rakaposhi jan

8/13/2019 Rakaposhi Jan

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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

DDI+A6ION

6his !ook is dedi#ated to Marie( who hel*ed to write it0 )ithout her( the e7*erien#esre#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 aretrie8al 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#omand *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


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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 mountains0A!o8e us( the ro#k fa#es #lim!ed stee*l" for thousands of metres to disa**ear into the #louds06he s#ene was !oth awe&ins*iring and terrif"ing( an elemental one of ro#k and water on agrand 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*utianswhen 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 #rushingtra8ellers0

)e were halfwa" !etween Islama!ad and 'ilgit on the Karakoram Highwa"( knownlo#all" as the KKH( when the dri8er sto**ed the #ar so that we #ould stret#h our legs and takein the 8iew0 6he dri8er( a #leanut "oung man from Islama!ad who had worked in A!uDha!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( andasked me( >Sir( wh" do *eo*le li8e here?@

I thought through *ossi!le reasons( all of whi#h seemed im*lausi!le( and thenanswered( >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 dirt0Burthermore( there were no !arriers( no matter how flims"( to *rote#t 8ehi#les from a fataltum!le into the torrent a hundred metres or more dire#tl" !elow0 Do we alwa"s want to knowthe future? )e think that we do( !ut *erha*s we don@t on a road like the KKH( where itwould ha8e !een more #omforting if I had not !een a!le to see our route snaking and windinginto 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 nores*ite0

6he Karakoram Highwa" is one of the highest( *a8ed international roads in the world0It #onne#ts +hina and Pakistan a#ross the Himala"an and Karakoram mountain ranges and

stret#hes /(C.. kilometres from Kashgar in the in$iang region of +hina to Ha8elian( lessthan 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 unknownnum!er of +hinese workers lost their li8es while !uilding the highwa"0 6he task of !uildingthe KKH was not onl" #om*li#ated !" the e7treme #hallenges of the terrain( !ut also !" thefa#t that it runs through one of the world@s most earth:uake&*rone regions( where( withoutlet&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 oftourists and mountaineers who are attra#ted !" the fa#t that the region is home to fi8e of theworld@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


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attra#ted !" the fa#t that three of the worlds longest gla#iers outside the *olar regions arelo#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 %ridge0Brom 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


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Howe8er( I had !een warned that food !ought along the road would *ro!a!l" ha8e a direeffe#t on m" stoma#h and general health0 6oilet ha!its and general #leanliness in Pakistan arenot alwa"s of the highest order0 %e#ause I was there to !e inter8iewed for a $o! and #ouldn@trun the risk of !eing in#a*a#itated when I should !e making a good im*ression( I did whatan" 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#uitsinformed me that the" had !een manufa#tured under li#en#e to HM the ueen( while theseals 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" throughwhate8er la" ahead0 Onl" mu#h later( as I got to know more a!out Pakistan( did I hear horrorstories 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 ofthe world( where authenti#&looking !ut fake re*rodu#tions of an"thing and e8er"thing aremanufa#tured0 In fa#t( it is diffi#ult to find an"thing !ut *irated re*rodu#tions of items su#has +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 +orollasedan 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 *assing0Ha8ing !een in8ited to attend the inter8iews less than three weeks earlier( I had 8er" littletime 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!outPakistan( 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 wasthe 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 filledwith 8olatile s*e#tators in *la#es su#h as Kara#hi( Lahore( Rawal*indi( and Multan( whi#h Iwould 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 thePakistani #ri#ket team( whi#h interested me for a num!er of reasons( one of whi#h was that itseemed to !e infused with so mu#h *oliti#al intrigue that it was e8en more 8olatile than itsfans0 Bor instan#e( I remem!er that during the late /22.s a Pakistani #ri#ket team *la"ed atest mat#h with fi8e former #a*tains and one #urrent #a*tain on the field at the same time06hat meant that more than half of the fielded team had worn the #a*tain@s mantle( whi#h hadto !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


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of Partition0 Howe8er( #ome to think of it( that was mostl" set in India *ro*er( whi#hreminded me that most of m" 8isual and literar" images of the region related to India0 EKimand Passage to India loom large0F It was as if Pakistan languished in India@s shadow( withIndia *ro$e#ting a !ig( !right( and !ustling image while Pakistan was indistin#t and o!s#ure0Although 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 toPakistan0 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 ofthe !uildings( the strange s#ri*t( the high&*rowed tru#ks with their garish de#orations( thenear&sui#idal dri8ing( and then( on the KKH( the gar!age( the soaring *eaks a!o8e( thesurging 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!lea!( four&wheeled dri8e8ehi#le #ontaining armed men drew a!reast of our #ar and signalled us to sto*0 As a foreignerwho 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 NorthernAreas( had de#ided that I needed s*e#ial *rote#tion0 Shades of 2//( I guessed; the fall of the6win 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 dri8erto sto* at the nearest *oli#e station whi#h( like all of its kind( looked like a fort( with thi#kwalls( 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 thatalthough 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 anddisaffe#ted *o*ulations0

Inside the *oli#e station #um fort( I *rodu#ed m" *ass*ort and waited while there wasa lot of #ra#kling #on8ersation in Urdu on the radio0 6hen( with a different armed *oli#emanin the !a#k of the #ar( we set off again0 Bor the ne7t few hours( sto**ing at e8er" *oli#estation #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 na8e( and *erha*s so influen#ed !" the fa#tthat 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 onro#ks !" the side of the KKH0 Surel"( I thought( e"eing the towering mountains ands*e#ta#ular #hasms through whi#h we were *assing( in su#h a de8out #ountr" the graffitimust !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 thematter0 One da"( as we a**roa#hed some graffiti *ainted on a roadside ro#k( I asked ourdri8er( >Didar( what does that sign sa"?@ He looked at me in some sur*rise and said( >Sir( it isan ad8ertisement for *eo*le to sta" at the Diamer Hotel in 'ilgit@0 I asked him( >Is that whatthe" all are ad8ertisements for hotels?@

He looked at me in e8en more sur*rise && sur*rised at m" nai8et"( *ro!a!l" && andre*lied( >es( sir( that is what the" are0 Also( the" are ad8ertising other things like soa* andwashing *owder0@ So mu#h for *raising Allah for the magnifi#ent *eaks and #hasms

