shuttle #o#k@ or !ur:a was not #ommon in the Northern Areas0 )e used to $oke with a %ritish friend a!out the man" uses to whi#h we had seen du*atas *ut0 Amongst the more unusual uses that she had seen were a du*ata used as a >si#kness !ag@ on an air#raft( to wi*e the teats of a #ow !efore milking( and to wi*e #hildren@s noses0 I saw a du*ata !eing used to #arr" 8egeta!les out of our garden( to whisk awa" flies Ea #ommon useF( to #lean a !la#k!oard( and to dust a ta!le( in all #ases while still !eing worn !" the user0 'ender is one of the entren#hed fa#ts that ha8e to !e taken into a##ount when *lanning an" *ro$e#t in Pakistan( *arti#ularl" if one is working in a #onser8ati8e en8ironment( as is usuall" the #ase0 Bor instan#e( it is often the #ase that onl" women ma" work #losel" with women( that the a**ro8al of male guardians must !e o!tained !efore *lans in8ol8ing females #an !e finalised( that se*arate working fa#ilities for men and women must !e *ro8ided( that men and women might ha8e to !e seated se*aratel" in worksho*s and dis#ussions( that it might !e im*ro*er for male and female #olleagues to tra8el together( that a woman ma" not tra8el alone in a 8ehi#le with a male( su#h as a dri8er( and that women #annot sta" o8ernight on assignment without a male guardian also !eing in the 8i#init"0 Male authorities often use these diffi#ulties and #om*li#ations as an e7#use to kee* women out of work*la#es and *ro$e#ts0 Bor instan#e( the men will sa" that the !udget does not allow for fa#ilities and ser8i#es to !e du*li#ated( that the" do not want to e7*ose women to *otentiall" sensiti8e en#ounters and situations( and that( in an" #ase( it is not what women reall" want0 In 'ilgit( the senior edu#ational offi#ials( who had to offer res*onsi!le *ositions at head offi#e to women in terms of the #onditions of the uro*ean Union *ro$e#t( would tell me a!out the man" diffi#ulties that the new arrangement #aused0 6he" would #om*lain that women had to ha8e se*arate offi#es and toilets( that trans*ort arrangements were more

#om*li#ated( and that male #olleagues( su#h as *rin#i*als and tea#hers in the s#hools( did not like taking instru#tions from females0 I o!ser8ed that the offi#ials at head offi#e were e7#eedingl" unwilling to ha8e an" women in their formerl" male&onl" domain( and that the" onl" tolerated women #olleagues to the minimum e7tent that would satisf" the terms of the *ro$e#t grant0 It was #lear that the women also felt un#omforta!le0 )riting a!out gender reminds me of an o##asion when we made a so#ial 8isit to the home of a senior #i8il ser8ant0 )ith him and his wife( we sat on the lawn outside their house drinking tea( surrounded !" flowers( with the towering mountains as a !a#kdro*( and talked a!out man" things0 He told us that when he attended a #onferen#e in a large )estern #a*ital #it" a few months earlier( he informed the delegates that women in Pakistan are mu#h !etter treated and more res*e#ted than in the )est0 )hen his listeners e7*ressed sur*rise( he e7*lained that this was !e#ause men in Pakistan would work themsel8es to e7haustion to ensure that their women did not ha8e a worr" or a #are in the world0 )e had the feeling that we had heard su#h sentiments !efore in other #onte7ts( and that on those o##asions we had heard irate female res*onses that in#luded referen#es to >*aternalism@( >se7ism@( and >de*enden#e@( amongst others0 On this o##asion( his wife merel" smiled o!ligingl"0 A#tuall"( her #ommand of nglish was rudimentar"( so *erha*s she had not understood what he said0 Later( we remarked to ea#h other that( when he e7*ounded on the fa8oured *osition of women in Pakistan( our host seemed to ha8e forgotten that onl" a few hundred metres awa" from his house( *easant women #rou#hed in the fields da" after da"( sowing( weeding( and har8esting( while also ha8ing to #lean house( #are for #hildren( and *re*are meals0 6his is the situation of millions of women in Pakistan0 Onl" a #om*arati8el" small grou* of women ha8e a #omforta!le( if regulated( life under a *atriar#h" && and their li8es are made easier !" the toil of the ma$orit" of women in their so#iet"0 Until the" are /- "ears of age( girls are allowed to *la" and mo8e a!out freel" outside the house0 6he" are to !e seen e8er"where( in the *arks( streets( and fields( *la"ing with !o"s or in girl&onl" grou*s0 6hen( suddenl"( the" disa**ear0 6he reason is that at the age of /"ears( the" are te#hni#all" >women@ and must !e withdrawn to the san#tuar" of the home( to !egin *re*aring for their li8es as wi8es and mothers0 6his a!ru*t #hange in lifest"le must !e diffi#ult for man" of them0 Bor instan#e( at the Mountain S#hool( Marie noti#ed that a num!er of girls of /- "ears of age and older seemed to !e relu#tant to go home after s#hool0 6he" wanted to hang around( reading in the li!rar"( hel*ing with odd $o!s( or *la"ing in the grounds0 6he reason( Marie was told( was that girls of this age found it mu#h more en$o"a!le to sta" late at s#hool than to !e at home( where the" suddenl" had to get used to the #onfinements and stri#tures of the life of a women in this hea8il" se7&differentiated so#iet"0 Although( as in all so#ieties( girls learn to a#t as women largel" !" e7am*le and *ersuasion( there is a 8iolent and #oer#i8e undertone to the *ro#ess0 In Pakistan( this was e*itomised !" the Hudood Ordinan#es( whi#h were *arti#ularl" se8ere on women a##used of ha8ing e7tra&marital se7( and on women who were ra*ed0 A woman who alleged that she was ra*ed was re:uired to *ro8ide four adult male witnesses of good standingJ of #ourse( in *ra#ti#e this meant that there would ne8er !e a *rose#ution for ra*e0 If the woman #ould not *ro8ide the witnesses( then she herself #ould !e *rose#uted for a##using an inno#ent man of adulter"0 Also( to *ro8e that she was ra*ed( the woman would ha8e to admit that se7ual inter#ourse had taken *la#e0 If the alleged offender was a#:uitted( then the woman #ould !e #harged with adulter" or forni#ation0 Laws su#h as this en#ouraged woman to rel" on the >*rote#tion@ of male relati8es and to !e #autious in their mo8ements and relationshi*s0 6he *ra#ti#e of honour killing also #oer#es women into good and o!edient !eha8iour0 An honour killing refers to the murder of a female !" a male mem!er of her famil"( for

reasons su#h as refusing an arranged marriage( !eing the 8i#tim of a se7ual assault( seeking a di8or#e( or #ommitting adulter" or forni#ation0 Although the *ra#ti#e does not ha8e legal san#tion in Pakistan( the authorities often do not a#t against towards the *er*etrators0 In fa#t( sometimes >honour killings@ are not e8en in8estigated0 One winter@s e8ening( while I was outside our house ad$usting the heating s"stem( I heard four or fi8e shots0 6he" were so #lose( so shar* in the #ris* air( that I felt e7*osed and un*rote#ted0 Howe8er( !efore I #ould de#ide whether to du#k or seek #o8er( the fusillade ended and the night was :uiet again0 Ne7t morning( a #olleague who li8ed in our area told me that I had heard the sounds of an honour killing from a near!" *ro*ert"0 6he shots had !een fired !" a "oung man who had killed his sister and the man with whom she was sus*e#ted of ha8ing an e7tramarital affair0 A!out si7 months later( there was another >honour killing@ at a house in the neigh!ourhood0 6wo >honour killings@ in the same *art of town within a *eriod of less than a "ear would !e strong in#enti8es to all good women in the area to guard their 8irtue0 6he low #ost of li8ing was another noti#ea!le feature of life in the Northern Areas0 I no longer ha8e a re#ord of the *ri#es of food and general su**lies in the !a<aar( !ut I do remem!er the *ri#e of high tea on Sunda" afternoon at the Serena Hotel( 'ilgit@s !est( where one #ould eat one@s fill on salads( samoosas( *i<<as( #ha*atis( and dahl mash( together with numerous desert dishes at a *ri#e that( when #on8erted from ru*ees( #ame to a!out USXC0I. *er *erson0 E6his was during -..G0F At the same hotel( a full !uffet meal would #ost the e:ui8alent of a!out USX/. ea#h0 6he meal in#luded salads( a sele#tion of hot !uffet dishes( and a range of desserts0 Pri#es at less u*market eateries were e8en lower0 Bor instan#e( at a lo#al +hinese restaurant we had a meal for two that in#luded sou*( main #ourses( and tea for the e:ui8alent of a!out USX- *er *erson0 It wasn@t gourmet #ooking( !ut it wasn@t too !ad either0 Pri#es like this( whi#h e7tended to a##ommodation #osts( should ha8e #ontri!uted to making the Northern Areas a leading destination for tourists0 Howe8er( this was not the #ase0 I will sa" more a!out this later0 %e#ause h"giene is not alwa"s an im*ortant #onsideration in Pakistan( when eating awa" from home we were alwa"s #ons#ious of the danger of *i#king u* a stoma#h !ug0 6he rule of thum! was to a8oid eating un#ooked food( su#h as salads0 6r"ing to o!ser8e this rule #ould !e diffi#ultJ for instan#e( at a restaurant while en route along the KKH( I on#e had an e##entri# lun#h of #ha*atis and marmalade( on the !asis that EaF the #ha*atis #ame straight from the sto8e( and so were *ro!a!l" safe to eat( and E!F the marmalade #ame out of a !ottle Emanufa#tured under li#en#e to HM the Mueen( who surel" would know a!out these thingsF( and therefore was also safe0 Howe8er( in s*ite of *re#autions( the dreaded !ug #ould strike at an" time and an"where0 On at least three o##asions( I got stoma#h u*sets in Islama!ad after eating at restaurants in four& and fi8e&star hotels( whi#h are su**osed to train their staff to international standards0 Marie also had a num!er of stoma#h u*sets( of whi#h the most serious #ame from eating a small *astr" at an affluent home in Kara#hi( where she *i#ked u* a se8ere dose of amoe!i# d"senter" that laid her low for more than a month and redu#ed her weight !" a!out 3 kilograms0 At home( we washed all our fruit and 8egeta!les in a solution of *otassium *ermanganate and onl" drank( and #leaned our teeth( in !ottled water( while we #ooked in thri#e&filtered water0 Howe8er( we showered in unfiltered water0 6hat wasn@t too !ad in 'ilgit( where the water #ame more or less dire#tl" from a stream that !egan at a gla#ier and then ran down a 8alle"( 1utial Nullah( where there was little #han#e of #ontamination !e#ause few *eo*le li8ed there0 In fa#t( for washing( showering( and sha8ing( the water in 'ilgit was amongst the softest and most *leasant that I ha8e e8er e7*erien#ed0 Howe8er( Kara#hi was a

different matter0 6here the water was !rought in !" a road tanker0 It looked !ad( it stank( and when it was !oiled( it *rodu#ed a gre"( !u!!ling s#um as if it #ame off filth" #lothes that were !eing washed in grim" water0 Although the #ost of li8ing was low( so were wages0 Bor instan#e( the salar" of m" highest *aid #olleague( PD+N@s senior manager( was a!out RsG4... *er month( the e:ui8alent of a!out USX4C. at that time( whi#h was #onsidered to !e 8er" good0 On the other hand( the highest *aid fa#ult" mem!er( who( like all other fa#ult"( had a masters degree from AKU and #onsidera!le e7*erien#e( was onl" a!out half of that0 On the *lus side( these salaries were ta7&free in the Northern Areas0 On the minus side( the" did not in#lude an em*lo"er@s *ension #ontri!ution and there were few !enefits0 6he tea#hers at the Mountain S#hool( where Marie worked( #onsidered themsel8es :uite well *aid at a!out Rs4... Ea!out USX/G.F *er month( although these salaries in#reased !" a!out I.P later0 A s#hool *rin#i*al at a go8ernment s#hool was *aid a!out Rs2... *er month Ea!out USX/IIF0 Other workers were *aid #onsidera!l" less; for instan#e( in 'ilgit we *aid our dri8ers RsGI.. *er month EUSX4.F( whi#h was #onsidered to !e high( while gardeners( #leaners( and se#urit" guards at PD+N were onl" *aid !etween RsC... and RsCI.. *er month EUSXI. to USX5.F0 After #oming from #rime&ridden Southern Afri#a( it was a *leasant sur*rise to find that 'ilgit was almost #rime&free in s*ite of low wages and *o8ert"0 At the PD+N #am*us( it took me a long time to get used to the wa" in whi#h uno##u*ied offi#es were left o*en and unsu*er8ised( in s*ite of ha8ing la*to*s( P+s( hand!ags( et#0 l"ing a!out0 During m" C5 months at PD+N( there was onl" one #ase of theft when mone" was stolen from an unattended hand!ag during lun#h hour( when most staff mem!ers were in the #afeteria0 After that( *eo*le took their !ags with them to the #afeteria and it did not ha**en again0 %" #ontrast( at the Uni8ersit" of Nami!ia( m" *re8ious *la#e of em*lo"ment( theft was so *re8alent that I would not e8en lea8e m" offi#e o*en and unsu*er8ised for one minute0 In fa#t( if I wanted to ha8e a :ui#k #on8ersation with one of m" neigh!ours and not go to the trou!le of lo#king m" offi#e( I would stand in their offi#e doorwa"s #hatting to them while kee*ing an e"e on m" offi#e as well0 At our house in 'ilgit( during a *eriod of more than two "ears we e7*erien#ed onl" one theft( when a radio was stolen from a $ee* that someone had stored in a remote *art of our garden0 Howe8er( the one e7#e*tion was fruit( whi#h was stolen all the time 9 !ut it seemed that fruit was fair game all o8er the neigh!ourhood( whi#h was es*e#iall" understanda!le in our #ase( as we had a lot more than we( and Salim and his famil"( #ould use0 O8erall( it was ironi# that while we were li8ing in what one $ournalist la!elled dramati#all" as >the most dangerous #ountr" on arth@( we almost forgot what it was to li8e in #ontinual e7*e#tation of the ne7t assault on our *erson( s*a#e( and *ro*ert"0 6his did not mean that the Northern Area( in#luding 'ilgit( was a #rime&free region0 6hat would !e asking too mu#h0 Howe8er( it did mean that there was su#h a low rate of theft that e8en a minor !urglar" #aused #onsternation and outrage0 6here was also a lot of trust !etween *eo*le0 Bor instan#e( in a sho* in the main street of Karima!ad in Hun<a( Marie !ought herself an elegant shawl for a!out Rs-4..( whi#h made it :uite e7*ensi8e in the #onte7t of lo#al *ri#es0 %e#ause we had onl" set out for a walk( not to go sho**ing( we did not ha8e enough mone" with us0 )hen we said that we would go !a#k to the hotel to fet#h the mone"( the sho* owner insisted that we take the shawl with us on our walk and return to *a" him at our leisure0 On another o##asion( we saw some !ooks that we wanted to !u"( !ut for whi#h we also did not ha8e enough mone" a8aila!le right then0 On#e again( the owner in8ited us to take the goods with us and *a" him when it suited us0

)hen Marie asked him if he did not lose out !" doing this( he re*lied( >No( *eo*le alwa"s #ome !a#k to *a"@0 6he downside of low *ri#es and low wages was *oor workmanshi* and *oor :ualit" of goods0 6he reason was sim*le; South&east Asia is a huge and lu#rati8e market( !ut mainl" for mass&*rodu#ed goods that #an !e sold at the *ri#es and at the :ualit" that the mass of #ustomers( with their low in#omes( #an afford0 6he region is also rife with #ommer#ial *ira#"( whi#h e7tends to almost an" marketa!le *rodu#t( su#h as D=Ds( +Ds( shoes( all t"*es of #lothing( hardware( motor *arts 9 "ou name it( someone in the region will !e *rodu#ing a *irated 8ersion0 Do "ou want to im*ress *eo*le !" wearing a Role7 wrist&wat#h along with Armani sunglasses and Le8is $eans while listening to a +D !" the latest *o* di8a( using the most fashiona!le *ie#e of ele#troni# e:ui*ment? In Pakistan( "ou #an !u" all of them as re*rodu#tions in the !a<aar( at a fra#tion of the *ri#es of the originals0 )hen I #ommented on the fa#t that e8en #ontem*orar"( !est&selling no8els in nglish were a8aila!le in *irated 8ersions( one of our Pakistani friends( a #ulti8ated woman who was widel" read in nglish literature( re*lied( >%ut of #ourse 9 how else do "ou think that we #ould afford to read on our salaries?@ I remem!er that we were introdu#ed to #ommer#ial *ira#" soon after we arri8ed in 'ilgit( when we had the following #on8ersation with a sho*kee*er in the !a<aar; Me; How mu#h are these Nike running shoes? Sho*kee*er; 6hree hundred ru*ees0 Me; 6hat@s 8er" #hea*0 Nike runners would #ost a few thousand ru*ees elsewhere0 Sho*kee*er; AhA Lou want Ameri#an&:ualit" Nike shoes? 6hose are one hundred US dollars0 6hese shoes are made in +hina0 6he" are the *oor man@s Nike0 Soon after that( we went sho**ing for a storm lantern and were shown one for Rs/C.( as well as a near&identi#al one for dou!le the *ri#e0 )hen we asked what the differen#e was( the sho*kee*er *ointed to the manufa#turer@s marks and e7*lained that although the" !oth #laimed to !e made in 'erman"( the first one was >Made in 'erman" 9 Pakistan@ and the se#ond was >Made in 'erman" && 'enuine@0 )hile wearing *irated #lothing and listening to *irated +Ds is not !ad for "our health( the same is not true of ingesting *irated medi#ines and installing fake motor *arts0 6he fa#t is that( although #on#ern is es#alating a!out fake drugs in *arti#ular( no!od" knows how man" deaths( health *ro!lems( and in$uries all o8er the world are #aused !" the use of *irated *rodu#ts0 In our #ase( while we were insulated from the dangers of fake motor *arts !" the fa#t that we had a #om*an" 8ehi#le and m" em*lo"er ensured that onl" genuine *arts were installed( I was alwa"s ner8ous when I !ought *harma#euti#al *rodu#ts( su#h as remedies for heada#hes and stoma#h u*sets0 )hen two defe#ti8e 8oltage regulators #aught fire we did dire#tl" e7*erien#e some of the *otential #onse:uen#es of *oor workmanshi*0 One e8ening( I walked into the kit#hen and found that the 8oltage regulator for the refrigerator was on fire0 I smothered the fire and rushed the regulator outside( where it !urned down to a #harred wre#k0 Bortunatel" there was nothing flamma!le in the 8i#init" of the refrigerator( or the house might ha8e gone u* in flames0 Ne7t da"( I *ut an older regulator in the kit#hen in *la#e of the !urned&out item and installed a newl" *ur#hased 8oltage regulator in our !edroom to manage the *ower su**l" to our lam*s and radio0 Marie was l"ing in !ed( si#k with the @flu and feeling 8er" sorr" for herself0 A few minutes later( I walked into the !edroom and found that the new 8oltage regulator was emitting a #loud of a#rid white smoke while flames li#ked around the inside0

On#e again( I did a smother&and&dis#ard a#t0 6hen I said to Marie( >6hat 8oltage regulator was on fire $ust !ehind "our head0 +ouldn@t "ou smell it?@ >Oh@( she re*lied( looking !lear"&e"ed and sounding sniff"( >I@m so !unged&u* that I #an@t smell a thing0@ )hile tr"ing to get rid of the smoke and the smelll( I didn@t make the o!8ious re*l"( whi#h was( >)ell( that@s o!8iousA@ On#e again( we were fortunate that there was no serious damage( es*e#iall" as the 8oltage regulator had !een standing on a wooden window sill0 Of #ourse( *oor workmanshi* and *oor *rodu#t :ualit" adds to life@s in#on8enien#es in a region that is not short of diffi#ulties in other s*heres as well0 Bor e7am*le( there was the #ase of our generator( whi#h we relied on throughout winter !e#ause the ele#tri#it" su**l" was so errati#0 6he generator !roke down in mid&Be!ruar" and #ould not !e fi7ed for a week !e#ause the re*la#ement *art had to #ome from Lahore and #ould not !e deli8ered !e#ause it was id0 6his was followed !" mudslides on the highwa"( whi#h meant that nothing #ould get through( in#luding our generator0 6hen m" em*lo"er hired a generator for us( whi#h !roke down after two da"s( was re*aired( and again !roke down in a flood of oil after a few hours0 Another generator was hired( whi#h !roke down after less than two hours0 Some time during that saga( the !atter" on one of our uni8ersal *ower su**liers EUPSsF was taken awa" for attention and was not returned for a week0 6hen the 8oltage regulator that *rote#ted the refrigerator from the 8agaries of the lo#al ele#tri#it" su**l" had to !e re*aired 9 that was !efore it #aught fire and *assed !e"ond the realm of re*air E#ome to think of it( was there a #onne#tion !etween >re*air@ and #onflagration?F && after whi#h the wall *lug !ehind the refrigerator *a#ked u*0 On some dark( !elow&<ero e8enings on a da" with no mains ele#tri#it"( with no lights( heat( or 6=( and with the generator out of order( we $ust shrugged and( for warmth( went to !ed at 3 *0m0 6here we read !" !atter"&*owered lam*s andKor listened to our )orld S*a#e satellite radio( whi#h ran on im*orted( re#hargea!le !atteries( so ke*t on working while all else failed0 In#identall"( a*ro*os of an earlier referen#e( an HeidH is a ma$or Muslim holida" or o!ser8an#e0 6he two main ids are id ul&Bitr( whi#h starts the da" after Ramadan ends( lasts three da"s (and is #alled >6he Lesser id@( and id ul&Adha( the > id of the Sa#rifi#e@( whi#h lasts four da"s and is #alled >6he 'reater id@0 6here are also smaller ids( similar to one&da" +hristian religious holida"s0 At first( to o8er#ome the fier#e #old of the Himala"an winter( we tried using gas heaters( whi#h was something that we often did in Southern Afri#a0 Howe8er( we soon found that the gas ga8e off an un*leasant aroma and( moreo8er( ga8e us !ad heada#hes0 )e were told that the reason was that most of the gas that was sold in the Northern Areas was adulterated somewhere !etween *oint of su**l" and user0 Bortunatel"( we had a #entral heating s"stem that warmed some of the rooms to #omfort le8el( if one wore moderatel" warm indoor #lothing0 Howe8er( the s"stem needed ele#tri#it" to work 9 and when the mains ele#tri#it" was off( the heating s"stem re:uired so mu#h generator *ower that nothing mu#h else( e7#e*t the tele8ision and a few lights( #ould o*erate at the same time0 6he generator was ne8er *owerful enough to run the refrigerator and the hot water heater( indi8iduall" or together( whi#h is wh" we did without these most of the time during winter0 In fa#t( if it had !een in *ristine #ondition( the generator should ha8e !een *owerful enough to run all these a**lian#es at the same time0 Howe8er( !efore we arri8ed it had !een ser8i#ed at a lo#al worksho*( where the original *arts had *ro!a!l" !een remo8ed and had !een re*la#ed with inferior Pakistani&made ones0

