I have always been asked about the safety situation in Afghanistan and, by now, might have a word or two to offer. During our stay there, we were limited mainly to Kabul and its immediate surroundings, such as valleys or canyons that could be reached within a couple hours of driving. Keep in mind that right now is also the height of winter and many roads become impassable for extended periods of time. While I can't personally speak for the rest … [Read more...]
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth…the code of the Pashtuns
Peshawar, Pakistan December 2005 Some of you have wondered what has happened to us in the wilds of Pakistan and Afghanistan, since it's been a while that I wrote. Well, we have since made our way across Pakistan into the Northwest Frontier Province. If there is any "Wild West" left in the world, then this frontier area of Pakistan and Afghanistan is it. And the town of Peshawar has got to be the "Dodge City", then. Far larger and spread out … [Read more...]
The Land of Men with Flaming Orange Beards
As soon as we stepped out of the shiny terminal of Lahore International Airport in Lahore, Pakistan, my uncle Waheed and I were overcome by the smell of kerosene. I thought at first that there must be a spill nearby, because it was so strong. Eventually we found our ride among all the cabbies and rickshaw drivers, who were jostling among themselves for customers. It was a twenty or thirty minute slog to get into the city from the airport. It was … [Read more...]
Lahore
If you take a fact file about Pakistan you will see the Islamabad is the official capital with its planned streets and neatly organized suburbs. You will also find Karachi mentioned as the economical and industrial capital with its huge twelve million people, bustling streets and polluted atmosphere. A city you may not find mentioned in that book is Lahore the cultural and spiritual heart of Pakistan. This ancient city on the bank of river Ravi … [Read more...]