)hen we finall" arri8ed in 'ilgit( it was *it#h dark0 8en the main roads did not ha8estreet 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 aroundasking for dire#tions0 Howe8er( the few lo#al *eo*le who were mo8ing a!out at that late hour


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of /.0.. *0m0 && 'ilgit does not ha8e a 8i!rant night&life seemed to !e as mu#h in the darkas we were0 After dri8ing around for a while( !" good lu#k we found a hotel where there#e*tionist *ut me in tou#h with m" #onta#t *erson( Dr 1unaid Na


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and then ha8e to turn !a#k when #onditions #hanged en route Eha**iness re*la#ed !"frustration and gloomF0

)hen I first flew on the 'ilgit route( the Bokker air*lanes were alread" long *ast theirsell&!" dates0 6he" had the air of old workhorses that *lodded on from da" to da" out of asense of dut"( doggedl" relia!le !ut la#king get&u*&and&go0 6he #a!in and seats were narrowand #ram*ed( the u*holster" was worn and tatt"( and the windows were streaked ands#rat#hed0 Howe8er( old and de#re*it though the air*lanes were( I was alwa"s ha**" andrelie8ed when the twin engines roared and the *lane !egan to mo8e onto the runwa" atIslama!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


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metal && and "et( when their mortalit" is set against the long time s*an of the uni8erse( inHamlet@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 A6RG-&.. air*lanes0 Perha*s the #hange has meant that fewer flights are #an#elled0 Howe8er( Idou!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 fueltanks 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 on#e again( I was denied the

*leasures of a flight through the Karakorams and western Himala"as in fa8our of a /C&hours*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


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weather might !low u* during a /C&hour tri* through 8alle"s amongst some of the world@shighest mountains?

6here are human dangers( as well0 At %esham( halfwa" !etween 'ilgit and Islama!adon the KKH( a Pakistani #olleague and I !roke our $ourne" at the P6D+ EPakistan 6ourismDe8elo*ment +or*orationF motel0 Sitting on a terra#e ne7t to the !road( rolling( surging(gre"&green Indus Ri8er( we took tea and en$o"ed the warm sun( the :uiet( and relief from thetwists and $olts of the road0 6he onl" 8isi!le a#ti8it" was fift" metres u*stream where( in asmall !a" out of the #urrent( a !o" swam amongst his water !uffaloes( s#ru!!ing them whilethe" lu7uriated in the water( onl" their ridged !a#ks and heads showing a!o8e the water0Although this was a motel for international tourists( with hot showers Ewell( sometimesF( alun#h !uffet( and a gift sho* that sold lu7urious shawls and e7*ensi8e ornaments( disorderand danger were ne8er far awa"0 Pointing u* at the houses and terra#es on the mountain sidea!o8e us( m" #olleague said #asuall"( >ou know( %rian( if we go u* there( the *eo*le willkill us0@ He added that( when the highwa" was !eing !uilt( the Pakistan Arm" had to *rote#tthe +hinese workers against atta#ks( while air for#e $ets had strafed lo#als who were tr"ing to

sto* the #onstru#tion work0Im*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 thesame P6D+ motel in %esham0 )hen we arri8ed at a!out 4 *0m0( the re#e*tionist did not ha8ea re#ord of our reser8ation( e8en although m" se#retar" had *honed earlier that da"0 Nomatter we were the onl" guests sta"ing at the motel( so there were *lent" of rooms0Howe8er( in s*ite of that( the re#e*tionist :uoted a tariff that was mu#h higher than the onethat 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 there#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 theta*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 #ansee that there will !e hot water0@ Outside( at the rear of the !uilding( two men were lighting awood fire under a !la#kened drum that ser8ed as a water&heating tank0 )hen I asked( >Howlong will this take?( the re#e*tionist shrugged and suggested that( in 8iew of the ra*id *a#e ofthe *ro$e#t( there would !e a flood of hot water !" the time we returned from en$o"ing oure8ening 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 anotherP6D+ hotel( this one at Rama Meadows under the eastern flank of Nanga Par!at( where therewas neither ele#tri#it" nor hot water0 A#tuall"( it is not #orre#t to sa" that there was noele#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( whenthe general de*arted( the generator was swit#hed off0 At a!out the same time( one of the staffmem!ers stoked a fire under the water&heating drum near our room0 )hen there was no waterin our shower after half an hour( I *ut more wood on the fire0 Still no hot water After a da"of walking and ram!ling( we #ould do without ele#tri#it" !ut not without hot water so( with alarge !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#ketsof warmish water0 )ith this we were a!le to take a >Pakistani shower@( whi#h entails standing


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in the shower #u!i#le and throwing small *ails of water o8er one@s head0 )e grewa##ustomed to doing this in ele#tri#it"&star8ed 'ilgit and found that it was :uite an effe#ti8esu!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 !ehindhigh walls that *rote#t them from the ga


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tru.k on the 00H

Im*ression se8en; 6he ha'uardians of the KKH@(

the arm" #or*s that is res*onsi!le for maintaining the roadF workers made inroads into thelandslides( *orters #arried su**lies o8er the o!sta#les and loaded them on to 8ehi#les on theother side0 Although this raised the *ri#es( at least food was a8aila!le0 Binall"( almost threeweeks after the fa#e of the mountain side slid down a#ross the road( the tru#ks !egan to rollinto 'ilgit and normal ser8i#e was resumed0

A few weeks later( I tra8elled to Islama!ad 8ia the KKH and #ould see the de8astationthat the landslides had #aused0 Huge stret#hes of the road had sim*l" disa**eared( to !ere*la#ed !" rough( mudd" tra#ks after graders and !ulldo


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In less self&reliant so#ieties( landslides !lo#king roads would !e traumati# e8ents0Nothing 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 thenational media( there would !e demands for the go8ernment to >do something@( and radio andtele8ision would #arr" inter8iews with sho#ked and traumati


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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"swe *a#ked our suit#ases and headed north 8ia Kara#hi air*ort and Pakistan InternationalAirwa"s0 )hen we rea#hed Islama!ad( we found that there was no flight to 'ilgit( and nonelikel" for at least a week0 A *hone #all to A8is !rought us a #ar and dri8er within a!out anhour0 )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 asfollows; >6he "oung dri8er was sweet !ut had 8er" little nglish0 I remem!er sto**ing forlun#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 and6hakott %ridge;