In the s*a#e of a!out ten months( errati# ele#tri#it" surges !urned out one of our UPSs( our radio *ower *a#k Etwi#eF( our #om*uter@s *ower su**l"( and numerous light !ul!s( in s*ite of the a**lian#es !eing *rote#ted !" 8oltage regulators0 An o8erdose of 8oltage was likel" to !e followed !" a #ontrite underdose for a few da"s( when the house would !e as diml" lit as a warehouse that was illuminated !" onl" one -.&watt !ul!0 During those *eriods( Marie would walk from 8oltage regulator to 8oltage regulator( tr"ing to find one that might !e la!ouring $ust a !it harder than the others to gi8e out enough *ower to run her hair drier0 Li8ing with 'ilgit@s ele#tri#it" su**l" was like li8ing on the Kashmir #ease&fire line 9 there were a lot of ominous lulls and "ou ne8er knew when there was going to !e another flare&u*0 Unfortunatel" "ou also ne8er knew when a flare&u* would !e 8igorous enough to damage some of "our e:ui*ment0 As might !e inferred( management standards in Pakistan are generall" :uite low0 Although I was insulated from man" of the #onse:uen#es !e#ause I worked for the Aga Khan Uni8ersit"( whi#h had an effi#ient administration that handled a lot of matters for me( it was ine8ita!le that I would #ome u* against the realities from time to time0 One of our first en#ounters with managerial ineffi#ien#" was when we were granted the 8isas for our sta" in Pakistan0 As I was the em*lo"ee( I should ha8e !een gi8en a work 8isa while( a##ording to Pakistani ordinan#es( Marie should onl" ha8e !een gi8en a residen#e 8isa0 Howe8er( Marie was also gi8en a work 8isa0 A few months later( an administrator at AKU dis#o8ered the error and( to maintain good relations( informed the rele8ant go8ernment de*artment that Marie had the wrong 8isa0 Marie was :uite anno"ed !e#ause( as she said( she ne8er knew when she might want to take a $o!0 I told her not to worr" !e#ause( if I $udged Pakistani #i8il ser8ants #orre#tl"( the" would !e $ust as la<" and ineffi#ient as un#i8il ser8ants in other de8elo*ing #ountries( whi#h meant that #hanging Marie@s 8isa status would !e $ust too mu#h trou!le0 So it *ro8ed to !e0 Marie retained her work 8isa throughout our sta"0 Another e7*erien#e of managerial ineffi#ien#" was when our trunks arri8ed !" sea in Kara#hi a!out two months after we took u* residen#e0 As re:uested( I sent a #ertified #o*" of m" *ass*ort and a letter mandating AKU( as m" em*lo"er( to a#t on m" !ehalf in #learing the trunks through #ustoms0 Howe8er( I was told that the original information was erroneous as the #ustoms offi#e a#tuall" had to see m" *ass*ort0 I refused to *art with m" *ass*ort !e#ause if it was lost en route to Kara#hi( it would !e 8er" diffi#ult to re*la#e it and( what was more( m" work 8isa would disa**ear with it0 After a!out two weeks of arguing and de!ating( the #ustoms offi#e in Kara#hi finall" agreed that( instead of sending the original( I #ould ha8e a #o*" of m" *ass*ort #ertified !" the #ustoms ins*e#tor in 'ilgit0 After a few da"s of tr"ing to a8oid the task( whi#h he seemed to think would #om*romise him in some wa"( the ins*e#tor agreed to do this and the #o*" was #ertified and sent *ost&haste to Kara#hi0 Binall"( the shi**ing agent in Kara#hi #leared the trunks through #ustoms and we re#ei8ed them in 'ilgit( dented in *la#es !ut generall" inta#t0 Howe8er( when we o*ened the first trunk( we found a *air of filth" white so#ks on to* of the other #ontents0 Someone had stolen a few *airs of m" so#ks and re*la#ed them( *a#k&rat st"le( with the filth" *air0 A*art from the so#ks and a few kit#hen utensils( the onl" other arti#les that were missing were some *hotogra*hs of female friends and relati8es0 )hen I mentioned this to some of m" #olleagues( the" said that a lot of men in Pakistan regard *hotogra*hs like these as eroti# o!$e#ts !e#ause( as a result of their a**arentl" *ro8o#ati8e dress norms( >)estern@&looking women are re*uted to !e lustful and se7uall" a8aila!le0 6o e#ho Herodotus( that is what we were told( and the reader ma" !elie8e it if he Eor sheF wishes to0 )orking #onditions for man" *eo*le in Pakistan are *oor( with few *ro8isions for o##u*ational health and safet"( reasona!le working hours( or e8en #omforta!le work

situations0 A ma$or reason for this is that while trade unions are legall" *ermitted in theor"( the" are so #onstrained as to !e almost #om*letel" ineffe#ti8e0 One result is that *eo*le work e7tra&long hours without o8ertime and without daring to #om*lain0 Bor instan#e( dri8ers would !e ke*t on dut" from earl" morning until late night( often without mu#h time off e8en on weekends0 'ilgit had a large !a<aar( whi#h was !oth a #ommer#ial #entre for s#ores of settlements in the region and a #learing house for goods that #ame from +hina 8ia the KKH0 6he !a<aar was similar to sho**ing *re#in#ts in most *arts of Pakistan( namel" a #olle#tion of small sho*s side !" side( most of them a!out the si<e of the a8erage domesti# garage 9 in fa#t( at night the" were se#ured !" roll&down garage doors 9 with their wares dis*la"ed on $am&*a#ked ra#ks fronting the street0 6he !igger stores( whi#h one #ould enter( reminded me of sho**ing during m" "outh( !efore the ad8ent of su*ermarkets and malls0 6he" had wood& framed( glass dis*la" #ases( while from floor to #eiling and a#ross all of their walls there were rows of shel8ing that were *a#ked full of goods0 1ust as during m" "outh( the sho* kee*ers had to #lam!er u* ladders to rea#h the highest shel8es if "ou wanted something that was not often *ur#hased0 )hen we were sho**ing( this ha**ened :uite a lot !e#ause some of the foodstuffs that we en$o"ed( su#h as !reakfast #ereals and 8arious #anned foods( were stored on the to* shel8es !e#ause the" were usuall" onl" !ought !" the few >foreigners@ who remained in 'ilgit after >2K//@0 Of #ourse( the !a<aar was more than $ust rows of sho*sJ in the alle"s and side streets that led out of the main !a<aar( there were numerous warehouses and worksho*s where "ou #ould get an"thing fi7ed or re*la#ed( from a #om*uter@s *ower su**l" unit to an engine for a $ee*0 6he downside of sho**ing in the !a<aar was that it was filth"0 Although the !igger( walk&in sho*s were generall" :uite #lean( the o*en&fronted stalls teemed with flies0 6o get to them( "ou had to stride a#ross a wide dit#h that #ontained filth"( stinking water as well as the detritus of the !a<aar( su#h as *ie#es of 8egeta!les( rotten fruit( tattered news*a*ers( #igarette !utts( !roken !ottles( and dis#arded #artons0 6he stalls that su**lied freshl" !ut#hered #hi#kens were the worst of all !e#ause the" attra#ted not onl" #louds of flies !ut also *a#ks of s#rawn" dogs that roamed the !a<aar looking for food0 After !eing tru#ked from down#ountr"( the #hi#kens were ke*t in rows of tin" #ages( $ust as the" were offloaded from the tru#k( from where( when re:uired( the" were hauled out to !e slaughtered on the !are earth of the stall while the #ustomer waited0 6he !a<aar was also #haoti#0 6here ne8er seemed to !e enough room for e8er"one and e8er"thing that used it as a thoroughfare0 =ehi#les edged their wa" along( hooting( hooting and hooting( narrowl" a8oiding other 8ehi#les and *edestrians Ethere were no sidewalks in most *arts of the !a<aarF( and sliding *ast the large( two&wheeled !arrows that were used to #arr" *ro8isions from store rooms to sho*s0 Piles of goods in front of sho*s also narrowed the thoroughfare0 6o add to the disorder( there were undernourished animals e8er"where 9 mainl" #ows( goats( and dogs 9 that not onl" tried to forage food from stalls !ut also( with no regard for on#oming traffi#( suddenl" darted from !ehind *arked 8ehi#les0 )hat I remem!er most a!out sho**ing in 'ilgit was the *leasure of dealing dire#tl" with sho*kee*ers and assistants after man" "ears of e7*erien#ing the anod"ne anon"mit" of malls0 Sho**ing in 'ilgit #ould !e frustrating( e8en e8asi8e( !ut it was alwa"s interesting0 Of #ourse( it also entailed haggling o8er *ri#es( at whi#h I was ne8er good; Here is an e7am*le of m" ine*titude; Me Ein the !a<aar !u"ing a sweater for Marie@s !irthda"F; How mu#h is this one? Sho*kee*er; Onl" fi8e hundred and fift" ru*ees0

Me; 6hat@s too mu#h0 I@ll gi8e "ou fi8e hundred0 Sho*kee*er; DoneA E "es light u*( hand stret#hes out for the mone"0F Me EthinksF; DamnA I@8e !een taken again0 8en although it was a *la#e where I got ri**ed off( I liked the !a<aar0 It was li8el"( 8aried( and friendl"J in fa#t( it was a lot more fun than a saniti<ed( homogeni<ed( air& #onditioned sho**ing mall0 A#tuall"( it was e8en fun getting ri**ed off0 6here were some things that we #ould not !u" in the !a<aar( and the ones that we missed most were #heese and #offee0 It seems that #heese is not made in Pakistan or( if it is( we ne8er found it0 Nor is there mu#h demand for good #offee( as most Pakistanis drink green tea or #hai( whi#h is a !oiled&together mi7ture of regular tea and milk( together with #ondensed milk or lashings of sugar0 EHere( I should sa" that a##ording to some re#i*es( #ondensed milk andKor sugar are not in8aria!le ingredients of chai0F As a result( whene8er I went to Islama!ad or Kara#hi on !usiness( I would sho* for #heese and #offee at su*ermarkets that #arried im*orted goods and were largel" *atroni<ed !" foreigners0 )hile !rowsing the shel8es( usuall" I would *i#k u* other items that were ne8er seen in 'ilgit !a<aar; for e7am*le( #ra#kers( an#ho8ies( #ans of hard&to&get 8egeta!les su#h as as*aragus( and some !rands of #ereals0 Of #ourse( al#ohol was the one #ommodit" that #ould not !e !ought in the !a<aars of the Islami# Re*u!li# of Pakistan0 Bor ordinar" Pakistanis of the Muslim faith( al#ohol is not onl" for!idden( with harsh *enalties for transgressors( !ut is also e7*ensi8e and( in an" #ase( is 8er" diffi#ult to o!tain0 Howe8er( strangel"( there are !reweries and distilleries in Pakistan; there is one in Muetta( whi#h( !eing in 6ali!an #ountr"( kee*s a 8er" low *rofileJ there is one in Kara#hi( a!out whi#h I ha8e no informationJ and the third is the well known Murree %rewer"0 6his #om*an" was founded in /45/ near Murree in the hills a!o8e Islama!ad to *ro8ide %ritish e7*atriates with their off&dut" ti**les0 After !eing !urned down !" rioters at the time of Partition( Murree %rewer" relo#ated to Rawal*indi where it now *rodu#es !eer( whisk"( !rand"( 8odka( and gin0 %reweriesKdistilleries in Pakistan ha8e had a ro#k" ride sin#e the time of *residen#ies of Uulfikar Ali %hutto and 'eneral Muhammad Uia&ul&Ha:( !oth of whom used *rohi!itions on al#ohol #onsum*tion as means of *la#ating Islami# hardliners Ein s*ite of the fa#t that it was well known that %hutto en$o"ed a drink or two( to sa" the leastF0 Nowada"s( although the *rohi!ition is still in *la#e( enfor#ement has rela7ed somewhat and( with a !it of effort( middle&#lass Pakistanis are a!le to en$o" al#oholi# drinks in their homes( #lu!s( and restaurants( as long as it is done dis#reetl"0 Howe8er( most of Murree %rewer"@s *rofits #ome from sales outside of PakistanJ a**arentl" its *rodu#ts are es*e#iall" *o*ular in Indian&t"*e restaurants in the )est( as well as amongst e7*atriate Pakistanis0 In some *la#es the" are marketed under the slogan( >Ha8e a Murree with "our #urr"@0 6his in$un#tion is more sedate than one that I heard in Islama!ad@s onl" *u!li# Efor those with *ermitsF !ottle sho*( where a ti*s" Pakistani *atron ad8ised the other #ustomers to > at( drink( and !e Murree0@ )e sol8ed the *ro!lem of how to o!tain the wherewithal for our sundowners in two wa"s0 Birstl"( Marie made wine out of all of the fruits that were a8aila!le in our garden and in the !a<aar0 6he wines were :uite tast"( !ut were usuall" !est en$o"ed with mi7ers su#h as 3& U*0 Se#ondl"( when I had time while in Islama!ad( I would o!tain a *ermit to *ur#hase al#ohol0 6o get this( I had to do the following; E/F 'o to a t"*ist outside the re8enue offi#e and ha8e him t"*e an a**li#ation form for meJ E-F Produ#e the a**li#ation and *a" the re8enue fee at the offi#e( ECF 'o to a law"er 9 an" one of s#ores in tin" huts near!" 9 to swear in an affida8it that I was non&Muslim and would onl" use the li:uor for a s*e#ifi# o##asionJ

EGF Ha8e a *hoto#o*" of m" *ass*ort madeJ EIF Pro#eed to the +ustoms and 7#ise offi#e( $oin the :ueue( and( finall"( after a lot of *ushing( sho8ing( and wa8ing *a*ers( o!tain the *ermit0 In fa#t( the latter ste* was usuall" eased !" *a"ing a lo#al lad to do the $o! for me0 I sus*e#ted that( of the RsI.. that I *aid him( half went into his *o#ket and half into the *o#kets of an offi#ial inside the !uilding0 Howe8er( I ne8er reall" knew e7a#tl" how m" fa#ilitator was a!le to #ir#um8ent the large #rowd outside the !uilding and return trium*hantl" a few minutes later with the *ermit0 Brom there( the rest was eas"0 I went to the !ottle sho* ne7t to the Marriott Hotel( *rodu#ed the *ermit( and *ur#hased the li:uor0 Howe8er( there was a limit; one *ermit was onl" 8alid for a ma7imum of four !ottles *er #alendar month0 Also( there was another #at#h; a *ermit was onl" 8alid for a #alendar half&"ear0 6his meant that if "ou o!tained it in( sa"( 1une( "ou would onl" !e a!le to make one *ur#hase with it( after whi#h "ou would ha8e to go through the whole tiresome *ro#edure again one month later0 Bortunatel"( when we mo8ed to Kara#hi( it was mu#h easier to !u" Murree %rewer" *rodu#ts !e#ause there was a legal E?F li:uor sho* 9 a#tuall"( a *antr"&si<ed little *la#e && around the #orner from our a*artment( for whi#h no *ermits were re:uired0 I ne8er did find out how or wh" there #ould !e a street&front li:uor sho* in a #ountr" where li:uor sales were *ros#ri!ed for a!out 24P of the *o*ulation( !ut a**arentl" it had a lot to do with the fa#t that it was owned !" a senior general and was lo#ated in the su!ur! #alled >Defen#e@( whi#h was an u*market area of Kara#hi in whi#h man" senior militar" offi#ers owned *ro*ert" andKor resided0 As Pakistan is a#tuall" run !" the militar" e8en when a #i8ilian go8ernment is nominall" in #harge( senior offi#ers #an do almost an"thing as long as the" ha8e the ta#it a**ro8al of their !rother offi#ers0

6o return to the Northern Areas; during the time that we li8ed there( tourism was in a state of near&total #olla*se0 In most of the towns and 8illages of the region( there were unfinished !uildings that were intended to !e !udget or mid&*ri#e hotels0 Howe8er( most of them remained un#om*leted && sad( #on#rete skeletons that were reminders of $ust how inter& #onne#ted the world is0 6hese unfinished !uildings( and the slum* in tourism( dated !a#k to H2K//H( when the situation was e7a#er!ated !" the )estern media re*eating un#riti#all" and fre:uentl" that Pakistan was the most dangerous #ountr" in the world0 In fa#t( the Northern Area was not onl" a real !argain for tourists( !ut was also safe0 6here were some good hotels at reasona!le *ri#es( *lent" of !udget hotels at ro#k&!ottom *ri#es( a lot of friendl" *eo*le who understood that tourists were a !oon to the e#onom"( magnifi#ent s#ener"( and good walks and hikes that were as long and as strenuous( or as short and as eas"( as one wanted

them to !e0 Howe8er( a*art from 1a*anese 8isitors who #ame e8er" "ear to 8iew the s*ring !lossoms( there were few other tourists to !e seen0 Another as*e#t of the region that made an im*ression on us was the *rodu#ti8it" of the soil where8er there was water0 Bor instan#e( with water from the #hannel that ran outside our !oundar" wall( our garden *rodu#ed a*ri#ots and four t"*es of #herries in o8erflowing a!undan#e( as well as *lums and figs0 6he 8egeta!le *at#h *rodu#ed large :uantities of tomatoes( *e**ers( #a!!ages( and s*ina#h( amongst other 8egeta!les0 In fa#t( we e8en had a walnut tree( the first time that we had seen one0 E6hat was how I found out that I ha8e a se8ere allerg" to walnutsAF 6here were also numerous roses( whi#h grew in !rilliant *rofusion all o8er the town and flowered for most of the "ear0 )e also learned a!out Muslim festi8als0 6he first one that we en#ountered was Ramadan( the month during whi#h man" Muslims fast during da"light hours0 )e learned that Ismailis were am!i8alent a!out RamadanJ some Ismailis fasted( while the ma$orit" did not0 Howe8er( during Ramadan( non&fasting Ismailis were #areful not to antagoni<e their fasting #o&religionists !" eating o*enl"( not onl" out of res*e#t !ut also !e#ause the" were sensiti8e to the #harge that Ismailis were not *ro*er Muslims0 Bor instan#e( at PD+N( an institution that was Ismaili&owned and had man" Ismailis on the staff( during Ramadan working hours were shortened and the #afeteria did not ser8e teas and lun#hes0 Howe8er( man" Ismaili staff mem!ers :uietl" remo8ed themsel8es to se#luded *arts of the grounds where the" were out of the *u!li# e"e to en$o" tea and food during Ramadan0 Although PD+N fun#tioned :uite well during Ramadan( in most other work*la#es effi#ien#" nose&di8ed !e#ause most em*lo"ees were working at half *a#e !e#ause the" were slee*" and hungr"0 Ramadan was *arti#ularl" hard on women( who had to rise long !efore sunrise to *re*are !reakfast for the famil"0 It was hard on us( too( !e#ause there were four or fi8e mos:ues in the 8i#init" of our house( and during Ramadan ea#h one of them sounded the first #all to *ra"er long !efore sunrise0 I did not mind #alls to *ra"er when the" were done !" li8e singers Emue<<insF( !e#ause their 8oi#es are melodiousJ howe8er( most mos:ues in our 8i#init"( !oth in 'ilgit and Kara#hi( used re#orded #alls that !lared out s#rat#hil" through anti:uated e:ui*ment0 6his was reall" irritating during the dark( *re&dawn hour0 Howe8er( in #om*ensation during Ramadan we did en$o" the !reaking of the fast( or iftar( whi#h was the meal that was eaten immediatel" after the fast !roke at sunset0 Iftar( whi#h alwa"s in#luded dates in honour of the Pro*het@s dietar" ha!it( #onsisted of sna#ks su#h as *akoras( samoosas( s*i#ed #hi#k *eas( "oghurt with dough !alls( and other deli#a#ies0 On a num!er of o##asions( Muslim friends in8ited us to share iftar with them( while on other o##asions we took iftar at lo#al hotels( where we en$o"ed !oth the food and the festi8e air amongst the diners( who #rammed the restaurants to o8erflowing0 6he month of Ramadan is followed !" the #ele!ration of id( whi#h( like +hristmas( is a famil" o##asion0 Relati8es and friends 8isit with gifts of #akes( sweets( and mone" for the #hildren( who dress in their !est #lothing( most of whi#h is made or *ur#hased es*e#iall" for id0 Understanda!l"( as it follows on a month of fasting( this is also a time of feasting0 6he festi8als follow the Muslim lunar #alendar( whi#h means that the" fall on different dates e8er" "ear as marked !" the 'regorian #alendar0 It also means that the" #"#le through the seasons( whi#h is awkward for Muslims who li8e in *arts of the world where the lengths of the da"s differ widel" through the seasons0 Bor instan#e( stri#tl" s*eaking( Muslims li8ing in the lands of the midnight sun should fast for -CY hours or more *er da" when Ramadan falls during midsummerA %e#ause this is im*ossi!le( #ommunities make their own arrangements a##ording to their #ir#umstan#es0 Although s*e#ial arrangements were not made in the Northern Areas( lo#al *eo*le told us that it was 8er" diffi#ult to fast when

