Eleven Reasons to visit Gobore, Garamchashma Valley Chitral !

In this high paced era one definitely wants to take some time and be close to nature and peace. Gobore, in the north west of Pakistan KPK is one of such places to visit. Gobore is situated at a distance of 78 KMs from town Chitral and 30 KMs for Garamchashma town. “Yadghaa” and “Sheikhanwar” are the two dialects spoken in Gobore. Khowar, Chitrali dialect is also spoken fluently by the inhabitants. The first inhabitants of Gobore Shah Saleem have been known to migrate from Nooristan Afghanistan. Many generations have passed since then. The road is jeep-able and has served as a major trade route between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the recent past.

Although everyone has one’s own reasons to travel and explore nature here are few reasons which I think are appealing enough to be considered by tourists, travelers and explorers. 

    1. Beautiful Long Drive

    On the way to Gobore you can find a lot of attractions such as: Ibex view point at Shahr-e-Sham where you can see number of ibex along the river bank.  You can take photographs of these beautiful creatures that dwell on the mountains of Hindukush.  Secondly, beautiful streams and rivers alongside the long drive make it an exciting journey.

On the way to Gobore Bakh

    

   2. Hot Springs

After about 2 hours drive from Chitral Town you reach Garamchashma Town. Here you can find Hot Springs (natural spring with Sulpher). These hot springs are a major tourist attraction and famous for skin related allergies/diseases. You can take a bath in the “Hamams” built near the hot springs.  As you travel ahead and reach Shah Saleem Gobore, you will find more hot springs.

Hot Spring At Shah Saleem Gobore

Hot Spring Bath, Garamchashma . One bath could be charged Rs.20 only

  3. Trout Fishing

There is abundance of trout in Garamchashma and Gobre. You can enjoy fishing. However, you might need a fishing license from Fisheries Department. It’s not that expensive. Besides trout you can also find other fish in the streaming river.

Fried fish

4.  Wild Animals and Birds

Here you can find ibex, deer, leopard, marmot, Ram Chakoor, Chakoor and migratory birds. (Sorry I could not go after them with camera due to time shortage.) 

5. Glaciers View

A number of glaciers can be seen in different places throughout the valley. These include Awsek Glacier ( 5 hours trek from Gobore Bakh), Mach Glacier (at Mach Pass), Irjeak Gol Glacier (near Irjeak) and others.

    6. Traditional Food

In the valley, some of the most delicious local food is served at homes. These include cheerashapik, Jush, Shoshpalaki, Rishiki and phenak. Majority of the food consists of dairy products and desi ghee (Rich oil) with wheat flour. 

Local Food. Yummmm

    7. Traditional Games

People in the area play Buz Kashi, Pagah (free style horse race without saddle), Mountain race and donkey polo. Most of the games are played during Gobore festival. This year Gobore Fetival 2016 is expected by the end of July.

    8.  Shrines of Saints

In Garamchashma valley, there are shrines of few famous saints as well. The shrines are called “ziarat” in khowar as well as urdu language. The tomb of spiritual leader and Poet Peer Nasir Khisrow is located in the center of Garamchashma town. Besides, shrines of contemporary saints of Peer Nasir Khisrow are also located at two other places, one of them in Zhutur gol and the other in Moshain near Pull-e-Kabul.

A saint's shrine on the way to Gobore. Some claim it's a Prophet's shrine.

  9.Passes and Treks 

 a.  Dorah Pass

From Shah Saleem Village Gobore one can follow Dorah Pass and reach Afghanistan. It’s an 8 hours trek from Shah Saleem. The trek is not that hard but you would need a visa if you want to enter Afghanistan at Singlich. In the photo below Dorah Pass trek can easily be seen at the back. 