6he stret#h of the KKH !etween Dasu and Pattan is the most e7*osed of the wholewa" from +hina to Islama!ad0 Here the road is at on#e *hotogeni# and hair&raising longstret#hes ha8e no side guards of stones or metal railing0 It was in these *arts of the road thatour dri8er was #onsistentl" determined to show us his rall"ing talents0 He would a##elerateinto !ends( delighting in making the stones at the edge of the *a8ed area go fl"ing into thea!"ss )e were not e7*erts on Pakistani mas#uline ma#ho so we $ust *ut our trust in 'odand the four t"res and were not a little relie8ed to e8entuall" des#end from these horrors tothe o*en 8alle" town of Pattan0 6his relief was short&li8ed as the KKH on#e again re&as#endsonto the side of the #liff a!o8e the gorge for a further !loodurdling run down to %esham 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 ou #an gi8e me tenthousand *ounds #ash( she said( and I wouldn@t do that dri8e again0 Perha*s something ofan e7aggeration !ut Kohistan is( to sa" the least( interesting dri8ing E6his a##ount was

*u!lished !" %o! 'regor" under the title >Kashgar to Islama!ad & a dri8e along theKarakoram Highwa"@0 I a##essed it at htt*;www0#ullen0demon0#o0ukKKHkkh&re80htmon/st August -..4F0

6he" were not the onl" tra8ellers who found the KKH ner8e&wra#king0

If tra8el on the KKH is ha


15/85

Lan2sli2e on the 00H near il/it

On#e in the 8alle"( a road has to #ontend not onl" with natural im*ediments !ut alsohas 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 adr" and !arren region that has !een gra*hi#all" des#ri!ed as a >8erti#al desert@( with a8eragerainfall 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 formsgla#iers and al*ine meadows0 Brom these high regions( #hi**ing awa" at #liff&fa#es( menha8e !uilt #anals that drain the headwaters of streams and !ring water down to fields and8illage0 )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( sohard 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 HunHun


16/85

slide down and $oin the other de!ris Eand so often it does( es*e#iall" after the rainF0 E6his:uotation is from *age 4. of LorimersLanguage Hunting in the Karakoram( whi#h wasre*rodu#ed !" Indus Pu!li#ations( Kara#hi0 6he !ook was first *u!lished in /2C2 !" 'eorgeAllen and Unwin( LondonF0 Although the roads are generall" wider Ei0e0 >$ee*a!le@F nowada"sand some are hard&surfa#ed( or >metalled@ in Pakistani terminolog"( the haNo( I don@t think that isne#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 ofwh" earth:uakes often kill and in$ure so man" *eo*le0 6he reason is sim*l" that( when a !igearth: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:uakee7*erien#es( we #ould see that our #le8er *lans with the suit#ase and the ke"s had one !igflaw( 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


17/85

Although the !iggest earth:uake that we e7*erien#ed had its e*i#entre as #lose as .kilometres from 'ilgit( it did no damage in the 8i#init" of the town0 Howe8er( it did a lot ofdamage in the Astore region( whi#h la" to the east of the e*i#entre and south&east of 'ilgit0Some time later( we e7*erien#ed another large earth:uake( also during the earl" hours of themorning0 6he e*i#entre of this one was in northern Afghanistan( a!out -.. kilometres dee*

and a!out -. kilometres from 'ilgit0 In s*ite of the distan#e from 'ilgit( !oth on the surfa#eand under the ground( the noise and the sho#k effe#t were a!out the same as the first one0On#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 NorthernAreas0 Howe8er( smaller rum!les were mu#h more fre:uent0 Doors and windows wouldshake and light fittings would swing gentl"( as if a wind was !lowing through the house0 Itwas as if the earth was an athlete who was lim!ering u* for the all&out effort at the ne7t !ige8ent( whi#h #ould take *la#e at an" time0 6hese smaller rum!les were a reminder that *eo*lein earth:uake&*rone Kashmir@ during the time ofthe Ra$0 As a result( although Pakistan has administered the Northern Areas sin#e /2G4( it willnot formall" anne7 the territor" !e#ause to do so might !e regarded as effe#ti8el" gi8ing u*


18/85

its #laims to the whole of the #ontested region0 6his kee*s the Northern Areas in a *oliti#allim!o0

6he !a#kground to the dis*ute is that( after the *artition of India in /2G3( the state of1ammu and Kashmir remained inde*endent while its ruler dithered o8er whether to throw inhis lot with India or Pakistan0 Although the mahara$ah would *ro!a!l" ha8e liked to $oinIndia( if he had to #hoose an allegian#e instead of de#laring inde*enden#e( the ma$orit" of hissu!$e#ts( !eing Muslims( undou!tedl" wanted to $oin Pakistan0 6ensions !oiled o8er whentri!al fighters from Pakistan( !a#ked !" regular Pakistani troo*s( in8aded what is now>EIndianF Kashmir@0 In the Northern Areas( whi#h had !een leased to the %ritish !" themahara$ah( the %ritish&trained( %ritish&offi#ered 'ilgit S#outs regiment re!elled with thesu**ort of Pakistan and dro8e the mahara$ah@s arm" towards Kashmir0 6he *resent&da" Lineof +ontrol re*resents the *oints at whi#h the Indian Arm" inter8ened and #he#ked thead8an#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#estralrulers and other elite grou*s0 6he #ommanding offi#er at the time of Partition( a %ritish

offi#er named Ma$or )illiam %rown( a#tuall" ga8e the go&ahead for the >re8olt@ against themahara$ah to #ommen#e although if he had not done so( the *ressures were so great that itwould 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"@ andwhere memories and *assions are strong and enduring0 Bor instan#e( one e8ening during -..Cwhen we were dining at the Serena Hotel in 'ilgit( we noti#ed that a ta!le had !een set for aformal 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 least4. "ears of age0 )hen we left the dining room( taking a last look at the elderl"( white&haired