Ramadan fell during the mid&summer months !e#ause of the heat and the length of the da"s0 )hate8er the time of the "ear( it was remarka!le to see how s#ores of millions of *eo*le in Pakistan( $ust as in other Muslim #ountries( 8oluntaril" su!$e#t themsel8es to this dis#i*line for a month during ea#h "ear of their li8es as token of their de8otion to Allah and in remem!ran#e of the e7am*le of the Pro*het0 Some Muslims also fast during Muharram( the first month of the Islami# #alendar( whi#h is #onsidered to !e the most sa#red of all the months after Ramadan0 Ashurah( meaning >the tenth da"@( marks the #lima7 of the Remem!ran#e of Muharram( whi#h is o!ser8ed !" Shias as a time of mourning for the mart"rdom of Husa"n i!n Ali( grandson of the Pro*het Mohammad( who was killed at the %attle of Kar!ala in 54. + 0 Muharram is a dark and som!re time for Shias0 It #ulminates in *ro#essions on the tenth da"( when !are&#hested Shia men mar#h together( !eating their #hests and la#erating their !odies( or walk !arefoot o8er !urning #oals( uttering #ries of anguish for the torture that Husa"n suffered0 )hile li8ing in 'ilgit( where there was a large Shia *o*ulation( we were ad8ised to !e #areful a!out how we !eha8ed in *u!li# during Muharram && for e7am*le( we should not a**ear to !e #heerful or light&hearted( not *la" loud musi#( et#0 &&& as this #ould !e an affront to Shias who were o!ser8ing Muharram0 I would ha8e liked to witness the Ashurah *ro#ession( !ut was ad8ised that *assions !e#ame so aroused during the mar#h that it might not !e safe for me to do so0 )ith emotions so roused( during Muharram( relations !etween Shias and Sunnis !e#ome e8en more deli#ate than the" usuall" are0 In 'ilgit( for instan#e( during Muharram the *oli#e and the arm" !e#ame far more 8isi!le at e8er" #howk as well as at other *otential trou!le s*ots0 On#e during this *eriod( while dri8ing through a *art of the !a<aar that was on m" route to work( m" dri8er looked around ner8ousl" and said to me( >Sir( this is a 8er" !ad #howk0 O8er here are Sunnis( o8er there are Shias0 6he" are firing on ea#h other when there is trou!le0@ As we trusted our dri8ers to know mu#h more than we did a!out what was ha**ening lo#all"( a remark like that made me ner8ous0 I asked him( HAre "ou sa"ing that it is dangerous right now?H If he had re*lied in the affirmati8e( I would ha8e said( H6oda" is not a good da" to !e shotA LetHs get out of here and go to work !" the other route0H Howe8er( the dri8er merel" looked around and said *hlegmati#all"( HNo( sir( toda" is all right0H And so it was0 Sometimes it was diffi#ult to manage an institution in #ir#umstan#es where not onl" the weather and geologi#al #onditions were 8olatile( !ut also the so#ial and *oliti#al #limate0 Bor instan#e( on one o##asion the whole #ountr"( in#luding the Northern Areas( was in an u*roar when a Sunni mem!er of the national *arliament was assassinated in Islama!ad0 A##ording to some of m" #olleagues( he was a well&known $ihadist and murderer of Shias( foreigners and other infidels Howe8er( to others he was a hero0 Like man" *la#es( 'ilgit eru*ted( with road !lo#ks( random 8iolen#e( and a !ig *rotest mar#h0 M" usual route to work through the !a<aar was !lo#ked !" !arri#ades and !urning t"res( so the dri8er made a detour 8ia the ri8er road0 6his wasnHt an" good either( !e#ause there *eo*le were throwing ro#ks onto the road from the high !anks( so we went home( ga8e it an hour( and then went to work 8ia the long route whi#h #rossed two ri8ers( went through a tunnel( and took a!out half an hour instead of ten minutes !" the regular route0 Later in the da"( I ga8e e8er"one off work earl" as the roads were all o*en and we thought it !est to take the o**ortunit" while it *resented itself0 )e ke*t the #am*us #losed on the se#ond da"( and on the third da"( we were !a#k to normal0 A week later( the Shias

#ele!rated their annual festi8al to #ommemorate the twelfth Imam who disa**eared and who( the" !elie8e( will return one da"0 Usuall"( houses( stalls( mountainsides and water #hannels were festooned with lights( gi8ing a light&hearted and $o"ful a**earan#e to the earl" hours of the night0 6his "ear( there were twi#e as man" lights as usual && in #ele!ration of the death of the Shia&hating MP( so we were told0 )e also had to get used to the fa#t that Pakistani naming #on8entions are different to )estern #on8entions0 Bor e7am*le( I was #alled >Dr %rian@ e8en in formal situations( su#h as in media re*orts0 At work( sometimes I was addressed as >%rian sahi!@0 %e#ause we not forewarned and thus did not state our naming re:uirements *lainl"( Marie suffered the in#on8enien#e( if not indignit"( of ha8ing her AKU medi#al insuran#e #ard em!ossed with the name >Marie Marr" %rian@0 Although this amused us( it almost had se8ere #onse:uen#es when the AKU tra8el offi#e arranged air ti#kets for Marie to tra8el to Australia to 8isit our oldest son and his famil"0 %eing earl" in our sta" in Pakistan( we did not s*e#ifi#all" ad8ise the offi#e of the form in whi#h Marie@s name should a**ear on the ti#kets0 6he result was that the ti#kets were issued in the name >Marie Marr" %rian@ and( as we re#ei8ed the ti#kets at the last minute( it was too late to #hange the name0 Although there were no *ro!lems on the outward $ourne"( on the return leg the immigration authorities in S"dne" dela"ed Marie so long while looking into the differen#e !etween the name in her *ass*ort and the name on her ti#ket that she almost missed her flight0 After that( we were #areful to s*e#if" our names in writing to whoe8er was *ro8iding us with ti#kets0 Binall"( a #on8ention that I en$o"ed in Pakistan was the use of the term >wallah@0 Bor e7am*le( a dri8er of a horse and #art was a >horse&wallah@( while the man who made #ane furniture was a >#ane&wallah@0 6he designation that I *arti#ularl" en$o"ed was >dish&wallah@( whi#h referred to the man who *ro8ided #a!le and satellite 6= #onne#tions0 I also en$o"ed >!eard&wallah@( whi#h was what a %ritish friend *ri8atel" #alled the straggl" !earded( 6ali!an&t"*es in the Northern Areas and +hitral0 CH !"ER ,E+E$% !E CE &LE ',6 'L', $5 7E* ,, ,,'$,

6he #han#ellor of the Aga Khan Uni8ersit" EAKUF is the Aga Khan( who is the imam or religious head of /I million mem!ers of the Ismaili se#t( whi#h is the se#ond largest Shia !ran#h after the mu#h more numerous >6wel8ers@0 6he latter( or >6wel8er Shias@( are the grou* that is generall" known sim*l" as >Shias@0 6he #urrent Aga Khan( Prin#e Karim Aga Khan I=( is the G2th imam in su##ession( as Ismaili imams tra#e their lineage to Ali( #ousin of the *ro*het Mohammad( and his wife Batima( MohammadHs daughter0 6he Ismaili se#t !roke with ma$orit" Shia tea#hing in 35I + ( when Ismail !in 1afar and his followers #laimed the imamate ahead of the designated su##essor0 6he histor" of the Ismailis is mu#h too #om*li#ated to outline here( so I will onl" di* into some features of their #urrent life and *ra#ti#es0 Ismailis re8ere the Aga Khan who( as imam( is !elie8ed to !e the fa#e of( or >light of@( Allah to the world0 As su#h( the Aga Khan@s a#tions and words are regarded as #lose to >hol"@0 E6his is m" inter*retation of the situationJ Ismailis would *ro!a!l" e7*lain it in more nuan#ed fashion0F 6he *resent Aga Khan s*ent his #hildhood in Nairo!i( Ken"a( where he was *ri8atel" tutored0 Later( he attended the Institut Le Rose" in Swit<erland and then graduated from Har8ard Uni8ersit" in /2I2 with a %A Honours Degree in Islami# histor"0 His first wife was %ritish and his se#ond 'ermanJ the two marriages *rodu#ed four #hildren0 During the first I. "ears of his imamshi* E/2I4&-..4F( he was known to the world for two

widel" different reasons; firstl"( he was one of the world@s ri#hest men( !eing *rominent as an owner and !reeder of ra#e horses( and se#ondl" he was a great *hilanthro*ist( with *arti#ular interests in health( edu#ation( rural de8elo*ment and the strengthening of #i8il so#iet"0 6he Aga Khan #hannels his *hilanthro*" through the Aga Khan De8elo*ment Network EAKDNF( a grou* of inter&related agen#ies that are funded !oth !" the Aga Khan and !" e7ternal donors0 Although AKDN #laims to !e non&denominational without regard for faith( origin( or gender( in fa#t( as is to !e e7*e#ted( it fo#uses its efforts *rimaril" on Ismaili #ommunities with !enefits a##ruing to neigh!ouring Muslim #ommunities as well0 6he agen#ies of the AKDN #o8er a wide 8ariet" of fields( su#h as edu#ation( health( finan#e( e#onomi# de8elo*ment( *lanning and !uilding( humanitarian assistan#e( and #ulture0 In Pakistan( through m" *osition with AKU( I worked #losel" with the Aga Khan du#ation Ser8i#es in Pakistan EAK SPF( whi#h owns and manages more than C. s#hools in the Northern Areas( as well as s#hools in other *arts of Pakistan( *rimaril" in Kara#hi and +hitral0 Non&Ismaili *arents also *atronise these s#hools !e#ause the" are regarded as !eing greatl" su*erior to the go8ernment s#hools( whi#h are generall" run&down and offer edu#ation of *oor :ualit"0 In addition( !e#ause su##essi8e Aga Khans ha8e em*hasised the 8alue of female edu#ation( AK S s#hools offer o**ortunities for girls that are not a8aila!le elsewhere0 In the Northern Areas of Pakistan( as elsewhere in the world( AK S manages Diamond 1u!ilee E>D1@F s#hools whi#h were esta!lished !" funds that were raised during /2G5 at the diamond $u!ilee #ele!rations of the former Aga Khan( who was the grandfather and immediate *rede#essor of the *resent imam0 At s*e#ta#ular #eremonies in %om!a" and Dar es Salaam( the Aga Khan was weighed against diamonds that were donated !" his followers0 In turn( the Aga Khan donated the wealth to !e used for *ro$e#ts to im*ro8e the welfare of Ismailis world&wide0 As the Aga Khan weighed a health" //. kilograms( the diamonds raised a signifi#ant amount of mone" for *ro$e#ts( amongst whi#h were the D1 s#hools0 Often( when I *assed a sign to a >D1@ s#hool while I was tra8elling around the Northern Areas( I would refle#t on the #hain of e8ents that linked glittering #eremonies in %om!a" and Dar es Salaam to sim*le !ut mu#h&a**re#iated s#hools in remote mountain 8alle"s0 At one time( Ismailis were one of the most numerous and *owerful !ran#hes of Islam when( at its height( the Batimid m*ire E+ 2.2 to //3/F from its !ase in +airo #ontrolled a large *art of North Afri#a( Si#il"( the western *art of the Ara!ian *eninsula( in#luding the hol" *la#es of Me##a and Medina( and the Mediterranean #oast u* to S"ria0 )hen the em*ire #olla*sed( the Ismailis s*lit into two se#tions0 6he eastern grou*( the Ni<ari Ismailis Eafter their leader( Ni<arF( were mainl" lo#ated in S"ria and Persia0 %etween the //th and /Cth #enturies( from their !ase at Alamut in northern Persia( the Assassins sei<ed territor" and assassinated their enemies0 Although there does not seem to !e an" truth in the well known stor" that the Assassins were #alled that !e#ause the" fortified themsel8es with hashish( it is true that man" of them were sui#idal killers who dis*osed of their 8i#tims at #lose :uarters and then allowed themsel8es to !e a**rehended without resistan#e0 A ma$or re8ersal of fortunes o##urred in /-I3 when en route to his #on:uest of %aghdad( Hulagu Khan( grandson of 'enghis Khan( destro"ed Alamut( in#luding its irre*la#ea!le ar#hi8es and li!rar"0 After that disaster( the se#t sur8i8ed :uietl" in Persia for man" #enturies until it had a re8i8al when the %ritish in India re#ogni<ed the first of the Aga Khans( i0e0 the first to !e awarded that title( who fled to %om!a" from Persia in /4G.0

6oda"( there are a!out /I million Ismailis0 6raditionall"( Ismailis were #on#entrated in the Middle ast( +entral Asia( South&east Asia( and ast Afri#a0 Howe8er( during the -.th #entur"( Ismailis migrated to uro*e( North Ameri#a( Australia( and New Uealand( where man" of them ha8e done well in !usiness and the *rofessions0 Brom this !ase( the" gi8e generous donations to the Aga Khan@s #harita!le *ro$e#ts( to whi#h man" of them also 8olunteer their time and energies0 As an e7am*le of their generosit"( there is the #ase of a fund&raising team from the Aga Khan Uni8ersit" that 8isited +anadian Ismailis during -..G0 6he Aga Khan instru#ted the team not to raise more than I million dollars( to allow s*a#e for fund&raising for other *ro$e#ts O and the designated sum was raised within the first da"s of the team !eginning its 8isit0 %oth the former and the *resent Aga Khan ha8e em*hasi<ed >*rogressi8e@ 8alues su#h as international harmon"( religious and ra#ial toleran#e( generosit"( edu#ation( and female ad8an#ement0 )ith referen#e to the latter( Ismailis often re#all the o!ser8ation !" their former imam that( if a famil" #ould onl" afford to edu#ate some of its #hildren( then the girls should !e edu#ated( !e#ause the" in turn would edu#ate their own families( while !o"s #ould go out and find work for themsel8es0 Although modern )esterners might #onsider this ad8i#e to !e old&fashioned and e8en se7ist( it has an im*a#t in #onser8ati8e Muslim so#ieties su#h as those in the Northern Areas( where women ha8e !een #onfined to their homes and where female litera#" has !een low or non&e7istent0 In fa#t( in the Northern Areas it was onl" through institutions that were *art of the Aga Khan De8elo*ment Network EAKDNF that girls were a!le to get a de#ent edu#ation u* to s#hool&lea8ing le8el( and( e7#e*t for some donor& funded *ro$e#ts( it was onl" through AKDN institutions and *ro$e#ts that women #ould ha8e meaningful #areers0 CH !"ER E'(H"% H4$: $5 $ ( R

A!out two hours dri8e from 'ilgit along the KKH as it heads for the +hinese !order( is Hun<a0 Birst( tra8elling on the right !ank of the Hun<a Ri8er( the road *asses through Lower Hun<aJ then it #rosses a !ridge to the other !ank and enters +entral Hun<a( a green oasis in a region of ro#k( shale( snow( and i#e0 Hun<a is #u**ed amongst the Karakoram Mountains where the a8erage *eak is higher than 5(/.. meters E-.(... feetF( dou!le that of the Al*s or Ro#kies( and higher on a8erage than the mountains that surround Mount 8erest0 Howe8er( !eautiful and s*e#ta#ular though it is( Hun<a is *ro!a!l" more widel" known in the )est for its asso#iation with the Shangri La of 1ames HiltonHs /2CC !ook Lost Hori2on whi#h later !e#ame famous as the first no8el to !e *u!lished in *a*er!a#k E/2C2F0 8en !efore the *a*er!a#k #ame out( the !ook had !een turned into a su##essful mo8ie( with a musi#al remake in /23C0 A*art from !eing almost ina##essi!le until re#entl" and !eing surrounded !" towering mountains O #hara#teristi#s that it shares with other *la#es && there are no s*e#ial reasons wh" Hun<a should !e identified with the Shangri La of the no8el0 Bor instan#e( it is in the wrong *la#e and it does not ha8e monasteries0 Ne8ertheless( the m"th *ersists and e8en toda" it is widel" !elie8ed that Hun<akuts Ethe Hun<a *eo*leF ha8e unusuall" ro!ust health and a longe8it" that often e7#eeds /.. "ears( all of whi#h are mentioned in Lost Hori2on0 Although these #laims were not 8erified during the /23.s when .ational /eogra-hic in8estigated Hun<a( along with other regions with #laims to unusual longe8it"( the stud" did suggest that older Hun<akuts were un#ommonl" energeti#( 8ital( and ha**"0 It was h"*othesi<ed that this was attri!uta!le to their energ" and fitness Ea result of #lim!ing u* and down mountain sides

regularl"F( an a!sen#e of stress( and their diet( whi#h is almost meat&free and mainl" #onsists of fruits and grains that are usuall" eaten raw0 Ane#dotall"( we #an testif" to the fitness of older Hun<akuts0 )hile *uffing and *anting u* the stee* hill that links the main street of Karima!ad with the %altit Bort( Marie and I alwa"s had to rest at one of the !en#hes en route in s*ite of the fa#t that we were :uite fit for our age0 )hile resting( we would !e *assed !" older women #arr"ing hea8" loads who( while the" hurried u* the hill( a**arentl" not in the least out of !reath( would gi8e us half& humorous( half&*it"ing looks and laugh mo#kingl"0 Marie would #onsole us !" o!ser8ing that( !e#ause of their hard life( the women were *ro!a!l" "ounger than the" looked0 Brom the !ridge o8er the 'ilgit Ri8er( the first *hase of the a**roa#h to Hun<a 8ia the KKH is drear" as it *asses through ro#k" and arid terrain0 Howe8er( one #omes around a #orner and suddenl"( une7*e#tedl"( there it is O Mount Raka*oshi( snow&#a**ed( striking( and !eautiful0 6his singular mountain( almost 4... metres high( dominates the lower and #entral Hun<a 8alle"s so thoroughl" that there is almost no *osition from whi#h it #annot !e seen0 It is also 8isi!le from the ad$oining 'ilgit 8alle"( where( although not so dominant( it is one of the most a**re#iated sights0 Bor instan#e( when there were no #louds we were fortunate to !e a!le to see Raka*oshi from our house0 A striking tri!ute to Raka*oshi was *aid !" mil" Lorimer who( writing during the /2C.s after li8ing in Hun<a for a "ear( #alled it Hfar the lo8eliest mountain on earth@0 An"one who has li8ed within sight of Raka*oshi and has seen the mountain in its moods and *hases( and from 8arious dire#tions( will understand the sentiment0 6he >#a*ital@ town of Hun<a is Karima!ad( formerl" %altit( whi#h is strung out along a western slo*e a!o8e the fertile !owl of #entral Hun<a0 Karima!ad@s #o!!led main street has some of the most s*e#ta#ular 8iews of an" ur!an thoroughfare in the world0 Brom it( one #an see eastwards into the Nagar 8alle"( with its fringe of snow&#a**ed mountains dominated !" 'olden Peak0 6o the south( looking o8er the #ulti8ated slo*es and the wide gash of the Hun<a Ri8er( there is a full&on 8iew of the magnifi#ent northern flank of Raka*oshi0 Look u*wards a!o8e the looming %altit Bort and there are more towering slo*es that are interse#ted !" the gorge that leads to Altar Peak( with its gla#ier and high meadows0 If "ou #lim! a few ste*s on to the ridge a!o8e the main street and look northwards( "ou are fa#ed with a 8ertiginous dro* into a fertile 8alle" that is surmounted !" the an#ient Altit Bort in the middle distan#e and is surrounded !" enormous #rags and *eaks0 8er"where( there are ro#k" slo*es threaded with water #hannels( fertile fields( and snow&#a**ed mountains0 6he 8iews are e7hilarating( !reath&taking( and astounding0 6he same holds for the 8iew from the roof and terra#e of %altit Bort0

&altit 7ort, 0arima1a2, Hun-a

)hen we wanted a !reak( we would lea8e 'ilgit on a Brida" afternoon after work and would !e in Karima!ad less than two hours later after a dri8e that alwa"s delighted us with its 8ariet" and sights0 During s*ring( the slo*es were #o8ered in the *inks and whites of !lossoming fruit trees0 During high summer( the fields were !rilliantl" green( the snow #a*s on the high *eaks shone with a !linding !rillian#e( and the sun !eat down out of a !lea#hed& !lue sk"0 During autumn( the trees were #o8ered in russets and !rowns( while the streams and ri8ers roared with gla#ial melt0 6his was also the *eriod of intense human a#ti8it" when e8er"one( in#luding "oung #hildren( was in8ol8ed in har8esting the fruit( whi#h the" #arried on their !a#ks in wi#ker !askets0 During winter( the melan#hol" season of gre"s and dark shades O also of i#e and free<ing tem*eratures && it was !est to sta" at home and dream a!out future e7#ursions when the warming sun would thaw the 8alle"s and start the sa* mo8ing0 In Karima!ad( we would sta" at the Hun<a %altit Inn( whi#h had a southern 8iew o8er the #entral Hun<a 8alle" and Raka*oshi and a western 8iew u* to %altit Bort and the mountains !ehind it0 )e alwa"s re:uested room C.C( whi#h had the onl" dou!le !ed in the hotel0 One of the first things to do after arri8al would !e to test the shower to see whether or not there was an" hot water0 If not( we would remind the staff to turn on the water heater0 6hen( when we a#tuall" took a shower( the :ualit" of the water was alwa"s a m"ster"0 )ould it !e as !rown as rusted iron or relati8el" #lear? )e ne8er #ould *redi#t the :ualit" and we ne8er did find out what a##ounted for the 8aria!ilit"0 It was one of the endearing m"steries of Shangri La0 Usuall"( our first sto* was the +afQ de Hun<a( the onl" #offee sho* in the whole of the Northern Areas0 Here( *atrons #ould en$o" good filtered #offee( !rownies( and walnut #ake( the house@s s*e#ialt"0 6he #afe also had a large #olle#tion of new and se#ond&hand !ooks and ma*s0 Some of them were re*rints of old tra8el a##ounts from the time of the Ra$ O that is where I !ought 0 O0 Lorimer@s !ook( to whi#h I referred earlier && and others were modern *rodu#tions that tourists and tra8ellers #ould !u" as guides and sou8enirs0 )ith !ooks to !rowse while en$o"ing fresh&!rewed #offee and #ake( one #ould ha8e a feast for !oth the taste&!uds and the mind while leaning on the #ounter at the window and en$o"ing the sight of the northern flank of Raka*oshiA At first( the onl" disa**ointment was the omelettes( whi#h were flat as *an#akes( as was usual in most esta!lishments in Pakistan where the" are listed

on menus as >Pakistani omelettes@0 Marie left her mark on the +afQ de Hun<a !" introdu#ing the *ro*rietor to the #on#e*t of fluff" omelettes( whi#h were su!se:uentl" ado*ted0 In a so#iet" as an#ient and traditional as Hun<a@s( it is no small thing to !e res*onsi!le for an inno8ation0 6he Hun<akuts are a lot more rela7ed and li!eral than their #om*atriots in other *arts of the region( where rigidl" #onser8ati8e Muslim 8alues are the norm0 Bor instan#e( one da" we were in the +afQ de Hun<a at the same time as two Bren#h tourists( one of whom was an attra#ti8e woman of a!out C. "ears of age0 Dressed in a 6&shirt and !lue $eans( she sat on the floor *aging through one of the #afQ@s !ooks while she drank her #offee and *uffed on a #igarette( looking as rela7ed as if she was in a laid&!a#k #offee sho* in her nati8e Bran#e0 )hile we were #hatting to the *ro*rietor( I remarked( >Lou reall" ought to start a #offee sho* in 'ilgit so that we #ould en$o" #offee and #ake more often0@ His fa#e #louded and( glan#ing at the woman( he re*lied :uietl"( >Do "ou see that? If it ha**ened in 'ilgit( the" would stone me and then the" would !urn m" *la#e down0@ 6he more rela7ed attitude to life in Hun<a is a result of the fa#t that almost all Hun<akuts are Ismailis0 Although the" #on8erted to Islam #enturies ago( Hun<akuts onl" ado*ted the Ismaili 8ersion of the faith in a!out /4G.0 6oda"( 8isitors to Hun<a remark on how refreshing it is to see women mo8ing a!out freel" in *u!li# *la#es( greeting strangers with o*en&fa#ed friendliness0 In Hun<a( although most of the "ounger women wear the shalwar kamee< and du*atta that is o!ligator" throughout Pakistan( where it is as rigidl" ado*ted as if it is a militar" uniform( the" do not #o8er their fa#es0 Most of the older women onl" wear a round( *ill!o7&t"*e hat( sometimes with a 8eil at the !a#k( whi#h gi8es them the a**earan#e of stewardesses on mirates Airline0 Another sign that Hun<a is Ismaili territor" is seen in the a!sen#e of mos:ues( whi#h either are a!andoned or ha8e !een #on8erted into li!raries or #ultural #entres0 6his is !e#ause !" #ommand of a former Aga Khan( a!out a #entur" ago the mos:ues were re*la#ed !" meeting houses or >$amatkhanas@0 Unlike mainstream Islami# *ra#ti#e( !oth se7es are admitted to the $amatkhanas where worshi**ers *ra" in a #ross&legged( not *rone( *osition while fa#ing an" dire#tion( not ne#essaril" towards Me##a0 6he reason for this( sa" the Ismailis( is that Allah is e8er"where0 Pra"ers are not offered fi8e times a da"( mid&da" Brida" *ra"ers do not ha8e *arti#ular im*ortan#e( and less signifi#an#e is atta#hed to fasting( su#h as during the month of Ramadan0 %e#ause of these and other *ra#ti#es( man" Muslims do not #onsider Ismailis to !e *ro*er Muslims0 Howe8er( Ismailis tr" to dis#ourage this *er#e*tion !e#ause in the su*er&heated religious greenhouse that *re8ails in some Islami# #ountries( in#luding Pakistan( a##usations of a*ostas" #an easil" lead to *erse#ution and *ogroms0 6he !owl of #entral Hun<a is dominated !" the %altit Bort( the an#estral home of the Mirs( or rulers( of Hun<a0 6his e#le#ti# !uilding( whi#h looks like a #ross !etween a shi*@s !ridge and the Potala in Lhasa( is a!out 3.. "ears old0 %altit Bort got most of its *resent sha*e in the /5th #entur" when the Mir married a *rin#ess from %altistan who !rought %alti #raftsmen to reno8ate the !uilding as *art of her dowr"0 As a result( the ar#hite#tural st"le refle#ts 6i!etan influen#e in %altistan at the time0 After #enturies of use !" the ro"al famil"( in /2GI the Mir a!andoned the fort and mo8ed to a new *ala#e down the hill0 6he fort started to de#a" until it was restored !" the Aga Khan 6rust for +ulture in /2250 It was a *ro8idential re#onstru#tion( as it has not onl" !e#ome an i#on of Hun<a !ut has also !e#ome one of the ma$or tourist attra#tions of the region0 Nowada"s 8isitors #an take a guided tour through the fort@s warren of rooms( stairs( and *assages until the" finall" emerge at the ro"al a*artments on the to* floor0 Brom there the" #an ste* onto a wide !al#on"( where the" #an 8iew the Mir@s outdoor re#e*tion area and

en$o" *anorami# 8iews o8er #entral Hun<a0 In addition( a reall" fortunate 8isitor #ould ha8e the same e7*erien#e that we had one e8ening( when we were guests at a formal dinner in the re#e*tion room( sitting on #ushions on the floor( Pakistani&st"le( while we and the other guests were entertained first !" a grandson of a former 8i<ier( who( dressed in #eremonial ro!es( told us a!out the histor" of the fort( and then !" a three&*ie#e !and E*la"ing a drum and two flutes( as is #hara#teristi# in the regionF and a sword&dan#er0 After the meal( re*lete with #ulture and good food( we made our wa" down the stee*( #o!!led streets through a :uiet Karima!ad while Raka*oshi glowed in the moonlight0 Hun<a is so remote and ina##essi!le that there is onl" one re#orded #ase of an enem" assaulting %altit Bort0 6hat was in /42/( when troo*s of the %ritish Ra$ atta#ked Hun<a and Nagar in a #am*aign that was *art of the so&#alled >'reat 'ame@( in whi#h the %ritish and the Russians $o#ke"ed for #ontrol of the high mountain *asses that linked South&east Asia and +entral Asia0 A %ritish for#e in8aded from 'ilgit after the Mir sent a !oastful message in whi#h he threatened to liaise with the Russians0 6he !a#kground to this was that during earl" /42/( re*orts rea#hed London that the Russians were *lanning to anne7 the Pamirs north of Hun<a0 )hen( onl" a few months later in mid&/42/( a %ritish e7*edition en#ountered Russian troo*s there( who #laimed Afghan and +hinese territor" for the 6sar( the %ritish de#ided to in8ade and anne7 Hun<a0 %e#ause of the diffi#ult terrain( it was a tough #am*aign O for instan#e( three =i#toria +rosses were awarded on the %ritish side O!ut e8entuall" the in8aders o*ened the wa" to #entral Hun<a0 Howe8er( when the ad8an#e guard arri8ed at %altit Bort( the Mir had fled to +hina0 6o their disa**ointment( the %ritish offi#ers who entered the !uilding found almost nothing of 8alue in *la#e of the treasures that were rumoured to !e stored there0 A !rother of the Mir was a**ointed in the *la#e of the self&e7iled former in#um!ent and Hun<a was in#or*orated within the %ritish s*here of influen#e0 6oda"( the Mir is still referred to !" his title lo#all"( e8en although all of the *rin#el" states in the Northern Areas were offi#iall" a!olished during the /23.s0 6he Hun<akuts were not alwa"s *ea#ea!le0 6o get an insight into their rougher *ast( one onl" has to 8isit Altit Bort( whi#h dominates the 8alle" that stret#hes northwards !elow the ridge on whi#h stand Karima!ad and the %altit Bort0 )here the latter has a domesti#ated a**earan#e( more a *ala#e than a fort( Altit Bort is stark and #onfrontational0 It stands on the *row of a 8erti#al #rag that #ommands the !ottle&ne#ked ra8ine that #arries the route !etween +entral and U**er Hun<a( and from then#e to western +hina0 6his ra8ine on#e #arried a southern !ran#h of the old Silk Route O although( to tell the truth( to attra#t tourists to the region( almost e8er" route that might ha8e e8er e7isted is #laimed to !e a !ran#h of the Silk Route0 Ne8ertheless( Silk Route or not( it is well known that the Hun<akuts were on#e !rigands who ranged far and wide to atta#k #ara8ans that were making their wa"s through the mountains0 6he" also #arried on a long&running feud with the inha!itants of Nagar( $ust a#ross the ri8er0 )hen we li8ed in the Northern Areas( the Aga Khan 6rust for +ulture had started to restore the Altit Bort( whi#h was in a de#re*it state0 6his was a #ontinuation of the 6rustHs im*ressi8e work in Hun<a where( !esides its work in Karima!ad( the trust had alread" done restoration work in ad$a#ent Altit 8illage( on#e the #hief town of Hun<a0 Here the trust had *ro8ided sanitation( *a8ing( underground ele#tri#it" #a!les( #lean drinking water( and reha!ilitation of the water reser8oir and the surrounding $ata: Ethe #ommon s*a#e at the entran#eF0 6he settlement had !een de#lared a #onser8ation area where #on#rete !lo#k #onstru#tion( an e"esore all o8er the Northern Areas( is not allowed0

8en more im*ressi8e restoration work has !een done at 'anish( whi#h is situated on the KKH where it #rosses the ri8er on its wa" to u**er Hun<a0 )ith its wat#h towers( #entral s*a#e and *ond( #o!!led lanes( and winding *assages( this an#ient settlement has the a**earan#e and feel of a medie8al 8illage0 Howe8er( it has !een e7tensi8el" restored( with modern ele#tri#it" and sewage installed under the infrastru#ture and with walls re#onstru#ted in the an#ient manner0 Amongst the man" attra#tions of 'anish is an intimate( #o!!led s:uare that is flanked !" four small famil" mos:ues0 'anish is an anomal"( in the sense that it is a *redominantl" Shia settlement in Ismaili Hun<a0 No dou!t( the reason for this is that it is the #losest settlement to Shia&dominated Nagar( whi#h is entered !" #rossing the ri8er and then taking the minor road to the right instead of following the KKH northwards0 6his minor road is ha<ardous !e#ause it runs its first #ourse !etween the ri8er and a mountain side that is #o8ered in loose shale0 )hene8er we dro8e this road( our dri8er would stiffen and( war" of landslides( would dire#t his ga<e as mu#h to the slo*e as to the road ahead0 6his was one of the man" o##asions when Marie( sitting in the front *assenger seat as she alwa"s did to a8oid #ar&si#kness( would sa" to the dri8er( >Don@t worr"( I@ll wat#h out for landslides and "ou #an $ust kee* "our e"es on the road0@ 6he dri8ers ne8er seemed to !e entirel" ha**" with this generous offer( *ro!a!l" !e#ause the" knew( as we all did( that there wasn@t mu#h that "ou #ould do to a8oid a serious landslide if "ou ha**ened to !e in the wrong *la#e at the wrong time( es*e#iall" when "ou were hemmed in !etween a ri8er and a mountain side0 Brom the ri8er le8el( the loose&surfa#ed road made its *re#i*itous wa" u* a mountain side and then entered Nagar town( the main settlement of the former *rin#i*alit"0 6his was a straggl"( unkem*t little *la#e that had nothing of the !ustling #onfiden#e of some of the larger towns of #entral Hun<a( su#h as Karima!ad and Alia!ad0 One of the main reasons was that Nagar was negle#ted !" tourists( who usuall" #onfined their a#ti8ities to Hun<a0 In fa#t( man" Hun<akuts regarded the *eo*le of Nagar as !a#kward #ountr" #ousins who la#ked the energ" and initiati8e that #hara#teri<e the *eo*le on the other side of the ri8er0 )hen tourists asked a!out a 8isit to Nagar( the attitude of most Hun<akuts was a shrug and a >)h" !other?@ e7*ression0 6his was a *it"( !e#ause Nagar had real attra#tions0 Bor instan#e( the rough road that leads e8er higher into the 8alle" a!o8e Nagar Pro*er *ro8ides e7#e*tional 8iews( es*e#iall" in s*ring time when #oni#al 'olden Peak( glinting with snow( is framed !" slo*es with green fields and *ink !lossoms0 Another e7#e*tional 8iew in Nagar is the one from the hotel at Ho*ar( looking !a#k towards Hun<a0 In warm months( a#ross a high( !road 8alle" with #ulti8ated fields and *o*lar trees( the 8iew falls awa" towards a !a#kdro* #om*osed of the mountains that rise like a ram*art to the east a!o8e #entral Hun<a0 )e had the good fortune to en$o" this 8iew on a #lear( #alm( summer e8ening when it seemed diffi#ult to !elie8e that there #ould !e a s#ene an"where in the world that more im*ressi8el" #om!ined ma$est" with rural *ea#efulness0 In Ho*ar the hotel has the o*timisti# name of >Ho*ar Hilton@ and stands on a ridge dire#tl" a!o8e %ualter 'la#ier( not far from where it $oins with %ar*u 'la#ier0 %oth of these gla#iers are well known for the fa#t that the" are lo#ated at relati8el" low altitudes0 6his is where Marie fulfilled her long&standing am!ition to walk on a gla#ier0 Led !" our guide( we #arefull" made our wa" down the rough *ath that threads the side of the 8alle" that has !een #ar8ed and s#oured !" the gla#ier0 It is a long walk down( a!out -.. metres( !e#ause the gla#ier has #ut dee*l" and has re#eded o8er the ages0 Binall"( after *i#king our wa" through the $um!le of ro#ks that ha8e !een thrown u* along the sides of the gla#ier as it thrusts its wa" forward( we ste**ed onto the i#e0 6he first thing that we noti#ed was that the surfa#e of a gla#ier( whi#h from afar a**ears to !e smooth and le8el( is a#tuall" a rough and une8en

#lutter of hum*s( ridges and #re8asses0 Se#ondl"( we were sur*rised to see that in man" *la#es the surfa#e was #o8ered with !oulders and shale whi#h had !een #olle#ted !" the gla#ier as it ground its wa" through the 8alle"0 In *la#es( we were walking more on ro#ks and *e!!les than we were on a#tual i#e0 And( "es( the gla#ier reall" was #old0 6he higher *arts of our !odies !asked in the heat of the summer sun while our lower *arts felt the #hill from the i#e !eneath us0 )e ram!led through the $um!le of ridges and #ontorted sha*es on the gla#ier( all *rodu#ed !" the enormous for#e and *ressure of the mass of i#e as it slid forward0 6here were i#"( ra<or!a#k hum*s that rose to heights of fi8e or si7 metres( small grottos from whi#h streams emerged( and dee* #re8asses filled with the sound of running water0 )hile we walked( our guide told us that he had !een a *orter on a num!er of mountaineering e7*editions0 Pointing to Raka*oshi( he told us that he had a##om*anied mem!ers of an e7*edition right to the to* of the mountain( and had done so without using su**lemental o7"gen0 )e looked at him with new res*e#t O to #lim! to a height of nearl" 4... metres without o7"gen is no small feat0 Our res*e#t for him grew after we left the gla#ier and struggled u* the stee* *ath to the hotel0 )e had to sto* fre:uentl" to #at#h our !reath O and this was at an altitude !elow C... metres( without !a#k*a#ks0 %a#k in our hotel room( we threw oursel8es into #hairs and remo8ed our !oots0 After a #u* of tea( it was time for a shower0 Howe8er( when we turned the ta* on( we learned another fa#t a!out gla#iers( namel" that their a!rasi8e mo8ement *rodu#es gla#ial silt0 6he hotel took its water straight off the gla#ial melt( with the result that the shower water was suffused with gritt" silt0 It was like tr"ing to !athe in the sand" water at the 8er" end of a wa8e@s rea#h u* a !ea#h0 So there we were O refreshed( en$o"ing a *erfe#t summer e8ening and a stunning 8iew( re8elling in the memories of our first e7*erien#es on a gla#ier( !ut feeling rather gritt"0 Howe8er( as we had onl" *aid a!out USX3 *er *erson for !oth !ed and !reakfast and the guide( we #ould shrug off the small dis#omfort of feeling a little s#rat#h" after the shower0 North of #entral Hun<a( the KKH *asses through a !ottle&ne#ked gorge and #lim!s :uite stee*l" towards u**er Hun<a( also known as 'o$al0 Although it has !een *art of Hun<a *oliti#all" for #enturies( it is #ulturall" different0 6he dominant language is )akhi( whi#h is also s*oken in ad$a#ent areas to the north of 'o$al( su#h as the )akhan +orridor( 6a$ikistan( and western +hina0 6he fa#t that most )akhi&s*eakers are Ismailis hel*s to link the *eo*le of u**er Hun<a to the otherwise ethni#all" and linguisti#all" different *eo*le of the other *arts of Hun<a0 Most *arts of u**er Hun<a are situated at altitudes higher than C... metres0 Here( too( there is some stunning s#ener"( su#h as the 8iew of the needle&*ointed Passu Peaks when seen a#ross the wide flow of the Hun<a Ri8er at 'ulmit( or the 8iew towards the Hun<a 8alle" down the Passu 'la#ier0 )ith *lent" to offer in !oth s#ener" and hiking( U**er Hun<a is the !ase for long&distan#e( high&altitude trekking a#ross gla#iers and Al*ine meadows during summer( and it is not unusual to find tra8ellers from all o8er the world sta"ing at 'ulmit hotels su#h as the Silk Route Inn and the Mar#o Polo Inn0 %e"ond u**er Hun<a is Sost( a tatt" #ustoms and immigration *ost and an entre*ot for goods from +hina0 Brom Sost( the KKH #lim!s stee*l" through a nature reser8e where i!e7( markor( and e8en snow leo*ards are said to wander0 Howe8er( when we tra8elled the route we onl" saw herds of "aks( whi#h are shagg" animals that are found in the higher regions of the Himala"as0 Although there are some wild "aks( mem!ers of an endangered s*e#ies( tra8ellers usuall" onl" see the domesti#ated 8ariet" or the "ak&#ow #ross !reed( whi#h is