%ritish woman !eing entertained !" flata**ed( !earded( shalwar kamee


19/85

#ourse of the Indus are in the 8i#init" of the Nanga Par!at massif( where the ri8er has #ar8edout giganti# gorges that are !etween G(.. and (-.. metres high0 6hese gorges areim*la#a!l" awe&ins*iring( !eing dee*( dark( rugged( and near&8erti#al( with the Indus Ri8errushing( surging( and tum!ling along !elow0 )hen the Indus has rounded Nanga Par!at( itgraduall" !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 andslow&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 !arat

)e ne8er saw the Indus Ri8er where it flows a#ross the *lains and deserts south of themountains although( near its lowest rea#hes !etween Kara#hi and 6hatta( we did see some ofthe #anals that are *art of a huge network throughout the *ro8in#e of Sindh0 Howe8er( wewere 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 areaha8e had a de#ided effe#t on human #ulture and life st"les( mainl" !e#ause a##ess fromoutside 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 Indussouth 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 theth #entur" +( des#ri!es the diffi#ulties of tra8el at *la#es along the Indus gorges east andsouth of Nanga Par!at; 6he wa" was diffi#ult and rugged( Erunning alongF a !anke7#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 goforward 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 *athsalong 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*art E6his was written !" Ba&Hien some timeduring the th #entur" + and has !een *u!lished asA Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms:


20/85

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 retrie8edit 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 /.. "ears0 Bor instan#e( e8en aslate as the /2.s( the *referred route to >down#ountr"@ from *la#es su#h as 'ilgit and theu**er distri#ts of the Northern Areas was to Sringar in Kashmir( thus entirel" a8oidingKohistan( 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 andor ha8erelia!le lo#al information0 8en Pakistanis from other *arts of the #ountr" e7er#ise #autionwhen tra8elling in Kohistan0 6here are good reasons for #aution; for instan#e( while we li8edin 'ilgit( on a num!er of o##asions shots were fired at 8ehi#les *assing through Kohistan onthe 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 #olleaguelooked 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 domainstream@ ShiasF( /are Ismailis( and a!out /. are Noor!akhshi0 Although Ismailis and Noor!akhshis aregenerall" in#luded within the famil" of Shias( the" are distin#t enough to !e #ategorisedse*aratel"0 )ith a ma$orit" of Shias( the denominational distri!ution in the Northern Areas is8er" different from that of the *o*ulation of Pakistan as a whole( where Sunnis #om*risea!out 4. 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 NorthernAreas0 Man" Shias in the region feel that the" ha8e !een dis#riminated against sin#e /2G406he" #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 go8ernmenten#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 thet"ranni#al 'eneral ia&ul Ha: when there were man" atta#ks on the Shia *o*ulation0 In oneof 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


21/85

#laimed that the !ook used in the Northern Areas onl" refle#ted Sunni !eliefs0 %" the time wearri8ed 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#tingroad!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 Shiamos:ue in Kara#hi0 ight of them #ame from 'ilgit( and there were 8iolent distur!an#esduring the funerals of fi8e of them( whi#h were held in the town after the #offins werereturned !" air0 Roads were #losed !" !oulders and !urning t"res( and rioters destro"ed alarge( ornamental statue that stood in the #entre of the #howk at the entran#e to the main

!a6oda"... #offins ha8e !een ordered for 'ilgit0 Men are *re*aring to die0@ At the time( I wondereds#e*ti#all" how( in a town the si


22/85

roads( e8en the small lanes( were !arri#aded0 )hen she *honed the dentist to sa" that she hadto #an#el the a**ointment( he offered to send an Arm" am!ulan#e for her0 Rowena saidthanks !ut no thanks !e#ause( in the light of the situation( the am!ulan#e might !e needed formore serious tasks0 In#identall"( this in#ident( in whi#h lo#al *eo*le went out of their wa" toassist 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 werel"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" mo8edand !reathed had !een wra**ed in a #o#oon0 6hen( at a!out // a0m0 we heard the first rifleshot0 )hat followed was une7*e#ted and s*e#ta#ular0 As the sound e#hoed off the stee* sidesof the 8alle"( with ea#h re8er!eration it was am*lified and dee*ened( until what !egan as ashar* #ra#k ended u* sounding like rolling thunder0 Shot followed shot until a furiousgunfight was underwa" and the 8alle" was filled with #ontinuous( rolling thunder asindi8idual sounds were a!sor!ed within surging wa8es of re8er!erations0 8en while it washa**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#hthunderous 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!outwea*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 gooutside 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 geta !etter 8iew of what was going on0 6o !e so #lose to a li8e e7#hange of fire was a newe7*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


23/85

other go8ernment !uildings0 %ut what a!out %( the mild&mannered tea#her from the MountainS#hool whose home was in 'anish( right on the KKH( and who entertained us to lun#h theretwo months earlier( together with Rowena and some of his friends? )hat a!out his wife( whoser8ed us sh"l" !efore retiring to the inner re#esses of the house? )hat a!out %@s #harminglittle daughter( on whom he la8ished affe#tion? +ould the" !e affe#ted?

At a!out /-0C. *0m0( I *honed the Dire#tor of AKU&ID in Kara#hi( to sa" that PD+Nwas #losed for the da" and would *ro!a!l" !e #losed on the following da" Ean under&estimationF $udging !" the sound of the !attle that was still raging0 6he Dire#tor said thatID would *ro!a!l" also !e #losed on the following da"( Brida"( !e#ause there were #alls fora general strike in Kara#hi following the murder of a *rominent Sunni religious leader0 Heasked whether the gunfire indi#ated that a serious !attle was underwa"( or it #ould merel" !eshots 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 andkee* me informed0@

In#identall"( AKU&ID 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#hfollowed the death of Shia worshi**ers in a mos:ue !last( whi#h followed an almost endlessse:uen#e of tit&for&tat( se#tarian&related 8iolent in#idents0 In 'ilgit( it was the Shias who wereraising the tem*erature( in Kara#hi it was the Sunnis

As the sounds of the !attle #ontinued( we thought that it might !e wise to *a#k fore8a#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 fewitems of $eweller"0 Oh( "es( we should also *a#k the large file that #ontained all our *ersonaldo#uments0 If it was lost or destro"ed( it would !e timeonsuming to tr" to get #o*ies of