#alled a d<o0 6hese strong( hair" #reatures *erform the same fun#tions as #attle do at lower altitudes !" #arr"ing loads( *ulling *loughs( and *ro8iding fi!re( milk( and meat0 Binall"( the KKH emerges at the Khun$era! Pass on the !order !etween +hina and Pakistan0 At G52. metres it is !oth the highest *oint of the highwa" and the highest *a8ed !order #rossing in the world0 )hen we were there in mid&Se*tem!er( the ground was alread" #o8ered with a thi#k la"er of fresh snow0 It was eas" to see wh" the *ass is #losed from mid& O#to!er until earl" Ma" e8er" "ear0 6hat was as far as we tra8elled on the KKH0 +hina would ha8e to wait for another da"0 CH !"ER $'$E% ,!R'$("'6E $5 '";, "'6E 7#R "HE *#6E$ "# 5 $CE Brom 'ilgit( a ma$or regional road tra8els westwards u* the 'ilgit Ri8er0 6his route *asses former *rin#i*alities su#h as Sher:uila( Ishkoman and 'u*is on the wa" to serene Kalti Lake( whi#h was formed when a landslide !lo#ked the ri8er and formed a dam0 As the waters rose( the inha!itants of the 8illage in the 8alle" mo8ed and settled elsewhere( hel*less as their former homes were inundated0 Landslides that !lo#k ri8ers in the Northern Areas are not onl" :uite #ommon !ut( as in the #ase of Kalti( #an also !e ha<ardous0 A *arti#ularl" destru#ti8e e8ent o##urred during /4G/ when an earth:uake de*osited *art of Nanga Par!at Mountain into the Indus Ri8er( forming a lake that was re*orted to !e more than C.. metres dee* and 5G kilometres long0 If it ha**ened toda" at the same *la#e( it would !oth o!literate and su!merge an e7tensi8e se#tion of the KKH south of +hilas0 Binall"( when the dam was !rea#hed during 1une /4G/( the resulting flood swe*t awa" whole 8illages and killed thousands of *eo*le0 At Atto#k( whi#h is lo#ated south of the mountains in #ontem*orar" North )est Brontier *ro8in#e( a wa8e C. metres high swe*t o8er a Sikh arm" that was #am*ed there( killing more than I... men0 EAt this time( the Sikhs #ontrolled an em*ire that #o8ered large *arts of the Pun$a! and Kashmir0F Of #ourse( at that time there was no telegra*h( radio( or tele*hone to #on8e" news :ui#kl" o8er long distan#e( so *eo*le downstream would *ro!a!l" not ha8e known what had ha**ened u*stream0 Howe8er( I ha8e often wondered wh"( in s*ite of that( a whole arm" set u* #am* in su#h a dangerous *la#e0 Surel"( with the flow of the ri8er mu#h lower than usual( the" must ha8e sus*e#ted that something unusual had ha**ened? Or did lo#al guides deli!eratel" lead their enemies( namel" the Sikh arm" of o##u*ation( into danger in the ho*e that the" would !e o8ertaken !" $ust su#h a #atastro*he? I don@t know the answer so for me( at least( it will remain one of histor"@s *u<<les0 At the time of writing( a similar #atastro*he threatens areas downstream of U**er Hun<a0 On G 1anuar" -./.( a massi8e landslide s*illed into the 8alle" !etween +entral and U**er Hun<a taking two 8illages with it( killing -. *eo*le( wi*ing out a stret#h of the Karakoram Highwa"( and !lo#king the ri8er0 As the water rose !ehind the !lo#kage( fields and 8illages were su!merged and( in s*ite of a s*illwa" !eing o*ened through the landslide( there were fears that the HdamH would !urst and would #ause de8astation downstream0 A *ress re*ort *u!lished on 3 Mar#h -./. gi8es a gra*hi# im*ression of the disaster; H'o$al Eu**er Hun<aF !orders +hina and Afghanistan and !e#ause of its *i#tures:ue !eaut"( fruit or#hards( glistening gla#iers and !eautiful *eo*le is #onsidered as hea8en on earth0 6he most remarka!le *art of this distant *art of our #ountr" is its litera#" rate( i0e0 33

*er#ent( whi#h is higher than the national a8erage0 It is this same 'o$al that is sinking0 It is sinking ea#h moment( hour( and da" in front of our e"es0 A large num!er of houses are either damaged or in the danger <one0 6hese houses in#lude /2 in Aeena!ad( 5- in Shishkat( 5. in 'ulmit( nine in Hussaini( and se8en in Passu0 %esides houses( a num!er of s#hools are either damaged or *otential targets0 In Atta A!ad( Diamond 1u!ilee ED1F S#hool was damaged( where //I students were stud"ing0 6he SAP s#hool !uilding was also affe#ted( where -I students were stud"ing0 In Aeena!ad( the !uilding of D1 S#hool was affe#ted( where G4 students were re#ei8ing edu#ation0 In Shishkat( a *rimar" s#hool !uilding has !een 8a#ated and students ha8e !een shifted to the middle s#hool to re#ei8e edu#ation in a mu#h more tr"ing and #hallenging en8ironment0 6he #alamit" has hit the edu#ational s"stem of 'o$al in multi*le wa"s0 +ulti8ated lands are affe#ted as the la#k of trans*ortation has made it diffi#ult to trans*ort seeds and fertilisers0 All this has resulted in an e#onomi# #run#h for farmers0 6he *rin#i*al of Al& Ameen S#hool( one of the !iggest #ommunit" s#hools in 'ulmit( shared that in his s#hool there were a!out -G- #hildren whose *arents were farmers0 6hese students are finding it diffi#ult to *a" the fees0 A similar situation #an !e seen in other #ommunit" and *ri8ate s#hools0H EShahid Siddi:ui( H6he sinking *aradise of 'o$al in u**er Hun<aH( ( first *u!lished in &aily 6imes and re&*u!lished at htt*;KK#riti#al***0orgKlu!*Kar#hi8esK54I4 V8iewed I 1une -./.W0 Lea8ing this #atastro*he and returning to our tri* to +hitral( from Kalti Lake the road #ontinued to #lim!( *assing through *rett" Phandur 8alle" where there were roadside ad8ertisements for high&altitude hiking and trout fishing0 6here the tarred surfa#e ended and suddenl" our 8ehi#le was !um*ing and $olting o8er a stret#h of half&made road that was strewn with fist&si<ed ro#ks0 6hat is how the" *re*are the surfa#e of a road in the Northern Areas; s#ores of men s:uat !" the roadside( swinging mallets to !reak large ro#ks into smaller *ie#es0 6hen( after a steam roller has trundled o8er the ro#ks to #om*ress them( finall" the tar is laid !" sweating men who toil o8er a mo!ile( !oiler&sha*ed furna#e0 )ith its fier" !oiler( !la#k&streaked e:ui*ment and ragged workers( the *ro#ess is reminis#ent of dark satani# mills and the earl" da"s of the Industrial Re8olution in uro*e0 Howe8er( it has the ad8antage of *ro8iding em*lo"ment in an im*o8erished region with few o**ortunities for earning in#omes0 Soon( as the road #lim!ed e8en more stee*l"( it deteriorated e8en further into a rough tra#k that was em!edded with small ro#ks like mar!les of 8arious si<es s#attered randoml" in a s*read of solidified molasses( so that our 8ehi#le rattled and lur#hed !one&shakingl"0 6hen( as the terrain le8elled( we had the im*ression of !eing on the roof of the world when we dro8e a#ross an o*en( tundra&like area( tra8ersing a wide 8alle" where the snow on the flanks of the mountains rea#hed down #lose to the *lain0 )e were a**roa#hing Shandur Pass( an area that is almost un*o*ulated e7#e*t for a few da"s e8er" "ear during mid&summer when *olo teams from 'ilgit and +hitral #om*ete against ea#h other0 At an altitude of a!out CG.. metres( this is touted as the highest *olo game in the world0 It is a #ele!rated e8ent( !oth lo#all" and further afield; *eo*le *our in( a tent #it" s*rings u*( dignitaries take u* tem*orar" residen#e( national *oliti#ians Esometimes e8en the PresidentF fl" in !" heli#o*ter( and e8en a few hard" foreign tourists manage to find their wa" to the site0 %" the time the main game takes *la#e( a!out /. ... s*e#tators and offi#ials ha8e gathered in this otherwise deserted s*ot0 Meanwhile( the horses( suffi#ient for three teams on ea#h side( ha8e !een !rought u* on foot from +hitral and 'ilgit( s*ending four or fi8e da"s on the road to allow them to a##limati<e to the altitude( whi#h is more than dou!le that of their home towns0 6he a##e*ted 8ersion is that the *olo tournament originated during the /2-.s when a %ritish #ommissioner in +hitral had the whimsi#al idea of *la"ing *olo !" moonlight at a site

>#lose to the moon@ and #on8in#ed lo#al dignitaries of the 8ia!ilit" of his *ro$e#t0 So( in a re#i*ro#al a#t( the northern regions of the Ra$ ga8e *olo to the %ritish u**er #lasses( while one of them( in turn( ga8e the Shandur *olo tournament to the Ra$Hs former su!$e#ts0 It was mid&Ma" and( with the mat#h not due to !e *la"ed for another two months( Shandur was deserted0 )e sto**ed to take a few *hotogra*hs and then *ressed on( lea8ing the em*t" *olo ground and its i#e&en#rusted lake !ehind us0 Howe8er( mu#h later we did manage to #at#h u* on that "ear@s *olo mat#h when we 8iewed Mi#hael Palin@s HHimala"aH series( whi#h was made for the %%+0 6he first e*isode( whi#h is largel" set in +hitral and the Northern Areas( has that "ear@s Shandur Pass *olo tournament as one of its #entre&*ie#es0 Bor the re#ord( 'ilgit won the #u* that "ear0 Although I don@t know mu#h a!out horses and e8en less a!out *olo( the *olo that I saw in 'ilgit im*ressed me with its 8iolent energ"0 Pla"ers flailed their sti#ks wildl"( a**arentl" without an" #on#ern for life and lim! Enone of the *la"ers wore helmets or *addingF( s*e#tators #heered and shouted su**ort( horses $ostled( sti#ks s*lintered and flew off in all dire#tions( "oung men dodged amongst the #ontestants( offering new sti#ks to re*la#e the !roken ones( and the !and *la"ed furiousl" whene8er the a#tion got near to one of the goals0 It was a mass s*e#tator s*ort Efor men onl"( of #ourse( e7#e*t for a few foreign women su#h as Marie and our friend RowenaF and( with its rowd" enthusiasm and 8iolent a#tion( not at all like the genteel( ordered games that I ha8e seen elsewhere0 1ust *ast the *olo ground( the road suddenl" falls awa" to !egin its twisting run down the *ass( *ro8iding us with a *anorami# 8iew of the first 8alle" in the +hitral region0 Brom then onwards( it is a hair&raising and !reath&taking route with s*e#ta#ular 8iews from narrow( winding dirt roads that #ling to the mountain sides0 At one *oint( the road *assed through a gla#ier( out of whi#h( to allow *assage( a *ie#e had !een #ut as neatl" as a re#tangular sli#e from a #ake0 On another o##asion( when the wheels of our 8ehi#le sli**ed and slid on a narrow *ie#e of road that twisted stee*l" downwards !etween #liff and *re#i*i#e( we thought that we were goners( to end u* as $ust another *ile of rusting metal in the 8alle" !elow0 )e sur8i8ed( thanks to our dri8er( the e7*erien#ed Muhammad Ali0 +hitral( a long 8alle" that runs *arallel with the eastern !order regions of Afghanistan( was almost ina##essi!le for a!out half of the "ear( when snow #losed the Lowari Pass( the main route to the south0 6he other ma$or routes out of +hitral were the Shandur Pass( whi#h was also #losed for a!out half of the "ear( and the route through Afghanistan( whi#h tra8ellers a8oided !e#ause of !anditr"0 'uns a!ounded in this area( not onl" !e#ause of the fier#e inde*enden#e of the tri!esmen O the USA gun&lo!!"ists would !e *roud of the +hitrali@s determination to !ear arms whene8er and whate8er && !ut also !e#ause +hitral was a ma$or #onduit for USA&su**lied armaments to the mu$ahidins who o**osed the So8iet o##u*ation of Afghanistan during the /24.s0 Ironi#all"( when the" had a##om*lished their task( the gallant( anti&#ommunist( freedom&lo8ing mu$ahidins !it the hands that had so unselfishl" fed them !" metamor*hosing into the 6ali!an and the $ihadis( em*lo"ing the 8er" same wea*ons and training that had made them the Heroes of the )est0 Is this another illustration of the fa#t that( from the human *ers*e#ti8e( the uni8erse is fundamentall" ironi#( or is it an illustration of the fa#t that( in s*ite of all our s#ien#e( we humans are ne8er a!le to *redi#t the out#omes of our a#tions? Or !oth? )hene8er( like an o8er&#onfident Ameri#an *resident( we are tem*ted to *ro#laim >Mission a##om*lishedA@ *erha*s we should rather hold !a#k( shel8ing trium*halism in fa8our of modest" and refle#tion0 In the medium& and long&term( the do8es and the owls usuall" ha8e it o8er the hawks0 In +hitral( we 8isited m" #olleague and #ounter*art( Huma"an 1a!al( who was head of AKU@s Professional De8elo*ment +entre +hitral0 He showed us around +hitral town( whi#h

had a straggl" !a<aar that made 'ilgit@s look like a metro*olitan sho**ing #entre0 6he town also had a 8er" large fort( s#eni#all" lo#ated on a !end of the ri8er and #onstru#ted in the #hara#teristi#( earth:uake&resisting st"le with alternating la"ers of tim!er and stone0 6he fort was the seat of the Mehtars ErulersF of +hitral until( along with other northern *rin#i*alities( the state was full" in#or*orated into Pakistan during /23-0 =isitors will hear the stor" of how( after the fort was o##u*ied !" %ritish for#es during /42I( C.. troo*s were !esieged for two weeks until relief e7*editions arri8ed from Peshawar and 'ilgit0 Other than that( there was not a lot to see in +hitral( e7#e*t for the im*ressi8e !ulk of the mountain #alled 6iri#h Mir( whi#h dominates +hitral 8alle" $ust as Raka*oshi does #entral Hun<a0 Howe8er( guided !" Huma"an( in near!" 6ooshi 'ol 'ame Reser8e we got to see some markhors( an endangered s*e#ies of wild goat&antelo*e that is mainl" found in northern Pakistan and *arti#ularl" in the areas of +hitral( 'hi<er( and Hun<a0 Markhors often stret#h u* into trees to get at s#ar#e 8egetation0 Howe8er( the markhors that we saw were e8en more a#ti8e and enter*risingJ it was hard to !elie8e !ut( $ust as Huma"an had said( these markhors a#tuall" #lim!ed into trees in sear#h of food0 6his was no mean feat for a #reature with goat&antelo*e features Ethat is( hoo8es( not *ads and #lawsF that weighs from G. to //. kilograms0 Huma"an@s home was in Muetta( #a*ital of %alo#histan Pro8in#e and far to the south of +hitral0 Although he en$o"ed his $o!( he missed his wife and #hildren and he did not like li8ing in near&isolation for almost half of ea#h "ear while the Lowari Pass was #losed and tra8ellers were at the mer#" of flights that might or might not ha**en0 On#e( for instan#e( Huma"an was marooned for twel8e da"s in Peshawar while he waited for a flight to +hitral0 arl" e8er" morning he *a#ked his !ags( left the hotel for the air*ort( and #he#ked in for the flight0 Howe8er( for ele8en da"s in su##ession( the flight was #an#elled and after an hour or two he would #olle#t his luggage and return to the hotel0 6his was the Pearl +ontinental Hotel( whi#h( I remem!er reading somewhere( the well known %%+ #orres*ondent( 1ohn Sim*son( nominated as his all&time fa8ourite hotel0 In fa#t( I think it was in Sim*son@s auto!iogra*hi#al !ook A !ad 0orld3 !y !asters: Tales from a Tra#eller4s Life EPan %ooks( -../F0 Unfortunatel" our e7*erien#e of the hotel was limited( !e#ause we arri8ed there in earl" e8ening after an e7hausting road tri* from +hitral( had a good meal !efore we tum!led into !ed( and then de*arted earl" ne7t morning( well !efore !reakfast time( to fa#e an e8en longer tri* that da"0 )e were not there long enough to e7*ress an o*inion on 1ohn Sim*sonHs o*inion0 Howe8er( e7#ellent as the Pearl +ontinental Hotel( Peshawar( might !e( Huma"an was surel" 8er" *leased to lea8e it !ehind at last when the flight finall" took off on the twelfth da"0 I also remem!er Huma"an sa"ing rather morosel" that the #hoi#e of foodstuffs !e#ame e8er more limited as the *eriod of wintr" isolation lengthened in +hitral0 Part of the *ro!lem( said Huma"an( was that +hitralis were unenter*rising *eo*le who( for instan#e( did not e8en ha8e enough initiati8e to raise #hi#kens0 As a result( #om*lained Huma"an( growing e8en more morose at the thought( !" mid&winter #ha*atis and 8itamin *ills were the main items in his diet0 Bor the re#ord( a #ha*atti is a thin( round( unlea8ened !read that is eaten with most South Asian dishes( where it is often used in *la#e of utensils to s#oo* u* the food0 +ha*atis are routinel" ser8ed with all meals in Pakistan0 In m" o*inion( the" are not a**etising on their own( so I #ould understand m" #olleagueHs morose #om*laint a!out winter fare in #ut&off +hitral0 6hree remote 8alle"s on the Afghanistan !order south&west of +hitral town are home to the Kalash *eo*le( who are anomalous in man" wa"s0 Birstl"( the" are not onl" non& Muslims Eor HkafirsHF in an o8erwhelmingl" Muslim su!&#ontinent( !ut the" also ha8e a

*antheist religion that seems to ha8e few #onne#tions with either Islam or with the other ma$or regional and world religions0 Se#ondl"( the Kalash do not o!ser8e *urdahJ in fa#t( men and women mingle freel"( to the e7tent that their se7ual relations seem to !e mu#h more rela7ed than those of their neigh!ours0 Other unusual Kalash *ra#ti#es in#lude !ur"ing their dead in wooden #offins a!o8e ground and se:uestrating women during menstruation and while gi8ing !irth in a s*e#ial !uilding E#alled a !ashaleniF0 Predi#ta!l"( some of these !eliefs and *ra#ti#es are so anno"ing to fundamentalist mullahs( as well as to straight&la#ed Muslim neigh!ours( that the" sometimes #ondu#t *ogroms against the Kalash0 In fa#t( the >Kafirs@ in ad$a#ent Afghanistan( #lose relati8es of the Kalash( were for#i!l" #on8erted to Islam in /42I when their territor" was su!$ugated !" the ro"al for#es( who( it is said( ga8e the 8an:uished the #hoi#e of #on8ersion or death0 As usuall" ha**ens in su#h #ir#umstan#es( most of the Kafirs #hose to #on8ert and li8e for another da"0 6oda"( !e#ause of *ressure to a!andon their >heathen@ wa"s( there are onl" a!out C... non&Mulsim Kalash left0 Howe8er( thousands of Islam&*rofessing fellows in near!" areas still s*eak the Kalash language0 In *assing( while mentioning the Hfor#ed #on8ersionH of Kalash *eo*le in Afghanistan( I #an e7*ress m" !emusement at the *rotests that !roke out in the Muslim world when( during his le#ture !" at the Uni8ersit" of Regens!urg in 'erman" on /- Se*tem!er -..5( Po*e %enedi#t D=I was re*orted to ha8e alluded to an an#ient :uotation a!out Muslims for#ing *eo*le to #on8ert to their religion0 6his was h"*o#ris"A 6he reasona!le res*onse !" Muslims would ha8e !een to sa"( H6his is true for !oth Muslim and +hristian histor" && itHs a #ase of the *ot #alling the kettle !la#kH and mo8e on0 6he *re8alen#e of fair #om*le7ions and e8en !lue e"es amongst the Kalash *eo*le leads to the #laim that Ale7ander the 'reat and his soldiers had an influen#e on the gene *ool0 Although resear#h suggests that Ale7ander@s for#es did not *ush as far north as +hitral( the" #ertainl" did enter ad$a#ent areas in *resent&da" Afghanistan0 Also( 'reek in*ut into the Kalash gene *ool #ould *re&date Ale7ander !e#ause it is known that ad$a#ent areas were settled !" 'reeks who were e7iled there in earl" in the fifth #entur" %+ !" the Persians0 In addition( Indo&'reek kingdoms that were founded !" settlers left !ehind !" Ale7ander( flourished in the region for a num!er of generations0 )hate8er the truth( modern 'reek in8ol8ement with the Kalash is e8ident in the sturd"( stone&!uilt !ashaleni in the main 8alle"( whi#h was #onstru#ted with funds *ro8ided !" the 'reek go8ernment( as well as in 8arious *ro$e#ts that ha8e !een undertaken !" 'reek N'Os0 )e were fortunate to !e in +hitral on the Saturda" when the Kalash *eo*le #ele!rated their s*ring festi8al0 'uided !" Huma"an( we dro8e to %um!oret( the main Kalash 8alle"0 )e followed a winding( *re#i*itous route that was t"*i#al of the region until the road straightened as it a**roa#hed %um!oret( where we entered a 8erdant 8alle" with green fields( gro8es of trees( and a rushing ri8er( all s*arkling in the warm sun of a #loudless s*ring da"0 It reminded me of ri# New!"@s des#ri*tion of a mountain 8alle" in near!" north&eastern Afghanistan0 He wrote( HPo*lars shimmeredJ willows !owed in the !ree<eJ water flowed slowl" in irrigation dit#hes through a hundred gardens( among a*ri#ot trees with the fruit still hea8" on them( su!merging the !utts of the mul!erries( whose owners s:uatted in their *ro*erties and 8iewed the s#ene with satisfa#tionR6his e8ening was like some golden age of human ha**iness( attained sometimes !" #hildren( more rarel" !" grown&u*s( and it #ommuni#ated its magi# in some degree to usH EA ,hort 0alk in the Hindu Kush( *u!lished in /24/ !" Pi#ador in London( *0 /..F0 )e knew that we had rea#hed our destination when we saw the first traditionall"& dressed Kalash woman( who was walking in a field near the road0 She wore a !la#k( full& length( long&slee8ed dress with !road !raiding around the hem( slee8es( and shoulders and a

wide( tasselled !elt around her waist0 6he strings of !eads around her ne#k were so numerous that the" looked like a fle7i!le !reast&*late0 A!o8e all( the most noti#ea!le as*e#t of her attire was her headdress0 6his #onsisted of a #ir#ular #a*( highl" de#orated with !eads and !raiding( o8er whi#h was dra*ed a !and a!out as !road as her head0 Stret#hing from her !row to !elow her shoulders( this *art of her head&dress was de#orated with hundreds of small( white shells as well as with !right( em!roidered *atterns0 )ith slight 8ariations( this was the wa" in whi#h all Kalash girls and women were dressed in %um!oret 8alle"0 One of the highlights of the s*ring festi8al is the dan#ing of the women0 )e attended the main #ele!ration in a grass" gro8e ne7t to a row of dou!le&store"ed tim!er&and&stone houses( whi#h are t"*i#al Kalash dwellings0 In a large #ir#le( slowl" mo8ing sidewa"s like a sedate #horus line( the women dan#ed with their arms around ea#h others@ shoulders( all the time making a distin#ti8e humming sound( like a mass of !ees at work0 Brom time to time( small grou*s of three or four women would !reak awa" like #"#lists lea8ing the main !un#h of ra#ers( *irouette around the gro8e( and then re$oin the large grou*0 A guide from +hitral who was there with a grou* of uro*ean tourists ga8e us some !a#kground0 Indi#ating the #rowds of men who were ogling the women( he said that man" of them #ame from as far afield as Peshawar Ea diffi#ult( /-&hour tri*F to 8iew the unusual sight of women dan#ing with ea#h other0 More than that( howe8er( was the fa#t that strong li:uor( home&!rewed !" the Kalashis( would soon !egin to flow freel" whi#h( #om!ined with the fa#t that women were *ermitted to #onsort with an" se7ual *artners of their #hoi#e at festi8als( would result in wides*read %a##hanalism throughout the night0 6o these ogling men( who li8ed in an al#ohol&for!idden( se7uall" re*ressed so#iet" like Pakistan( this must ha8e seemed like hea8en on arth O *erha*s a foretaste of the alluring houris and s"!ariti# life that await the faithful in Paradise0

5an.ers at the 0alash sprin/ festival

Lea8ing the dan#ing( we strolled u* the main road through the 8alle"( mingling with #rowds of 8isitors and lo#al men O it was diffi#ult to tell the differen#e( !e#ause Kalash men now dress the same as their neigh!ours O and o##asionall" *assing Kalash girls and women in their traditional dress0 Huma"an and I walked through a !urial ground( where most of the

#offins had !een ro!!ed of their #ar8ed lids0 It was shameful to think that the Kalash were held in su#h #ontem*t that *eo*le would e8en steal their #offin lids and lea8e the dead e7*osed0 6he #offin lids attra#t thie8es !e#ause the" are ela!oratel" #ar8ed with designs that are said to refle#t #lassi#al 'reek influen#e0 )e also entered a >tem*le@( *assing !" door *illars #arr"ing wooden #ar8ings of rams@ heads that were adorned with s*ra"s of flowers0 It was an unim*ressi8e( tim!er&sided hall of moderate si<e with an earthen floor and without an" furniture or a**lian#es0 )ith our dri8er translating( we were guided !" an elderl" woman who was una!le to enlighten us meaningfull" a!out Kalash religious !eliefs0 Bor instan#e( from what we were told I got the im*ression that the >tem*le@ was #alled a $estak( !ut later I read that 1estak is the goddess of domesti# life( famil" and marriage0 )ell( how mu#h #an "ou learn a!out the inner life O the !eliefs( intuitions( and asso#iations O of a foreign *eo*le within $ust a few hours? =er" little( in fa#t0 1ust !e grateful for the shimmering memories and for ha8ing gained a few more insights into the infinite 8ariet" that #hara#teri<es our s*e#ies0 After a last 8isit to the dan#ers in the gro8e( we left %um!oret 8alle" in mid&afternoon with the warm feeling that we had en$o"ed an e7#e*tional e7*erien#e0 Howe8er( our *leasure was #louded !" the dark knowledge that the Kalash are an endangered ethni# grou*( su!$e#t to the #ultural o**ression that alwa"s a##om*anies #oloni<ation0 Ne7t da"( we left +hitral after lun#h( intending to return to 'ilgit !" the same route o8er the Shandur Pass0 Howe8er( after a!out an hour on the road we saw that hea8" #louds were !uilding ahead of us in the dire#tion of our route through the Hindu Kush Mountains0 Seeing that #urtains of rain were alread" o!s#uring the *eaks( I asked Muhammad Ali whether( from his knowledge of the terrain( we should dri8e onwards or turn !a#k0 He re*lied( >1ust as "ou like( sir0@ 6his re*l" alwa"s meant( >)e would !e fools to *ro#eed( !ut "ou are the !oss( and( lo"al as I am( I will dri8e us an"where that "ou ask me to go0@ 7er#ising dis#retion( we de#ided to turn !a#k and s*end another night in +hitral0 As if to em*hasi<e the wisdom of our de#ision O and we were still on the main tarred road through the 8alle"( not "et on the dirt roads through the mountains O we had onl" tra8elled a few kilometres on our return tri* when we were sto**ed !" a mudslide that had s:uirted out of a little 8alle" onl" a few minutes after we *assed the *la#e on our outward $ourne"0 )ith the *ros*e#t of a long da"@s dri8e ahead of us( we turned in earl"( onl" to !e awoken at a!out three in the morning !" thunderous kno#king on our door and !" loud shouts0 6hinking that this was our wake&u* #all( I went to the door( !ut found no one there0 Moreo8er( it was still *it#h dark and mu#h too earl" for a wake&u* #all0 Marie asked what the noise was a!out and( as I got !a#k into !ed( I mum!led( >I don@t know( !ut the man must !e mad0@ Still *u<<led( I drew u* the !lankets and tried to get a few hours@ more slee*0 At !reakfast( when I asked Huma"an wh" we had !een distur!ed during the night( he looked #on#erned and said that he had heard nothing0 Howe8er( after a dis#ussion with the #howkadar( Huma"an laughed and e7*lained that there had !een an earth tremor during the night0 %e#ause the #howkadar sle*t u*stairs( he had felt the tremor more a#utel" than the rest of us downstairs0 Heading for the safet" of an o*en s*a#e( he rushed downstairs( taking time to kno#k on our !edroom door and shout a warning en route to the front door( whi#h was ne7t to our room0 >Howe8er@( o!ser8ed Huma"an( >He did not warn me !" kno#king on m" door0 I must s*eak to him a!out that0@ So( after another night in +hitral town( earl" ne7t morning we set off southwards to Peshawar0 6his route took us o8er the Lowari Pass EC-.. metresF whi#h was !oth the main a##ess route to the rest of the world and the main reason wh" +hitral was land&lo#ked for half of the "ear0 6he Lowari Pass was un*a8ed and had s#ores of tight !ends in its s*iralling

#ourse0 Dri8ers had to take it slowl" and #arefull" at the !est of times( es*e#iall" as hundreds of *onderous le8iathan&lorries #rawled along the route in !oth dire#tions e8er" da"0 On the southern side( at the !ottom of the *ass( we saw the !eginning of the tunnel that was designed to #arr" the route through the mountain instead of o8er it( thus ensuring "ear&round a##ess0 )hen we were there( the work had !een stalled for a few "ears with no indi#ation that it might resume an" time soon0 Howe8er( a few "ears later the work did resume and the tunnel( 4050 kms long( was o*ened to traffi# during earl" -..20 Its #om*letion marked the demise of another dramati#( *erilous mountain *ass0 )hile the tunnel is o*en( ne8er again will tra8ellers ha8e to !ra8e a hundred s*iralling( hair*in !ends on a gra8el road without !arriers !etween its edges and the gorges !elow0 Ne8er again will tra8ellers ha8e to e7*erien#e a road that sli#es through gla#iers and that offers s*e#ta#ular 8iews at e8er" turn0 +ome to think of it( with "ear&round a##ess to the outside world now ensured( ne8er again will *eo*le like Huma"an ha8e reason to #om*lain that 8itamin *ills and #ha*atis are the onl" foodstuffs that are a8aila!le in +hitral during winter&time 6hat is *rogressA Brom Lowari Pass we followed the main road southwards towards Peshawar0 6he final *art of the route took us through Pashtun farmlands( dotted with homesteads that were a#tuall" fortified #om*ounds0 6o me( the" looked like 8isi!le *roof of the 8aunted fero#iousness and inde*enden#e of Pashtun men0 )hen we rea#hed Peshawar( the da" was so ad8an#ed and we were so tired that we saw nothing of the #it"0 arl" ne7t morning( read" for an e8en longer da"@s tra8el( we left Peshawar on the 'reat 6runk Road and then headed northwards on the familiar route of the KKH0 Someda"( we said( we would return to *a" a *ro*er 8isit to Peshawar and near!" Kh"!er Pass O !ut unfortunatel" we ne8er did0 On this tri*( our dri8er( Mohammad Ali( was a hero0 He dro8e im*e##a!l" on the long dri8e from +hitral to Peshawar( taking us safel" o8er the torturous Lowari Pass and dri8ing o8er long stret#hes of dirt road until( after one more mountain *ass( late in the afternoon of a tiring da" we arri8ed in Peshawar0 6hen( while we sle*t( he sta"ed u* half the night to su*er8ise re*airs on the 8ehi#le0 Ne7t morning( Mohammad Ali was !ehind the wheel $ust after sunrise to take us all safel" along the 'rand 6runk Road and the demanding KKH until we arri8ed in 'ilgit $ust after sunset0 6his was a Monda" e8ening( and Mohammad Ali had !een awa" from home sin#e the *re#eding )ednesda"( weekend in#luded0 I said( >6ake tomorrow off( see "our famil"( and get some rest0 I #an dri8e m"self to work0@ He re*lied( >No( sir0 I will dri8e "ou0@ Howe8er( I *re8ailed and he took a da" off0 %ut he was !a#k on dut" !efore 30C. a0m0 on )ednesda" morning0

Lo8ari !ass

CH !"ER "E$% E54C "'#$ $5 RE5 " !E du#ation in Pakistan is a mess0 A*art from inade:uate finan#ing and *oor fa#ilities( the :ualit" of instru#tion is generall" 8er" low( with rigid methods and with man" tea#hers ha8ing limited su!$e#t knowledge0 6his situation largel" has its roots in the *oor :ualit" of tea#her edu#ation( whi#h in turn refle#ts the *oor edu#ation that the tea#hers themsel8es re#ei8e as the" *ass through s#hool and #ollege O and so the 8i#ious #"#le #ontinues( endlessl" re*eated0 6he edu#ational s"stem refle#ts o8erall *atterns in Pakistani so#iet"( whi#h is #hara#teri<ed !" hierar#hi#al stru#tures in whi#h res*e#t is unidire#tional; for e7am*le( from weak to strong( from *oor to ri#h( from student to tea#her( and from tea#her to head tea#her0 Not sur*risingl"( most s#hools em*lo" traditional modes of tea#hing that refle#t these wider so#ial *ra#ti#es0 Students are e7*e#ted to follow tea#hers *assi8el"( while tea#hers are #om*elled to follow the instru#tions of their s#hool heads and other *rofessional seniors( usuall" su**ressing their indi8idual *otentials and es#hewing #reati8e thinking0 7ternal !odies im*ose #urri#ula and set te7t!ooks while( en route to the all&im*ortant e7aminations( tea#hers are e7*e#ted to follow *res#ri*tions without an" de8iations0 In res*onse to this dire situation( the Institute for du#ational De8elo*ment of the Aga Khan Uni8ersit" EAKU&I DF( m" em*lo"er( set itself the task of training and re&training tea#hers to !e more fle7i!le( learner&#entred( and refle#ti8e( as well as !etter e:ui**ed and more #reati8el" in8ol8ed in their su!$e#t knowledge0 AKU&I D also fo#used on effe#ti8e s#hool management( re#ogni<ing that this is the sine :ua non for edu#ational im*ro8ement0 At PD+N( I headed a team that was in8ol8ed in im*lementing a regional edu#ational im*ro8ement *rogram that was funded !" the uro*ean Union and was im*lemented !" a #onsortium of agen#ies within the Aga Khan De8elo*ment Network0 In fa#t( PD+N and its neigh!ouring PD++ EProfessional De8elo*ment +entre +hitralF were !oth !uilt and o*erated with funds *ro8ided !" the *ro$e#t0 At PD+N( the *ro$e#t was mainl" im*lemented 8ia the )hole S#hool Im*ro8ement Program E)SIPF( whi#h was !ased on international resear#h into how s#hools im*ro8e0 )SIP was grounded in the *rin#i*le that a s#hool should !e treated as an integrated unit( not as a #olle#tion of se*arate units( *eo*le( and *arts0 6he *ro$e#t *ro8ided su**ort to the targeted s#hools in the form of *rofessional training #ourses for the tea#hers( management training for the s#hool heads( resour#es for tea#hers( and rotating li!rar" sto#ks0 6he *attern was that after an intensi8e >inter8ention@ "ear( *ro$e#t s#hools re#ei8ed two "ears of follow&u* su**ort0 6he *ro$e#t s#hools were

drawn from all three of the edu#ational s"stems in the Northern Areas( i0e0 go8ernment s#hools( Aga Khan du#ation ser8i#es EAK SF s#hools( and the s#hools run !" other non& go8ernmental organi<ations0 )hile im*lementing )SIP( fa#ult" mem!ers were often awa" from the #am*us for one or two weeks at a time0 During these *eriods( usuall" working in *airs( the" would ser8i#e the three or four s#hools in their >#lusters@0 Ba#ult" mem!ers returned to PD+N regularl" for feed!a#k and *rofessional de8elo*ment sessions( as well as to #ondu#t training #ourses for the *ro$e#t tea#hers0 As a result of !eing in8ol8ed with the *ro$e#t( I got to 8isit a lot of s#hools in 8arious *arts of the Northern Areas0 Marie usuall" a##om*anied me on these tri*s( whi#h ga8e her the o**ortunit" to see 8arious *arts of the Northern Areas as well as to get to know the s#hool s"stems0 One of our lasting im*ressions was the de*ressing #onditions in man" go8ernment s#hools( whi#h were usuall" *oorl" fa#ilitated( with !are #on#rete floors( !roken window *anes( *eeling and un*ainted walls( and few materials0 Some did not ha8e toilets( none had li!raries Ee7#e*t that some had !ook #orners( whi#h were donated( and #"#li#all" resto#ked( !" PD+NF( and man" did not ha8e desks or writing materials( whi#h meant that the #hildren wrote on slates while sitting on #old #ement floors in the midst of high&altitude winters0 It is no e7aggeration to des#ri!e #onditions in some go8ernment s#hools as >s:ualid@0 6o e7a#er!ate the situation( the s#holars were usuall" su!dued and regimented !e#ause of the tight dis#i*line( whi#h in#luded #or*oral *unishment0 Although this de*ressing *i#ture was not true for all go8ernment s#hools( it( or some 8ariation thereof( a**lied to a signifi#ant num!er of them0 A s#hool that we 8isited in %agrot =alle" made a dee* im*ression on !oth of us0 Although the high( narrow 8alle" of %agrot is less than one hour !" road from 'ilgit( it has a remote and distant air( *ro!a!l" !e#ause settlements are small and the road into the 8alle" is dangerous and diffi#ult0 Here there was a *ri8ate s#hool that was entirel" housed in tents that were *it#hed in a semi&#ir#ular formation on a *ie#e of #leared ground a!out half the si<e of a so##er field0 6his s#hool had no li!rar"( no administrati8e #entre( no staff room( and 8er" little of an"thing else0 One #ould hardl" imagine how #old the #onditions would !e under #an8as in midwinter( when the sun@s ra"s would not rea#h into the 8alle" e8en at mid&da"0 Howe8er( the wel#oming attitude and enthusiasm of the tea#hers were striking0 Marie was so im*ressed that during the art #lasses at the Mountain S#hool Esee laterF( she and the older #hildren *rodu#ed sim*le !ooks as gifts for the >tent s#hool@0 In the northern Areas( the s#hools owned !" the Aga Khan du#ational Ser8i#es EAK SF were definitel" a #ut a!o8e the go8ernment s#hools( while man" of the non&AK S *ri8ate s#hools made the !est im*ressions of all0 It was not that their *h"si#al fa#ilities were ne#essaril" !etter 9 in fa#t( man" of them were housed in unsuita!le( o8er#rowded rented !uildings in #onditions that would sur*rise *eo*le in wealth" #ountries 9 !ut rather that the" seemed to !e im!ued with *ur*ose and enthusiasm( together with reasona!le su**lies of !ooks( e:ui*ment( and tea#hing aids0 At these *ri8ate s#hools( most of the tea#hers seemed to !e highl" moti8ated while most of the s#holars looked !right and ha**"0 'enerall"( the s#hools ga8e the im*ression that the" were well managed and were staffed !" *eo*le who were tr"ing to #reate real( meaningful edu#ational e7*erien#es for the s#holars in en8ironments that were not dominated !" fear and su**ression0 In the su!&#ontinent( as in other *arts of Asia( *ri8ate s#hools are far from !eing the *reser8e of the wealth"( as the" are in man" )estern #ountries( where *ri8ate s#hooling is usuall" asso#iated with elitism and e7#lusi8it"0 Although Pakistan does ha8e >i8" league@ *ri8ate s#hools( some of whi#h were founded during the #olonial *eriod( more and more

*ri8ate s#hools are s*ringing u* to #ater for #hildren from low&in#ome families0 6his seems to !e the situation in most Pakistani #ities( as it is in India and in other Asian #ountries0 I learned more a!out *ri8ate s#hools when I headed a team that resear#hed the *osition of *ri8ate s#hooling in the Northern Areas0 Lea8ing aside the s#hools that were owned !" the Aga Khan du#ational Ser8i#es EAK SF we resear#hed the more re#ent *henomenon of the >new@ *ri8ate s#hools( whi#h were mainl" owned and managed !" lo#al #ommunit" and #ultural organisations0 Starting from almost nothing in /22.( there had !een ra*id growth in these s#hools u* to the time of our resear#h( when we identified -I4 s#hools that a##ommodated a!out /5P of the s#holars in the region0 Howe8er( !e#ause offi#ial statisti#s were in#om*lete and unrelia!le( we thought that the figures for *ri8ate s#hools #ould !e on the low side0 In an" #ase( the situation was #hanging all the timeJ at the time of our sur8e"( *ri8ate s#hools were not onl" growing in num!er !ut were e7*anding internall"( as a signifi#ant num!er were still adding #lasses "ear !" "ear0 Not sur*risingl"( we found that( !" a large margin( the res*ondents in our sur8e" rated go8ernment s#hools 8er" low on almost all of the as*e#ts of >good edu#ation@ that we listed in our sur8e" ( while AK S s#hools o##u*ied the middle ground0 Howe8er( a!out half of the res*ondents rated go8ernment s#hools highest on :ualit" of !uildings and furniture0 I found this interesting !e#ause it suggested that the *arents !elie8ed that good fa#ilities do not ne#essaril" guarantee good edu#ation0 Put the other wa" around( the" reali<ed that good edu#ation #an take *la#e in a 8ariet" of settings0 In fa#t( few of the >new@ *ri8ate s#hools had *ur*ose&!uilt fa#ilitiesJ most were lo#ated in houses( with 8erandas( store rooms( and e8en kit#hens !eing used as #lassrooms0 6he res*onse to this *art of the sur8e" suggested that in an ideal world the *arents would ha8e wanted !etter #onditions !ut( sensi!l"( were willing to tolerate the #urrent #onditions in the interests of a !etter :ualit" of edu#ation0 It was a #ase of #utting one@s #oat a##ording to one@s #loth0 One reason wh" I found this interesting was that I grew u* in South Afri#a and s*ent a #onsidera!le *art of m" *rofessional life working in edu#ation there and later in Nami!ia( in !oth #ountries under the a*artheid s"stem until Nami!ia gained inde*enden#e in /22.0 Under a*artheid( with its dis#riminator" !udgets and fa#ilities !ased on ra#e( I often heard !la#k tea#hers #om*lain !itterl" that the #onditions in whi#h the" worked were so *oor that the" #ould not *ossi!l" *rodu#e edu#ation of good :ualit"0 Howe8er( the truth is that under a*artheid man" !la#k s#hools had !etter fa#ilities and e:ui*ment than man" of the *ri8ate s#hools in the Northern Areas of Pakistan( in whi#h I fre:uentl" saw and felt o*timism and *rofessional enthusiasm0 In m" o*inion( the real defe#t in man" !la#k s#hools under a*artheid in South Afri#a and Nami!ia was not the !udgets and fa#ilities( dis#riminator" as the" were( !ut the low morale and resentment that #hara#teri<ed man" of the tea#hers and *arents0 In other words( with the fa#ilities that were a8aila!le( in different #ir#umstan#es a great deal more #ould ha8e !een a#hie8ed than was a#tuall" a#hie8ed0 6his is not a defen#e of a*artheid( !ut rather a refle#tion on how e7*enditures and fa#ilities on edu#ation are less im*ortant than the #onte7t in whi#h edu#ation o##urs( and the attitudes of the *eo*le in8ol8ed0 Am I suggesting that good fa#ilities and modern e:ui*ment are unne#essar"? Not so0 Howe8er( I am suggesting that that good edu#ation should not !e #onfused with su*erior fa#ilities and e7*ensi8e infrastru#tures0 6he two are not ne#essaril" the same0 6o return to our resear#h in the Northern Areas( we found that most *arents #hose *ri8ate s#hools !e#ause the" seemed to offer their #hildren !etter o**ortunities of learning to