!irth and marriage #ertifi#ates( dri8ing li#en#es( *roof of #iti


24/85

After lun#h( Re!e##a *honed and said ho*efull" that the sounds of !attle seemed to !ediminishing0 She also said that she was finding the situation diffi#ult to !ear !e#ause thegunfire reminded her of the time when she and her hus!and were e8a#uated from Afghanistanin the fa#e of the 6ali!an onslaught0 E6hat must ha8e !een awful0 6rue( the 6ali!an are on thesunn" side of histor"@s most notorious sa8ages( su#h as the Mongols and Na


25/85

+howk0 Salim denied it0 A##ording to him( Khomer +howk was definitel" the e*i#entre ofthe da"@s e8ents0 )hen we asked a!out #asualties( he re*lied that onl" one *erson was killedand se8en were in$ured0 6rul" a mira#le After more than two hours of almost #ontinuousgunfire( not to mention hea8ier stuff from time to time 9 onl" one killed and se8en wounded?Or was it all $ust friendl"( maleom*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 onthe 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( !utthere was no mention of 'ilgit0 During mid&e8ening( I #he#ked a few we! sites( su#h as the%%+(&awnand The .ationEPakistanF( and the!ail and /uardianESouth Afri#aF0 6herewere no re*orts a!out the u*hea8als in 'ilgit0 6hat was good( as it meant that famil" andfriends would not !e #on#erned a!out us0 Still looking for information( earl" that e8eningRa


26/85

Later that e8ening( I ste**ed outside for a !reath of fresh air0 Normall" ele#tri#it"shutdowns were


27/85

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" ofgas for the sto8e0 Although the food situation #ould get !oring if we #ouldn@t get to the sho*sfor fresh *rodu#e( on the *ositi8e side there were #herries on the trees( the a*ri#ots wereri*ening fast( and there was s*ina#h growing in the garden0

After !reakfast( I tried to *hone a #olleague( Dr Mir


28/85

Bor instan#e( as I said( a!out fifteen "ears earlier Sunni mo!s from Diamer mo8ed u* theKKH( atta#king Shia 8illages as the" went( while the se#urit" for#es turned !lind e"es to the8iolen#e0 +ould it ha**en again?

Ha8ing nothing mu#h to do and with a lot of ner8ous energ" to work off( to the soundof /25.s and /23.s *o* musi#( Marie( Ra#lean&u* o*erations@ in anum!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"lighthours the radio re*orted numerous #ases of 8iolen#e( su#h as arson( rioting( shooting( anddeaths( 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


29/85

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 thattensions 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&ID in Kara#hi to dis#uss whether or nota delegation of anLet@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"@06o m"self( I thought; )hat a nuisan#e this #urfew is It for#es one to li8e from da" to da"0Later that da"( Dr 1unaid Na


30/85

6alking of the generator( we were using so mu#h diesel fuel that Salim asked wherewe would get more when sto#ks were e7hausted0 I had the !right idea of si*honing somefrom the 8ehi#le( whi#h had a full tank and was not !eing used0 Howe8er( I didn@t lookforward to the *ros*e#t as I would ha8e to do the si*honing m"self( !e#ause Salim wasun*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*honingout 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 ofgunfire in the middle distan#e0 Although it was *ro!a!l" $ust some hotheads firing into theair( 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 weawoke to the sounds of !irds( #hi#kens( and #ows0 No 8ehi#les were mo8ing( whi#h told usthat the #urfew was still in for#e0 6he *hone was still out of order( !ut at least we hadele#tri#it" all night0

)hen Salim arri8ed for work( he said that he had heard on the radio that the #urfewwould !e in for#e for the ne7t three da"s0 6his would !e 8er" awkward( !e#ause *eo*leneeded to get food( fuel( and medi#ine( a*art from other su**lies0 Salim said that he #ould getsome su**lies from a little sho* near!"( so we asked him to !u" lots of Se8en&U* Eto sweetenMarie@s rather tart homemade wineF( *lent" of eggs( and lots of sugar0 6he latter was forMarie to make more wine from the hundreds of ri*e a*ri#ots that were !urdening our trees0Salim said that all the lo#al sho*s were #om*letel" out of fresh fruit and 8egeta!les( whi#hwas 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 ha8e8aried 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 afortress0

'ilgit was usuall" :uiet on a Sunda" morning( !ut this morning was e8en :uieter thanusual 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 thedistant 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 realiun*aid a##ount@ stor"0 Now the" $ustsaid that the" #ould not attend to faults !e#ause of the #urfew0 )hen Ra


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en:uiries( she was *ut through to another offi#ial0 As often ha**ens in Pakistan( the left handdid 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 theline from the !o7 to our house was de#re*it and needed to !e re*la#ed( would e7*lain thefault0 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 !" atree( and finall" entering our *ro*ert" with the su**ort of our front wall( I had #he#ked forfaults 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( *honedher to sa" that the mos:ues had announ#ed that a tru#e had !een agreed0 Did that a##ount forall the gunfire that we had !een hearing sin#e earl" afternoon? )as it $ust #ele!rator" firinginto the air? )e ho*ed that was the #ase0

Brom Re!e##a@s house( I *honed Mir


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food0 His #omment on the situation was( >=er" !oring@ He was right0 )e were all !ored andfrustrated( and so( surel"( were most *eo*le0 Perha*s the authorities intended to use !oredomto 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 foisteduna##e*ta!le theolog" on Shias 8ia the te7t!ooks0 It reminded us of a similar situation ina*artheid South Afri#a and Nami!ia( where the authorities used histor"( religious studies( andso#ial studies te7t!ooks to foist their ideolog" on unwilling re#i*ients0 6his strateg" is notonl" 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 areas06r"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#edentede8en during non&emergen#" *eriods0 Pro!a!l" this was !e#ause the te#hni#ians were !eingwat#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 unlesse8er"one else was released with him0 'ood lad 6hat was shrewd leadershi* His re*utationwould 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 )henhis mother was fet#hed from rural Owam!oland to *ersuade him to lea8e the *rison( far fromdoing 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 #ourageand integrit"0

6his was a 8er" :uiet da"( with no sounds of gunfire0 In fa#t( there were no sounds ofan"thing at all( e7#e*t lo#al goats( #hi#kens( and #ows( as well as #hildren at *la"( and aheli#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*sit 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 sofrustrated with the inade:uate e7*lanations !" the S+O ES*e#ial +ommuni#ationsOrgani


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)hen Salim re*orted for dut"( he told us that the #urfew was still in for#e o8erall !uthad !een lifted tem*oraril" in some *arts( su#h as the !a


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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( toget some hot water downstairs( we wired u* the small water heater in the kit#hen( whi#h had

!een immo!iliNine held during #urfew !reak in 'ilgit( in&awnon G 1une -..G0F

)e had a :uiet night and awoke to a :uiet morning on the se8enth da" of the #urfew0Salim said that he had heard that a lot of *hones were out of order in 8arious *arts of 'ilgitand that the te#hni#ians were going around fi7ing them "esterda"0 Perha*s it was the turn forours to !e fi7ed?