s*eak( read( and write nglish well0 6his was one amongst a num!er of ke" e7*e#tations a!out what *ri8ate s#hooling would deli8er for the #hildren in terms of !etter edu#ational o**ortunities and !etter $o!s0 Not sur*risingl"( when sur8e"ed a!out *referred o##u*ations for their #hildren( the *arents ranked do#torKmedi#al s*e#ialist first0 6his was followed !" the o##u*ations of #i8il ser8ant and arm" offi#er0 6hese two rankings refle#t the highl" !ureau#rati<ed nature of Pakistani so#iet"( where the state and the *u!li# se#tor dominate the e#onom"( in#luding the fa#t that Pakistan has !een under militar" rule for more than half of the *eriod of its e7isten#e as an inde*endent state0 Bor the re#ord( the res*ondents were all fathers of s#holars at *ri8ate s#hools( randoml" sele#ted0 )e did not inter8iew mothers !e#ause of gender&!ased sensiti8ities00 So#iologi#all"( the Northern Areas region is far from homogenous0 One s*here in whi#h this di8ersit" is starkl" refle#ted is female edu#ation0 As I said( there is a #om*arati8el" li!eral attitude towards women@s rights in the Hun<a where at the !eginning of the -/st +entur" it was estimated that o8erall litera#" was !etween 5.P and 3.P( with the female rate #lose to( or *erha*s e8en higher than( the male rate 0 %" #ontrast( women in the Diamer distri#t( where +hilas is the main town( onl" a!out -.. kilometres !" road from #entral Hun<a( suffer restri#tions and re*ression in almost e8er" res*e#t0 One sur8e" *ro8ided this !lunt assessment of the situation in the distri#t( stating that( H'enerall" the women of the area suffer e7treme !iases in almost e8er" s*here of life( !e it the e7*ression of their o*inions( a##ess to ser8i#es( or #ontrol and use of a8aila!le resour#es in the area0 6he" la#k effe#ti8e re*resentation in the de#ision&making institutions( the" don@t ha8e e:ual a##ess to s#hools for edu#ation( the" ha8e disad8antage in ha8ing health #are fa#ilities of their s*e#ifi# needs Esi#F and the" don@t ha8e #ontrol or o**ortunit" to earn and use their resour#es a##ording to their own #hoi#e0 6he" are e8en restri#ted to use their right to 8oteH E6he :uotation is from *age G4 of a re*ort *u!lished in -../ !" So#io&e#onomi# and %usiness +onsultants( titled .orthern Area &e#elo-ment 1ro5ect% Baseline ,ur#ey Re-ortF0 As #an !e e7*e#ted( female litera#" was also 8er" low0 )ill o8erall standards generall" im*ro8e( and s*e#ifi#all" will female *arti#i*ation in formal edu#ation im*ro8e? 6here do not seem to !e an" reasons wh" the" should0 Birstl"( Pakistan is a highl" stratified( almost feudal( so#iet" in whi#h the free en:uir" and so#ial mo!ilit" that are *romoted !" :ualit" edu#ation are not a**re#iated !" the *oliti#al elites0 Se#ondl"( in Islami# so#ieties female *arti#i*ation in wider so#iet" suffers when >Islam@ seems to !e under threat0 During these *eriods( the #onser8ati8es and fundamentalists dominate the high ground( en$oining the faithful to return to older and >*urer@ *ra#ti#es in the interests of solidarit" and defending the faith0 6hese *ra#ti#es alwa"s in#lude #lam*ing down on women !" reining in an" HlooseningH that might ha8e o##urred during more li!eral *eriods0 +urrentl"( with the USA&led >)ar on 6error@ under wa" and with )estern troo*s o##u*"ing Afghanistan and Ira:( #onser8ati8eKfundamentalist for#es dominate dis#ourse in man" Muslim #ountries0 In this situation( neither refle#ti8e( en:uir"&!ased edu#ation nor the rights of women flourish0 In the heading to this se#tion( wh" did I refer to >red ta*e@? Let me !egin m" e7*lanation !" sa"ing that I often 8isited the Dire#tor of du#ation in his :uarters( whi#h were !ehind high stone walls on a *ro*ert" ad$a#ent to 'ilgit@s main !a<aar0 M" 8isits were normall" #on#erned with some as*e#ts of the U&funded *ro$e#t( in whi#h the go8ernment edu#ational s"stem was a ke" *artner( and I usuall" dis#ussed matters su#h as arranging training #ourses for tea#hers( e8aluating *rogress( allo#ating resour#es( and sele#ting s#hools for the *ro$e#t0 On these 8isits( I was alwa"s a##om*anied !" a senior #olleague !e#ause the Dire#tor@s nglish was not good enough to #o*e with sustained negotiations while m" Urdu onl" e7tended as far as !u"ing 8egeta!les in the !a<aar0

On#e our 8ehi#le entered the #om*ound and the !ig metal gates #langed shut !ehind us( I was in a world that was different to an" that I had known0 On the 8eranda of the stone& walled !uilding( we would !e re#ei8ed !" a !earded offi#ial in a *an#ake&like flat #a* and shalwar kamee<( who would disa**ear into an ad$a#ent room to announ#e our arri8al to the Dire#tor0 6hen he would re&emerge to usher us inside( where we would find the Dire#tor of du#ation sitting at his desk at the end of a large room with #hairs against the walls down !oth sides0 6he Dire#tor would rise to em!ra#e us 9 the #hara#teristi# male em!ra#e of the region( first to right and then to left( arms around shoulders( !ut without the *u#kered kiss on the #heek 9 and then would show us to our seats whi#h( refle#ting m" seniorit" Eor *erha*s his #ourtes" to a foreignerF were alwa"s #lose to his ta!le0 Usuall" there were other *eo*le in the room( all there on !usiness( su#h as de*artmental #olleagues( tea#hers( and offi#ials from other de*artments0 )e would ha8e to wait our turn while the Dire#tor dealt with some of them0 Others( howe8er( were there when we arri8ed and were still sitting there when we left0 )hile the Dire#tor dis#ussed matters with whoe8er@s turn it was to en$o" his attention( other things would also !e ha**ening0 6he *hone would ring at the Dire#tor@s right el!ow and an attendant would hand it to him( whi#h meant that the Dire#tor would !reak off the #on8ersation for the duration of the tele*honi# #on8ersation0 EOn#e( howe8er( I saw a dire#tor in another de*artment tr"ing to handle two *hone #on8ersations and one li8e dis#ussion all at the same time0F )hen our turn #ame to dis#uss the matter of the da" with the Dire#tor( we #ould !e almost #ertain that we would also !e interru*ted a num!er of times !" *hone #alls( !" offi#ials with do#uments to !e signed( !" arri8als of new#omers( and !" *iles of files arri8ing on the Dire#tor@s desk0 Although m" se#retar" alwa"s *honed ahead for an a**ointment( I allowed at least an hour for a meeting with the Dire#tor of du#ation( e8en if it entailed nothing more #om*li#ated than asking him to sign an authori<ation for a s#hool head to release tea#hers to attend a #ourse0 In#identall"( the a!o8e *ro#edure was standard in the offi#es of all of the de*artmental dire#tors and senior go8ernment offi#ials in 'ilgit0 Howe8er( although the *ro#edures were #um!ersome( I was alwa"s treated #ourteousl" and hel*full"0 I #ould see that Marie was s#e*ti#al when I des#ri!ed the *ro#eedings in the Dire#tor@s offi#e to her0 6he look on her fa#e suggested that she thought that I was e7aggerating EagainAF0 Howe8er( one da" the Dire#tor said that he would like to s*eak to Marie and asked me to !ring her to his offi#e0 I o!liged( and Marie was a!le to e7*erien#e the *ro#eedings *ersonall"0 )hen( after more than an hour( we finall" left the offi#e( Marie gra#iousl" said( >I thought that "ou were e7aggerating what goes on in that offi#e( !ut now I see that it@s e8en worse than "ou des#ri!ed it0@ Bor the re#ord( the Dire#tor wanted to s*eak to Marie a!out the *ossi!ilit" of her gi8ing *ri8ate nglish lessons to his daughters0 She de#lined Egra#iousl"F0 Red ta*e? )ell( the Dire#tor@s desk was *iled high with manila files that were !ound !" red #loth ta*e0 6hroughout the time that we s*ent in the offi#e( either awaiting or en$o"ing an audien#e( flat&#a**ed( !earded offi#ials would arri8e and de*art with mounds of these !ound files( whi#h formed a fortress&like wall a#ross the front of the Dire#tor@s desk0 %esides the tele*hone( there was onl" one other s"m!ol of modernit" in the form of a #om*uter( with ke"!oard( *rinter( and monitor that stood on a side ta!le in the #orner to the dire#tor@s left0 Howe8er( this e:ui*ment( whi#h had !een *ro8ided !" a donor&funded *ro$e#t( was alwa"s #o8ered with a dust #loth and was ne8er used0 Instead( the offi#e was run in the wa" that similar fa#ilities must ha8e o*erated during the da"s of the Ra$( namel" !" #ir#ulating manila files !ound with red #loth ta*e( deli8ered and remo8ed !" !earded fun#tionaries in flat #a*s( while 8isitors and su!ordinates waited for an audien#e0 Of #ourse( as #an !e e7*e#ted(

do#uments were *rodu#ed on an#ient t"*ewriters with la"ers of #ar!on *a*er !etween the sheets( after whi#h the" were inserted into manila files that were !ound with red ta*e0 CH !"ER ELE+E$% "HE 6#4$" '$ ,CH##L $5 #"HER E9!ER'E$CE, )hen we mo8ed to Pakistan( Marie ga8e u* a su##essful !usiness #areer as owner& manager of a large guest house0 She did so willingl"( feeling that she was suffering from !urn&out after /G "ears of hard work and long hours0 In addition( she liked the idea of an ad8enture in a strange #ountr" amongst new *eo*le0 %efore I a##e*ted the $o! with the Aga Khan Uni8ersit"( I asked Marie( not for the first time( >%ut what will "ou do with "ourself in Pakistan?@ 6o this( she re*lied( >I@ll take a long holida"( after whi#h I@ll look around for something to do0@ Knowing her( I dou!ted that the holida" would !e a long one0 Also( I was a**rehensi8e a!out whether or not there would !e o**ortunities for her to work in the unknown territor" into whi#h we were heading0 Howe8er( we were !oth looking forward to the ad8enture( so I sent m" a##e*tan#e to AKU( after whi#h we sold u*( *a#ked u*( and made our tra8el arrangements0 After arri8al in Pakistan( we s*ent one week in Kara#hi( during whi#h Marie was mainl" #onfined to the guest house without mu#h #om*an" e7#e*t when I was there after working hours0 6hen( a##om*anied !" senior management( we made a re#onnaissan#e tri* to 'ilgit and returned to Kara#hi0 Although I had !een told that I would need one month of orientation at head:uarters in Kara#hi( !" this time I was getting im*atient to !egin work so I suggested that I should get !a#k to 'ilgit and learn on the $o!0 Management a##e*ted m" re*resentation and within a few da"s Marie and I set off for 'ilgit again( this time in e7*e#tation of a long sta"0 In 'ilgit( we sta"ed at the Serena Hotel while we looked for rental a##ommodation0 )e had two non&negotia!le re:uirements( namel" E/F a > uro*ean@&t"*e toilet and E-F a )estern&t"*e kit#hen( with #u*!oards( working s*a#e( and a *ro*er sink0 Houses that fitted the !ill were hard to find in 'ilgit so Marie s*ent :uite a !it of time dri8ing around town a##om*anied !" administrati8e staff mem!ers( looking at what was a8aila!le0 After a while she found a house and we mo8ed in after two weeks in the hotel0 6rue( the house was rather too large for onl" two *eo*le( as it had se8en !edrooms( ea#h with a !athroom 9 !ut it did meet re:uirements( !e#ause ea#h one of the !athrooms had an a##e*ta!le toilet( while the kit#hen( although it would not ha8e featured in >Home and 'arden@ maga<ine( did meet minimum re:uirements0 After we mo8ed in( Marie s*ent a!out two weeks getting the house organised( ad$usting to the wa"s of our #howkadar( Salim( and finding out where and how to sho*0 )hen she had done that( instead of en$o"ing a long holida"( she de#ided that the time had #ome to do something *rodu#ti8e0 Birst she taught nglish to *ri8ate students( !ut after a time she found that the students were too unrelia!le0 Muite often( without *rior warning( the" did not arri8e for their instru#tional sessions( and then refused to *a" e8en although Marie had set aside the time for them0 Of #ourse( the" would not *a" in ad8an#e0 De#iding that *ri8ate lessons were more frustrating than the" were worth( Marie then did a s*ell of 8oluntar" tea#hing at a donor&funded *ri8ate s#hool where her task was to hel* the tea#hers to im*ro8e their nglish *rofi#ien#" and general tea#hing skills0 Howe8er( she sto**ed doing this !e#ause the s#hool was so !adl" managed0 Also( she was anno"ed !" the amount of #or*oral *unishment that was administered there0 6he girls( in *arti#ular( were not

moti8ated !e#ause the male tea#hers fre:uentl" denigrated them and e8en !eat them0 On the other hand( when Marie taught the #lasses( she felt that the girls reall" flourished0 Bor instan#e( she learned not to gesture towards the girls with her hands( as this made them #ower !e#ause the" thought that the" were going to !e !eaten0 Later( when she and the s#holars got to know ea#h other( Marie found that the girls had o8er#ome their fear of !eing stru#k !" her and a#tuall" wanted to !e tou#hed Efor instan#e( lightl" on their shouldersF as a sign of affe#tionate reassuran#e0 Marie was also frustrated !" the !latantl" in#orre#t #ontents of some of the lessons0 %" wa" of e7am*le( she sa"s that she #an ne8er forget a lesson that the s#hool *rin#i*al was gi8ing a!out #ondensation0 As in#orre#t fa#t followed in#orre#t fa#t( the #hildren ke*t on glan#ing at Marie with :uestioning looks0 Howe8er( she #ould not interfere( so she $ust sat there in wonderment0 Bor instan#e( when the *rin#i*al asked how rain was formed( one of the !o"s ga8e the #orre#t answer( onl" to !e re!uked as follows; >No( "ou know how the stones are #old and wet in the morning? )ell the" get so #old at night that the water is for#ed out of them into the atmos*here( and then it falls as rain0@ Afterwards( the #lass #ame to her and asked what the" should do0 6a#tfull"( she referred them to their te7t!ook( where the information was #orre#t( not the gar!led lesson that the" had $ust heard0 Perha*s e8en more astounding was the fa#t that most of the tea#hers taught that the sun mo8ed around the earth0 6hese were onl" two instan#es of man" su#h misinter*retations0 Unfortunatel" the !oard of go8ernors was not interested in the *ro!lems0 In their o*inion( the #hildren were getting an edu#ation( no matter what form it took( and that was all that mattered0 Astounded at what was ha**ening at what was #onsidered to !e one of the !est s#hools in the region( Marie left the s#hool in frustration after a!out three months0 )hen she tra8elled with me during m" 8isits to PD+N *ro$e#t s#hools( Marie was made wel#ome at most of the s#hools0 Sometimes asked to s*eak to the girl students( who( in their remote lo#ations( seldom saw foreigners0 Howe8er( she remem!ers with distaste our 8isit to a !o"@s s#hool near Kha*lu in 'han#he Distri#t( whi#h is the easternmost region of the Northern Areas and is #lose to the Line of +ontrol( i0e0 the un#ertain >!order@ with India0 Here the *rin#i*al and his de*ut" studiousl" ignored her( talking *ast her and e8en looking *ast her O in fa#t( making her a non&*erson0 )e ne8er reall" understood the reason for their !eha8iour( whi#h( howe8er( had to !e grounded in rigid !eliefs a!out the *ro*er roles and *la#es for females0 In other *arts of the world( these !eliefs and !eha8ioural *atterns would !e #astigated as se7ist and misog"nisti#0 Howe8er( in Pakistan the" are the norm in man" *arts of so#iet"( where the" are not su!$e#t to s#rutin" and are defended as *ro*erl" Islami#0 Howe8er( the !eha8iour was *e#uliar in 8iew of the fa#t that( on the same da"( Marie was made wel#ome at two other s#hools in the same area0 After a!out four months in 'ilgit( Marie linked u* with the near!" Mountain S#hool0 Our a#:uaintan#e with the s#hool dated !a#k to the first da" in our house in 'ilgit( when there was a kno#k on the door and in walked an nglishman of a!out I. "ears of age with a rudd" #om*le7ion( !ush" hair( and dishe8elled #lothes0 In a #ulti8ated %ritish a##ent( he introdu#ed himself as 1a#k( a neigh!our and( together with his wife( one of the owners of the near!" Mountain S#hool0 1a#k *rodu#ed an in8itation( hand&written !" some of the s#holars( to attend a *erforman#e of Shakes*eare@s The Tem-est at the s#hool on the following Saturda"0 6o us( newl" arri8ed in this remote mountain 8alle" where nglish was hardl" e8er heard( the idea of attending a *erforman#e of a Shakes*eare *la" seemed im*ro!a!le if not ludi#rous0 S#e*ti#all"( we a##e*ted the in8itation on the grounds that it seemed to !e too e7oti# to !e missed0

On Saturda"( when we entered the s#hool *remises through the #langing metal gates( we looked around with interest0 6he s#hool was lo#ated in a rented house in large grounds that were surrounded !" the usual high walls0 6he !uildings themsel8es were old( *lain( and not in good re*air( while the stage was no more than a #leared s*a#e on hard&*a#ked earth #o8ered with a #ar*et in front of the main !uilding0 At first sight( this was not a *romising setting for a *erforman#e of the fantasti#al Tem-est0 6he audien#e was like none that we had e8er seen at a dramati# *rodu#tion0 Dressed in shalwar kamee<es( a!out half of them #on#ealed under !ur:uas( the women sat on rows of #hairs and !en#hes near the >stage@( while the men stood around smoking and gossi*ing !ehind the women0 6o our sur*rise( we en$o"ed the *erforman#e0 6he #hildren( e8en the smallest ones( seemed !oth to understand and en$o" what the" were a!out0 6he di#tion was #lear and a**ro*riate( whi#h was ama<ing in 8iew of the fa#t that onl" three of the a#tors Enamel"( Re!e##a and 1a#k@s three #hildrenF were nati8e s*eakers of nglish0 Bor the rest of the #hildren( nglish was a third or a fourth language0 )hen Marie offered her ser8i#es to the Mountain S#hool( it turned out to !e the start of a ha**" asso#iation0 As she found from her 8er" first da" there( this was a 8er" different la#e to the *ri8ate s#hool that she had $ust leftA )hen Marie started at the Mountain S#hool( she onl" did organisation and maintenan#e( whi#h o##u*ied :uite a lot of her time0 Howe8er( after a while she was asked if she would like to tea#h0 She $um*ed at the idea( as she had alwa"s wanted to !e a tea#her !ut had ne8er :ualified as one0 Marie was delighted to find that the #hildren were reall" keen to learn0 At first she hel*ed with the lower grades( assisting the tea#hers with their reading and art #lasses0 6hen she was gi8en #lasses of her own and reall" got to know the #hildren0 7#e*t for the lowest grades( there were no more than a!out twel8e s#holars *er #lass so it was eas" to !uild u* a #lose relationshi* with the s#holars0 During her time at the Mountain S#hool( Marie taught nglish #om*rehension( reading( and art( as well as some histor" and geogra*h"0 After a while( she started tea#hing home e#onomi#s( for whi#h she used the kit#hen in our house( whi#h was a!out fi8e minute@s walk from the s#hool0 )hen Re!e##a and 1a#k took a few months off for home lea8e( Marie@s relationshi* with the s#hool had de8elo*ed to the *oint where she a#ted as s#hool manager0 Although this was an informal *osition( she found that it hel*ed her to de8elo* #loser relationshi*s with the tea#hers so that she had the *leasure of getting to know a lot more a!out famil" and so#iet" in the Northern Areas0 After more than two "ears in 'ilgit( senior management at AKU&I D asked me whether I thought that m" su##essor was read" to take o8er as head of PD+N0 I said that he was( whi#h set in motion the last *hase of our time in 'ilgit( namel" the *eriod during whi#h I wound down m" duties and !egan to hand o8er to m" su##essor( Dr Mir<a0 During this time( #hange also #ame to the Mountain S#hool0 Re!e##a and 1a#k de#ided to return to the United Kingdom !e#ause the" #ould not find a##e*ta!le se#ondar" s#hooling for their #hildren in Pakistan0 At the same time( a %ritish 8olunteer arri8ed at the s#hool to take u* most of the tea#hing that Marie had !een doing0 Marie de#ided that it was time to lea8e the Mountain S#hool and so( regretfull" and with good memories( she said good!"e0 6he real wren#h was lea8ing the #hildren( with whom she had de8elo*ed #lose and affe#tionate relationshi*s0 )ith time on her hands in the form of two or three months !efore we mo8ed to Kara#hi( Marie 8olunteered for work with the Aga Khan du#ational Ser8i#es0 6he a#ting manager( I:!al Kadi( asked her to work in lo#al s#hools( assessing the :ualit" of instru#tion(