At a!out 2 a0m0( a #ar dro8e around the area announ#ing that the #urfew would !erela7ed from 2 a0m0 to G *0m0 Brom Re!e##a@s house( Ra


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A note on li8ing a dangerous area; as re#ent e8ents illustrated( Khomer seemed to !e adangerous area when Shia *assions were aroused0 Howe8er( u* until then we had li8ed therefor two "ears without feeling at all inse#ure0 In regard to #rime( it was mu#h( mu#h safer thanan" 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


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some onions and dro8e home0 Salim !orrowed . ru*ees to !u" a large !ag of flour( whi#his 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 along time? Bortunatel" we had :uite a lot of #ash with us when the #urfew started and( if weran 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*( e8endou!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 thegate 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 thate8en 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 theadditional #on#ession that *eo*le #ould enter and lea8e the town freel"0 Howe8er( I still #ouldnot 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* ofa 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 Nowthe authorities had used the o**ortunit" *ro8ided !" the #urfew to re&o##u*" the land andanti#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 tra8elrestri#tions( Re!e##a@s hus!and( 1a#k( who had flown into Islama!ad from the UK a few da"searlier( dro8e u* the KKH from Islama!ad and arri8ed in 'ilgit during nonurfew hours0 He

!rought us *lent" of fresh *rodu#e0

Ha**il"( our water situation seemed to !e sta!le0 6he *ressure was still not highenough to raise water into the tank( !ut the inno8ati8e set&u* with the garden hose su**lied uswith water all o8er the house( e7#e*t for the water heater u*stairs0 Ra


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6o our sur*rise( within a short time two water te#hni#ians arri8ed0 6he" had a look atthe situation and then announ#ed that the *ro!lem was low *ressure0 Im*ressi8e 6hese gu"s#learl" knew their $o! 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" hadto sneak to our house under #o8er of walls 8ia the !a#k routes0 )e s"m*athi


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near PD+N( hundreds of students #rossed the !ridge e8er" da" on their wa" to and froms#hool0

On Sunda"( the tenth da"( with the #urfew still sus*ended throughout da"light hours(Mir


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Marie said( >6hank goodness we work for *ri8ate organi*aramilitar"@ thugs(torture( intimidation( et#0 generated anew in the *er8erted minds of ea#h generation oft"rants( s*ooks( and s*ies? 6he answer is *ro!a!l" >!oth@; o**ressi8e regimes do e7#hangead8i#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#esare lo!otomised !" offi#ial mandates Ee0g0 >I was onl" following orders@ or >Our enemies aresu!&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 duringthe 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 thatonl" se8en *eo*le were killed0 6his in#luded the three inno#ent holida"&makers who werekilled when trigger&ha**" soldiers fired on their 8ehi#le0 Onl" four #om!atants killed aftersu#h *rolonged e7#hanges of fire? +ould so man" guns ha8e fired so man" !ullets with su#hlittle effe#t? Howe8er( we did not en:uire too dee*l" into these matters !e#ause foreignerstread #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 oftheir 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*toursel8es o##u*ied( there was alwa"s the knowledge that this thing had not gone awa" !uthad 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 *assions0I 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 aneigh!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 freshred 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-erswhi#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" !eensmothered( not resol8ed0 During 1anuar" -..( a few months after we left the NorthernAreas( there was a new and more 8iolent insurre#tion that left more *eo*le dead( in#ludingfamil" mem!ers of senior go8ernment offi#ials0 Amidst all this hatred and destru#tion( thein#ident that reall" !rought the im*a#t of the #onfli#t home to me was the death of a "oungman who( although a #i8ilian( was em*lo"ed as a *oli#e dri8er in 'ilgit0 I knew him :uitewell !e#ause he had !een a dri8er at our #am*us and had dri8en me to a num!er of offi#ialfun#tions0 Man


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whi#h was the a8erage wage for a dri8er in the Northern Areas0 Although ... ru*ees( whi#hwas 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" theonl" #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!leand 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 region0Man" sites are eas" to rea#h and e7*lore0 Bor instan#e( there are s#ores of ins#ri*tions andengra8ings on $um!led ro#ks near Alam %ridge( whi#h is where the road to Skardu lea8es theKKH 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#etime 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&westernPakistan that was known to an#ient %uddhists as 'andhara( whi#h stret#hed from modernPeshawar to 6a7ila( $ust west of Islama!adRawal*indi0 During the %uddhist *eriod( therewere 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


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disa**eared from Asia0 Ne8ertheless( there on a ro#k near 'ilgit( less than two kilometresfrom 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 theNorthern Areas0 6his is one amongst a num!er of far&flung ins#ri*tions on *illars and ro#ksthat #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!$e#ts to dolikewise0 He es*oused non8iolen#e( toleran#e of all se#ts and o*inions( o!edien#e to *arents(res*e#t for religious tea#hers and *riests( li!eralit" towards friends( humane treatment ofunderlings( and generosit" towards all0 In addition( Asoka undertook large&s#ale *u!li#works( su#h as s#hools( uni8ersities( roads( and irrigation *ro$e#ts to im*ro8e general welfare0Bor his intelligen#e( largeness of s*irit( and integrit"( Asoka has often !een #alled the greatestruler who e8er li8ed( an"where at an" time0

Bor an"one who ha**ens to !e in northentral 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 isen route for most tra8ellers on the highwa"0 6a7ila was a great #entre of *ower and learningfor almost one thousand "ears( from the 5th #entur" %+ to the th #entur" +0 In fa#t( itwas 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 andlarge monasteries0 Bor the re#ord( a stu*a is a %uddhist religious monument0 6he first stu*aswere sim*le mounds of mud or #la" to #o8er su**osed reli#s of the %uddha0 O8er time( !asedon the !ell sha*e( the" !e#ame more ela!orate( with features su#h as #ha*els( frie*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 oroastrian( and thus dedi#ated to an Iranian god su#h as Ahurama


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stark( stee*( massi8e( and snowa**ed0 As we settled in( Marie found them o**ressi8e( whileI 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 ourattention 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*hawidened@ !" arm" !ulldo


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During weekda"s( our dri8er had #harge of the 8ehi#le( !ut during e8enings and weekends( Iwould 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 ofPakistan( most men wore the shalwar&kameesi#kness !ag@ on an air#raft( to wi*e the teats of a #ow !efore milking( and to wi*e #hildren@snoses0 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 #onser8ati8een8ironment( 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 *lansin8ol8ing 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 anddis#ussions( that it might !e im*ro*er for male and female #olleagues to tra8el together( that awoman 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$e#ts0 Bor instan#e( the men will sa" that the !udget doesnot allow for fa#ilities and ser8i#es to !e du*li#ated( that the" do not want to e7*ose womento *otentiall" sensiti8e en#ounters and situations( and that( in an" #ase( it is not what womenreall" want0 In 'ilgit( the senior edu#ational offi#ials( who had to offer res*onsi!le *ositionsat head offi#e to women in terms of the #onditions of the uro*ean Union *ro$e#t( would tellme a!out the man" diffi#ulties that the new arrangement #aused0 6he" would #om*lain thatwomen had to ha8e se*arate offi#es and toilets( that trans*ort arrangements were more


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#om*li#ated( and that male #olleagues( su#h as *rin#i*als and tea#hers in the s#hools( did notlike taking instru#tions from females0 I o!ser8ed that the offi#ials at head offi#e weree7#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 thehome of a senior #i8il ser8ant0 )ith him and his wife( we sat on the lawn outside their housedrinking tea( surrounded !" flowers( with the towering mountains as a !a#kdro*( and talkeda!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 !ettertreated and more res*e#ted than in the )est0 )hen his listeners e7*ressed sur*rise( hee7*lained that this was !e#ause men in Pakistan would work themsel8es to e7haustion toensure that their women did not ha8e a worr" or a #are in the world0 )e had the feeling thatwe had heard su#h sentiments !efore in other #onte7ts( and that on those o##asions we hadheard 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 ofwomen 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( andhar8esting( while also ha8ing to #lean house( #are for #hildren( and *re*are meals0 6his is thesituation of millions of women in Pakistan0 Onl" a #om*arati8el" small grou* of women ha8ea #omforta!le( if regulated( life under a *atriar#h" && and their li8es are made easier !" the toilof 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"sor 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 !ediffi#ult for man" of them0 Bor instan#e( at the Mountain S#hool( Marie noti#ed that a num!erof 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 $o!s( or *la"ing in thegrounds0 6he reason( Marie was told( was that girls of this age found it mu#h more en$o"a!leto 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 wase*itomised !" the Hudood Ordinan#es( whi#h were *arti#ularl" se8ere on women a##used ofha8ing e7tra&marital se7( and on women who were ra*ed0 A woman who alleged that she wasra*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 ofadulter"0 Also( to *ro8e that she was ra*ed( the woman would ha8e to admit that se7ualinter#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 !eha8iour0An honour killing refers to the murder of a female !" a male mem!er of her famil"( for


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reasons su#h as refusing an arranged marriage( !eing the 8i#tim of a se7ual assault( seeking adi8or#e( or #ommitting adulter" or forni#ation0 Although the *ra#ti#e does not ha8e legalsan#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( Iheard four or fi8e shots0 6he" were so #lose( so shar* in the #ris* air( that I felt e7*osed andun*rote#ted0 Howe8er( !efore I #ould de#ide whether to du#k or seek #o8er( the fusilladeended and the night was :uiet again0 Ne7t morning( a #olleague who li8ed in our area told methat I had heard the sounds of an honour killing from a near!" *ro*ert"0 6he shots had !eenfired !" a "oung man who had killed his sister and the man with whom she was sus*e#ted ofha8ing an e7tramarital affair0 A!out si7 months later( there was another >honour killing@ at ahouse in the neigh!ourhood0 6wo >honour killings@ in the same *art of town within a *eriodof less than a "ear would !e strong in#enti8es to all good women in the area to guard their8irtue0

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


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different matter0 6here the water was !rought in !" a road tanker0 It looked !ad( it stank( andwhen it was !oiled( it *rodu#ed a gre"( !u!!ling s#um as if it #ame off filth" #lothes thatwere !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( thee:ui8alent of a!out USX4C. at that time( whi#h was #onsidered to !e 8er" good0 On the otherhand( the highest *aid fa#ult" mem!er( who( like all other fa#ult"( had a masters degree fromAKU and #onsidera!le e7*erien#e( was onl" a!out half of that0 On the *lus side( thesesalaries were ta7&free in the Northern Areas0 On the minus side( the" did not in#lude anem*lo"er@s *ension #ontri!ution and there were few !enefits0 6he tea#hers at the MountainS#hool( where Marie worked( #onsidered themsel8es :uite well *aid at a!out Rs4... Ea!outUSX/G.F *er month( although these salaries in#reased !" a!out . later0 A s#hool *rin#i*alat a go8ernment s#hool was *aid a!out Rs2... *er month Ea!out USX/F0 Other workerswere *aid #onsidera!l" less; for instan#e( in 'ilgit we *aid our dri8ers RsG.. *er monthEUSX4.F( whi#h was #onsidered to !e high( while gardeners( #leaners( and se#urit" guards at