in#luding nglish( and to make re#ommendations for im*ro8ements0 6his was an interesting assignment( during whi#h Marie got to know a lot more a!out the AK S s#hools and formed relationshi*s with a new grou* of tea#hers0 CH !"ER "*EL+E% 9<11 $5 '", 7"ER6 "H On //th Se*tem!er -../( or >2K//@( hi$a#kers #rashed #ommer#ial air*lanes into the twin towers of the )orld 6rade +entre in New Lork +it"( #om*letel" destro"ing !oth towers in a massi8e #onflagration0 Another hi$a#ked air*lane flew into the Pentagon !uilding in )ashington D+( while a fourth #rashed short of its target0 One of the results was that on 3th O#to!er -../( the United States( aided !" a #oalition of #ountries( !egan militar" a#tions in Afghanistan that resulted in the 6ali!an retreating from most of its strongholds0 Our #onne#tion with the Aga Khan Uni8ersit" and Pakistan !egan and #onsolidated in the shadow of >2K//@ and the in8asion of Afghanistan( neigh!our to Pakistan and home to a large num!er of *eo*le whose traditional homelands straddle the artifi#ial( #olonial&drawn !order !etween the two #ountries0 Brom the time that I a##e*ted the in8itation to tra8el to Pakistan for a series of inter8iews( I was sensiti8e to Muslim resentment of the wa"s in whi#h )estern #ountries rode roughshod o8er the interests and feelings of Muslim&ma$orit" #ountries0 6hen( ostensi!l" to get rid of Hwea*ons of mass destru#tionH whi#h a#tuall" did not e7ist( the USA( su**orted !" what its *resident( 'eorge )0 %ush( #alled a >+oalition of the )illing@( in8aded Ira: on /2th Mar#h -..C0 At that time we had !een li8ing in 'ilgit for more than eight months0 )e thought that the in8asion of Ira: would mean that we would ha8e to lea8e Pakistan( !e#ause during earl" 1anuar" it was rumoured that AKU would e8a#uate its entire foreign staff0 Although we did not want to lea8e( Marie got our trunks out and started *a#king less&used arti#les( $ust in #ase0 Of #ourse( we were wondering where we would end u* if we were e8a#uated0 )as there an assigned *la#e for e8a#uees( similar to the *la#e to whi#h lost so#ks are said to gra8itate? 6hen the in8asion started and we heard nothing more a!out e8a#uation0 Howe8er( the lo#al *oli#e sent three armed guards to our house 9 one for Marie( one for me( and one for Ste*han( our lodger( we guessed0 %e#ause all three of us were *a#ifists( we were o**osed to the *resen#e of the guards0 Howe8er( it was diffi#ult to get rid of them0 6hat e8ening( in the front room of our house( there was a #a#o*honous dis#ussion a!out the matter0 6he *arti#i*ants were Marie and me Eneither of us s*oke UrduF( Ste*han Ewho s*oke good UrduF( the three rifle&toting *oli#emen( two *oli#e offi#ers( and Salim( who was not onl" looking on with interest !ut was also making a #ontri!ution to the #a#o*hon" of 8oi#es and o*inions0 8er"one s*oke at on#e( in Urdu( %urushaski( and nglish( and the walkie&talkie s:uawked for good measure0 Binall"( the guards were remo8ed after we wrote a letter to the su*erintendent of *oli#e( a!sol8ing the authorities of res*onsi!ilit" for an"thing that might ha**en to us0 Howe8er( with no warning( an armed *oli#eman suddenl" rea**eared a week later to guard our front gate0 Bor good measure( we were told that we had to feed and house him0 6his time Ste*han and I had to see the su*erintendent of *oli#e in *erson to *ersuade him to remo8e the guard0 Our *oint of 8iew was that one armed man would not !e a deterrent if $ihadis reall" wanted to get us( so wh" should there !e one additional death( that of an inno#ent *erson( if there was an atta#k? Howe8er( we were not entirel" free of the *resen#e of armed guards( as a senior *oli#e offi#er took u* residen#e in a near!" house and the road and

the house were alwa"s guarded !" a grou* of helmeted *oli#emen in an o*en tru#k with a mounted ma#hine gun0 After the in8asion of Ira:( it looked as if Pakistani $ihadis did in#rease their atta#ks on foreigners( although these in#idents were still few and far !etween when #om*ared to the s#ale of the ongoing 8iolen#e !etween Sunnis and Shias( and !etween dissidents and the go8ernment0 At this *oint( I should note that( in s*ite the fa#t that most Pakistanis were o8erwhelmingl" hos*ita!le to foreigners( it would !e wrong to gi8e the im*ression that foreigners in Pakistan were ne8er targeted0 If we needed a reminder that Pakistan was ne8er entirel" safe for foreigners( we onl" had to talk to Ste*han( a 'erman aid worker who lodged with us during our first "ear in 'ilgit0 Ste*han sur8i8ed a grenade atta#k on Sunda" worshi**ers at the Protestant International +hur#h in Islama!ad on /4th Mar#h -..-( in whi#h fi8e *eo*le were killed and GI were in$ured0 6he latter in#luded Ste*han( who was *artiall" deaf in one ear as a result of the !last0 6hen( during August -..-( not long after we arri8ed in Pakistan( three men atta#ked the Murree +hristian S#hool( whi#h was lo#ated in the hills not far from Islama!ad0 Although a se#urit" guard was killed( all of the tea#hers and the /I. students( most of whom were the #hildren of missionaries or foreign +hristian aid workers( es#a*ed without in$ur"0 6he assailants got awa"( lea8ing !ehind a letter that stated that the atta#k was in retaliation for !rutalities against Muslims all o8er the world0 As a result of the in#ident( the s#hool #losed and relo#ated to 6hailand0 Howe8er( although these atta#ks on foreigners and guards were tragi#( the num!er of dead and in$ured was mu#h smaller than was the #ase in in#idents that did not in8ol8e foreigners0 Bor instan#e( the following e7#er*t from a *ress re*ort *ro8ides an insight into the 8iolen#e that was o##urring throughout our sta" in Pakistan; HAt least three sui#ide !om!ers took *art in the atta#k on a Shia mos:ue in Muetta in 1une last "ear V-..CW( whi#h killed nearl" I. and wounded /5.0 A few months later( on De#em!er -I( two militants tried to ram their *i#ku* 8ans( ea#h loaded with -. to C. kilogrammes of e7*losi8es( into President MusharrafHs #ar as his motor#ade dro8e through Rawal*indi0 6he" missed their target( !ut the e7*losion took the li8es of /I #i8ilians and #aused in$uries to G50 In Muetta this "ear V-..GW( an Ashura *ro#ession was atta#ked !" two sui#ide !om!ers( resulting in the deaths of o8er G. *eo*le0H E6he re*ort( titled >Sui#ide +it"@( was written !" Massoud Ansari( and was *u!lished in the 1une -..G edition of .ewsline0F I ne8er reall" knew what the ma$orit" of Pakistanis thought a!out the )estern in8asions of near!" Muslim&ma$orit" #ountries( mainl" !e#ause I thought that it was too sensiti8e and 8olatile a su!$e#t to dis#uss with m" Pakistani friends and #olleagues0 Brom sni**ets of #on8ersations and from what I *i#ked u* along the wa"( the following( for what the" are worth( were m" im*ressions of lo#al 8iews on the su!$e#t0 In the Northern Area( most Ismailis seemed to regard Saddam Hussein with a distin#tl" $aundi#ed e"e while ha8ing a similarl" disa**ro8ing attitude towards the im*erialism of the USA go8ernment and its allies0 6heir attitude seemed to !e a >*lague on !oth "our houses@( whi#h was *ro!a!l" similar to the attitude of man" *eo*le all o8er the world0 6his was not sur*rising( in 8iew of the fa#t that man" Ismailis in Pakistan seemed to ha8e :uite an >international@ *ers*e#ti8e( !e#ause of the influen#e of the Aga Khan and !e#ause of their #lose #onta#t with the Ismaili dias*ora in the )est0 6he few Shias with whom we dis#ussed the matter seemed to feel that getting rid of Saddam was a good thing0 6his was a *redi#ta!le rea#tion( in 8iew of Saddam@s treatment of the Shia ma$orit" in Ira:0 In addition( from the nglish&language *ress in Pakistan we got the im*ression that :uite a num!er of *eo*le with li!eral in#linations !ut !elonging to different Muslim >denominations@ were disa**ointed that )estern go8ernments were !eha8ing so

dis#redita!l"0 6he reason was that man" li!eral Muslims are dee*l" dissatisfied with the re*ressi8e *oliti#al s"stems in most Muslim&ma$orit" #ountries and look to the )est for models of demo#ra#"( o!ser8an#e of rights and the rule of law( and e#onomi# *ros*erit"0 Howe8er( the" feel that the rug is *ulled from under their feet when leading )estern #ountries !eha8e !adl"0 6he" also fear that the >e7tremists@ and $ihadists will !e fuelled and in8igorated !" what has ha**ened0 6his( of #ourse( is e7a#tl" what does ha**en; it *rodu#es a situation where( in the words of Leats( >6he !est la#k all #on8i#tion( while the worstK Are full of *assionate intensit"@ Efrom the *oem The ,econd omingF0 Li!eral Muslims@ sus*i#ions a!out the goals of >Islami# fundamentalists@ is similar to the a**rehensions that man" in the )est feel a!out the desire of >+hristian fundamentalists@ to #reate a non&s#ientifi#( stati#( in:uisitorial( and misog"nisti# >uto*ia@0 In fa#t( of #ourse( man" #ommentators ha8e *ointed out that the war !etween the %ush&led go8ernment of the USA and the 6ali!an and other $ihadists is a#tuall" a >#lash of fundamentalists@0 Bor instan#e( there is a thorough dis#ussion of this in 6ari: AliHs The lash of Fundamentalisms: rusades3 6ihads and !odernity( *u!lished in -..- !" =erso ELondon and New Lork0F )e o**osed the in8asion of Ira: for a num!er of reasons0 Birstl"( we are Muakers who es*ouse the Pea#e 6estimon"( namel"( >)e utterl" den" all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward wea*ons( for an" end or under an" *reten#e whatsoe8er0@ 6o us( the war on Ira: was not onl" unne#essar" !ut was #ontri8ed for reasons whi#h were fri8olous and unsu!stantiated( as has !een *ro8en o8er time; for e7am*le( the dis#redited #laims that Saddam Hussein had >wea*ons of mass destru#tion@ and *ro8ided a !ase for al&Maeda o*erations0 6he Pea#e 6estimon" has rele8an#e to the modern world not onl" as a moral statement !ut also !e#ause there is in#reasing e8iden#e that warfare is far less effe#ti8e( and far more e7*ensi8e and damaging( than other means of settling #onfli#ts0 Our other reason for o**osing the in8asion was that the war strengthened the hands of the >fundamentalists@ or >isolationists@( who #ould argue that here( on#e again( was e8iden#e that Muslims #ould e7*e#t nothing from the )est and all that it stood for 9 its >modernism@ and >se#ularism@9 than further insults( o**ression( and im*o8erishment0 6herefore( the" would sa"( the onl" solution was to isolate oneself in se*aratist( insulated( authoritarian Muslim so#ieties0 )hate8er the s#affolding of theo#rati# arguments that were #onstru#ted to defend this *osition( the out#ome would !e intensifi#ation of auto#ra#" and des*otism( with in#reased suffering for the #iti<ens( es*e#iall" the women( of those unfortunate #ountries0 Bor all 'eorge )0 %ush@s fine words a!out ad8an#ing the #ause of li!ert" and demo#ra#"( his wars on Afghanistan and on Ira:( in *arti#ular( ha8e in#reased re*ression in the world and ha8e fuelled the #ause of auto#ra#"0 Li8ing as we were in the far north of Pakistan during this *eriod( we sensed it and we saw it ha**ening0 CH !"ER "H'R"EE$% ,E34EL After I had s*ent almost two and a half "ears in the Northern Areas( m" su##essor( Dr Mir<a( was deemed to !e read" to take o8er from me0 )e mo8ed to Kara#hi where( until the end of m" #ontra#t in mid&-..I( I worked at the main #am*us of AKU@s Institute for du#ational De8elo*ment and Marie worked as the 8olunteer offi#e manager for the So#iet" of Pakistan nglish Language 6ea#hers0 )ith a *o*ulation of a!out /- million 9 no one knows how man" && Kara#hi is the largest #it" in Pakistan and one of the largest in the world0 It is a #haoti#( s*rawling( o8er& stret#hed( under&resour#ed( and *oorl" managed *la#e 9 !ut it is also 8i!rant( energeti#( and

enter*rising0 One of our a!iding memories of Kara#hi is of the traffi#( whi#h o8erwhelmed the fa#ilities like a !ulging *aun#h o8erflowing a too&small !elt and waist!and0 6ru#ks( !usses( #ars( motor #"#les E!" the s#ores of thousandsF and motori<ed ri#kshaws Ealso in their thousandsF $ostled for ad8antage( s:uee<ing into s*a#es that seemed hardl" !ig enough( in#hing and nosing their wa" forward( alwa"s seeking for the little ga* that would gi8e them a #lear run( howe8er limited( until the" #ame u* against the ne7t( ine8ita!le gridlo#k0 Of all the rules of the road in Kara#hi( there was one that was *aramount( unwritten !ut e8er"where o!ser8ed( namel" that !igger 8ehi#les had right of wa" o8er smaller 8ehi#les0 If a tru#k !egan to s:uee<e into a s*a#e or de#ided to turn a#ross three rows of traffi#( nothing #hallenged it( no matter how man" offi#ial rules of the road it might !e 8iolating0 6ru#ks had right of wa" o8er e8er" t"*e of 8ehi#le e7#e*t large !usses( whi#h were their e:ualJ most ordinar" !usses( !eing of medium si<e( ga8e wa" to tru#ks !ut had right of wa" o8er all other 8ehi#lesJ and so on down the 8ehi#ular *e#king order0 Another a!iding memor" of Kara#hi is of dirt and *ollution0 'ar!age and dirt la" around e8er"where0 8en the sewers were stuffed full of gar!age( whi#h meant that the roads were flooded after onl" a few millimetres of rain0 At last( after li8ing in Kara#hi( I understood wh" e8en a small amount of rain !rings traffi# to a near&standstill in #ities in the su!& #ontinent0 6he reason is that !e#ause the roads are *ot&holed and most of the manhole #o8ers ha8e !een stolen( dri8ers will not 8enture where a la"er of water #on#eals what lies !eneath( no matter how shallow the water0 Pollution was so se8ere that the air seemed to !e a 8is#ous( almost 8isi!le su!stan#e that #ontinuall" irritated m" e"es( nose( and skin0 6he following e7tra#t from a Pakistani news*a*er sums u* the *osition; HPollution&related diseases in Kara#hi are on the rise due to un!eara!le le8els of air and noise *ollution in the metro*olis( and some CI *er#ent of *eo*le in one wa" or another are affe#ted !" these ailments in#luding #ardia#( lung( e"e( N6( skin and *s"#hologi#al diseases( said lo#al health#are e7*ertsR Head of the 1PM+@s V1innah Postgraduate Medi#al +entre@sW #hest de*artment Dr Nadeem Ri<8i said that air *ollution in the #it" was going from !ad to worse and almost all main arteries of the #it" were #o8ered in thi#k fumes and smog of dangerous gases during rush hour0 He said that the" were witnessing a rising trend in lung diseases and *atients of asthma and other #hest diseases su#h as #hroni# !ron#hitis and #hroni# o!stru#ti8e *ulmonar" diseases E+OPDFH E6he re*ort was titled> Pollution&related diseases rising in Kara#hi; e7*erts@ and was *u!lished in the &aily Times on -I De#em!er -..50F 6o e7a#er!ate the situation( the sewerage s"stem was so *oor that there were no7ious sten#hes in most *arts of the #it"0 8en although we li8ed in one the most >u*market@ areas of Kara#hi( the smell of raw sewerage would drift through our a*artment when the wind !lew from the wrong dire#tion( while the origin of a large( moist *at#h on the near!" walking tra#k was re8ealed !" the sten#h that emanated from it0 6estif"ing to the amount of gar!age and offal that was l"ing around( the sk" o8er the #it" was thi#k with thousands of #rows that wheeled and swoo*ed( alwa"s on the look&out for *i#kings in the streets( #om*ounds( and 8a#ant lots !elow0 Late in the winter( as from nowhere( thousands of fier#e&looking kites a**eared( dri8ing awa" the #rows and taking their *la#es in the sk"0 6hen( after a while( the kites 8anished and the #rows were !a#k0 Howe8er( !oth #rows and kites were after the same ri#h *i#kings( namel" *iles of offal and gar!age0

0ara.hi .inema poster

Howe8er( $ust as in the Northern Areas( during our time in Kara#hi we met s#ores( if not hundreds( of hos*ita!le *eo*le who enri#hed our sta" there and who *ro8ided the *ositi8e #ounter*oint to the negati8e fa#tors in the ur!an en8ironment0 On#e again( we saw that man" Pakistanis( the ma$orit" !" far( are highl" #ultured in the sense that the" are rooted in a long and dee* histor" and tradition that( in their #ourteous wa"( the" will generousl" share with strangers and new#omers0 Howe8er( m" most 8i8id memor" of Kara#hi has a #onne#tion with the Northern Areas0 One da"( we went to a small mall ne7t to a lu7ur" hotel in #entral Kara#hi to !u" air ti#kets for our 8a#ation in Mala"sia0 )hile I waited in a :ueue at the desk in the airline offi#e( Marie !rowsed in the #ar*et sho* ne7t door0 6hrough the doorwa"( I #ould see into the glass&walled sho*0 It was a #olourful s#ene( with ri#hl" te7tured( multi&#oloured astern #ar*ets s*read a#ross the floor( dra*ed on the walls and *iled throughout the sho*0 6he light from the sk" light intera#ted with the wares and suffused the area with a gentle( golden am!ien#e0 Marie( dressed in a *astel #oloured shalwar kamee< and !right du*ata( head slightl" to one side and hands #las*ed in front of her( was standing in the middle of the floor( talking to the two "oung men who ran the !usiness0 It was an animated and engaged #on8ersationJ she was interested in what the" had to sa" while the" were delighted and #harmed !" her0 As I o!ser8ed the s#ene( I thought that this was a moment that should last fore8er 9 me( uno!ser8ed( :uietl" wat#hing m" wife in animated #on8ersation( !eautiful in the am!ien#e of golden light that was enri#hed !" multi&#oloured #ar*ets0 I( too( was #harmed( $ust as the "oung men were0 Of #ourse( it #ould not last fore8er; nothing does0 After a few minutes( m" turn #ame and I had to mo8e to the head of the :ueue where I was no longer a!le to see the sho*0 Afterwards( I said to Marie( >Lou were ha8ing a long #on8ersation with those two salesmen0 )hat were "ou talking a!out?@ She re*lied( >Oh( we !egan !" talking a!out #ar*ets !ut then we started talking a!out the Northern Areas0@ >6he Northern Areas?@ >Les0 6he" #ome from Hun<a0 6he"@re a !it homesi#k here in Kara#hi0@ And so were we0 8er sin#e then( I ha8e !een grateful that I had to wait in a :ueue in an offi#e in downtown Kara#hi while( in the #ar*et sho* ne7t door( m" wife talked a!out the Northern

Areas with two homesi#k "oung men from Hun<a0 Like most *eo*le( I donHt en$o" :ueuing0 Howe8er( I would wait in that *arti#ular :ueue o8er and o8er again0 Bor all of its energ"( 8ariet"( fas#inating *arado7es( and memories 9 in#luding the one a!o8e && Kara#hi did not sei<e our imaginations as the Northern Areas did0 Often( then and sin#e( in our minds@ e"es we 8isualised the *eaks( gla#iers( 8alle"s( ri8ers( 8illages( and *eo*le of the Karakorams and western Himala"as( feeling the nostalgia and regret( akin to a form of mourning( that we all know when a ha**iness has *assed and will ne8er again !e e7*erien#ed in that same form( no matter how mu#h *leasure and how man" other e7*erien#es lie ahead0 "HE E$5

5ear rea2er( if "ou en$o"ed this !ook *lease s*are a moment to show "our a**re#iation !" rating and re8iewing it && e8en if "ou onl" write a few lines0 )riters want to !e read( the" like to ha8e #onta#t with their readers( and the" like to know what their readers think a!out what the" ha8e written0 So( *lease( do rate and re8iew this !ookA ,omethin/ a1out &rian H= >ones %rian is an Australian #iti<en who was !orn and raised in South Afri#a0 He is a former a#ademi# who has li8ed and worked in South Afri#a( +anada( Nami!ia( Pakistan and now Australia0 He has also li8ed and studied in the United Kingdom on three o##asions( twi#e as a *ost&graduate student Ehe has a Ph0D0 from the Uni8ersit" of din!urghF and on#e as a *ost& do#toral fellow0 %rian is married to Marie( and the" ha8e two married sons Eone in Australia and one in Nami!iaF as well as two grand#hildren0 %rian has also *u!lished A !i7ture of !etals and The Blood"stained Belt on Smashwords0 Lou #an find out more a!out %rian and the !ooks that he has written at htt*;KK!h$0s#ri*tmania0#omKinde70html