PD+N were onl" *aid !etween RsC... and RsC.. *er month EUSX. to USX5.F0After #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( ittook me a long time to get used to the wa" in whi#h uno##u*ied offi#es were left o*en andunsu*er8ised( in s*ite of ha8ing la*to*s( P+s( hand!ags( et#0 l"ing a!out0 During m" C5months at PD+N( there was onl" one #ase of theft when mone" was stolen from anunattended hand!ag during lun#h hour( when most staff mem!ers were in the #afeteria0 Afterthat( *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 Infa#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 whilekee*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 ourgarden0 Howe8er( the one e7#e*tion was fruit( whi#h was stolen all the time 9 !ut it seemedthat fruit was fair game all o8er the neigh!ourhood( whi#h was es*e#iall" understanda!le inour #ase( as we had a lot more than we( and Salim and his famil"( #ould use0 O8erall( it wasironi# that while we were li8ing in what one $ournalist la!elled dramati#all" as >the mostdangerous #ountr" on arth@( we almost forgot what it was to li8e in #ontinual e7*e#tation ofthe 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 didmean that there was su#h a low rate of theft that e8en a minor !urglar" #aused #onsternationand outrage0

6here was also a lot of trust !etween *eo*le0 Bor instan#e( in a sho* in the main streetof Karima!ad in Hun


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)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 withArmani sunglasses and Le8is $eans while listening to a +D !" the latest *o* di8a( using themost fashiona!le *ie#e of ele#troni# e:ui*ment? In Pakistan( "ou #an !u" all of them asre*rodu#tions in the !a%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


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On#e again( I did a smother&and&dis#ard a#t0 6hen I said to Marie( >6hat 8oltage regulatorwas 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!8ious@ On#e again( we were fortunate that there was no seriousdamage( 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#esin 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 itwas id0 6his was followed !" mudslides on the highwa"( whi#h meant that nothing #ouldget 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 fewhours0 Another generator was hired( whi#h !roke down after less than two hours0 Some timeduring 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 therefrigerator 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 therefrigerator *a#ked u*0 On some dark( !elow&6he Lesser id@( and id ul&Adha( the >id of the Sa#rifi#e@( whi#hlasts 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 gasheaters( whi#h was something that we often did in Southern Afri#a0 Howe8er( we soon foundthat the gas ga8e off an un*leasant aroma and( moreo8er( ga8e us !ad heada#hes0 )e weretold 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 #entralheating 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 mainsele#tri#it" was off( the heating s"stem re:uired so mu#h generator *ower that nothing mu#helse( e7#e*t the tele8ision and a few lights( #ould o*erate at the same time0 6he generator wasne8er *owerful enough to run the refrigerator and the hot water heater( indi8iduall" ortogether( 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 thesea**lian#es at the same time0 Howe8er( !efore we arri8ed it had !een ser8i#ed at a lo#alworksho*( where the original *arts had *ro!a!l" !een remo8ed and had !een re*la#ed withinferior Pakistani&made ones0


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In the s*a#e of a!out ten months( errati# ele#tri#it" surges !urned out one of ourUPSs( 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 waslikel" to !e followed !" a #ontrite underdose for a few da"s( when the house would !e asdiml" 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 drier0Li8ing with 'ilgit@s ele#tri#it" su**l" was like li8ing on the Kashmir #ease&fire line 9 therewere a lot of ominous lulls and "ou ne8er knew when there was going to !e another flare&u*0Unfortunatel" "ou also ne8er knew when a flare&u* would !e 8igorous enough to damagesome of "our e:ui*ment0

As might !e inferred( management standards in Pakistan are generall" :uite low0Although I was insulated from man" of the #onse:uen#es !e#ause I worked for the Aga KhanUni8ersit"( whi#h had an effi#ient administration that handled a lot of matters for me( it wasine8ita!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" inPakistan0 As I was the em*lo"ee( I should ha8e !een gi8en a work 8isa while( a##ording toPakistani ordinan#es( Marie should onl" ha8e !een gi8en a residen#e 8isa0 Howe8er( Mariewas also gi8en a work 8isa0 A few months later( an administrator at AKU dis#o8ered the errorand( to maintain good relations( informed the rele8ant go8ernment de*artment that Marie hadthe wrong 8isa0 Marie was :uite anno"ed !e#ause( as she said( she ne8er knew when shemight 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


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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 worke7tra&long hours without o8ertime and without daring to #om*lain0 Bor instan#e( dri8erswould !e ke*t on dut" from earl" morning until late night( often without mu#h time off e8enon weekends0

'ilgit had a large !a


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Me; 6hat@s too mu#h0 I@ll gi8e "ou fi8e hundred0

Sho*kee*er; Done E"es light u*( hand stret#hes out for the mone"0F

Me EthinksF; Damn I@8e !een taken again0

8en although it was a *la#e where I got ri**ed off( I liked the !aHa8e a Murree with "our #urr"@0 6his in$un#tion is more sedatethan one that I heard in Islama!ad@s onl" *u!li# Efor those with *ermitsF !ottle sho*( where ati*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 twowa"s0 Birstl"( Marie made wine out of all of the fruits that were a8aila!le in our garden and inthe !a


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EGF Ha8e a *hoto#o*" of m" *ass*ort madeJ EF 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 Isus*e#ted that( of the Rs.. 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 returntrium*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 wasonl" 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 gothrough the whole tiresome *ro#edure again one month later0 Bortunatel"( when we mo8ed toKara#hi( it was mu#h easier to !u" Murree %rewer" *rodu#ts !e#ause there was a legal E?Fli:uor sho* 9 a#tuall"( a *antr"&siDefen#e@( whi#h was an u*market area of Kara#hi in whi#hman" senior militar" offi#ers owned *ro*ert" andor resided0 As Pakistan is a#tuall" run !"the militar" e8en when a #i8ilian go8ernment is nominall" in #harge( senior offi#ers #an doalmost 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 astate of near&total #olla*se0 In most of the towns and 8illages of the region( there wereunfinished !uildings that were intended to !e !udget or mid&*ri#e hotels0 Howe8er( most ofthem remained un#om*leted && sad( #on#rete skeletons that were reminders of $ust how interonne#ted the world is0 6hese unfinished !uildings( and the slum* in tourism( dated !a#k to2//( when the situation was e7a#er!ated !" the )estern media re*eating un#riti#all" andfre:uentl" that Pakistan was the most dangerous #ountr" in the world0 In fa#t( the NorthernArea was not onl" a real !argain for tourists( !ut was also safe0 6here were some good hotelsat 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 goodwalks and hikes that were as long and as strenuous( or as short and as eas"( as one wanted


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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" ofthe soil where8er there was water0 Bor instan#e( with water from the #hannel that ran outsideour !oundar" wall( our garden *rodu#ed a*ri#ots an

rakaposhi jan

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