Dorah Pass at my back . Trek is visible

b.       Mach Pass

Similarly, Mach Pass is also a very good trek from Gobore Bakh to Singlich Afghanistan. However, it will take 10 hours. Mach Pass also leads to Arakari Oveer if you take the trek to Akram Gol.

a.       Nogoreshal Trek through Zidik Gol

In 6-7 hours you can trek into Nooristan Aghanistan using this trek.

   10.  Beautiful Lakes

Top Khana Lake ( 6 hours trek from Gobore), Chapdarah Lake (7 hours trek from Gobore), Unni lake, Khogia Lake are of medium and small size lakes that are found along the treks.

  
    11. Natural Beauty

Throughout your stay you will find mesmerizing beauty of nature in the form of clean water, water falls, streams, lush green grasslands and peaceful atmosphere.

On the way to Gobore.

At Shah Saleem, Gobore.

The Peaceful and hardworking Mountain Man !

Misperceptions Regarding Kalash of Chitral

When we don’t personally visit a certain place and observe a culture, it’s quite possible that we might be having certain misperceptions regarding that place or culture. Rumors, propaganda and unauthentic sources could mislead us. Last day, a person from Baluchistan, while discussing the upcoming Chilem Josht Festival of Kalash, said, “I have heard that Kalash women sleep with tourists. So, don’t they get infected with HIV AIDS?” He was discussing that on a public social media forum (event). When no one answered, he again repeated the question. So here I’m sharing few things that we misperceive about Kalash of Chitral Valley which I’m sharing based on authentic sources as well as my personal interactions with people of Bumburate and Rumbor valleys of Chitral. The misperceptions are italicized for the reader.

• Kalash women invite tourists for sex.  No. No, Kalash Women don’t sleep with every tourist who pokes into their houses. They are NOT sex-hungry.  Nor you will easily find professional prostitutes in the valley who can be found in big cities of Pakistan like Lahore and Islamabad (sorry to say).
• Kalash people are always drunk.  No dear. They drink homemade alcohol and grape wine BUT they are NOT drunk 24/7.
• All Kalash are non-muslims (Kafirs). No. All are NOT. “Kalash” only refers to the minority tribe or race of the people who reside in the three villages of Rumbur, Bumburate and Brir in the South-West of Chitral. Some of them are now Muslims and still a part of Kalash community.
• The people of Chitral are Kalash. Nope!  All Chitralies are NOT Kalash by race or tribe. Similarly, all Kalash are NOT “Khow” by race or tribe (Khow is the largest segment of population of Chitral with respect to ethnicity).
• Kalash women don’t take bath. Wrong! They do take baths. However, during certain occasions they are not supposed to take bath as a custom, ritual or religious obligation. For example a Kalash widow doesn’t take bath for a few weeks and mourns her husband’s death.
• Kalash don’t believe in God. False. They do believe in God or creator. However, they have few gods and goddesses as well such as Grimon, Mahadev etc.

Not everyone who has not been to Kalash Valley holds these misperceptions but those who do, should better read some ethnographic piece, travel to the valley themselves or meet the people of the area somewhere and enlighten themselves.  

Cheers to the upcoming Chilem Josht Festival of Kalash (May 14-16) ! 

Boroghil Festival 2014

Boroghil Festival 2014 will be remembered for a long time by the residents of Boroghil Valley. Not because it was the first festival in the area but of course due to the exposure it offered to the residents of the area, the media coverage it received and the number of organizations (both Governmental and Non-Governmental) that participated in the festival in one way or the other.

Boroghil Festival 2014 started on August 22^nd on a sunny Friday at an elevation of 11,000 feet at Ishkarwz Boroghil and ended on 24^th of August. People from nearby areas such as zhopo Yarkhoon and far flung areas such as Chitral Town had already started flowing in, even a day before on 21^st of August. Chitral Scouts had also been busy in making arrangements for their guests (officials) and preparing schedules for different teams, days before 22^nd August. As the local people said that the festival needs to be arranged in July due to a variety of reasons such as weather condition, availability of leisure time to local residents and good condition of roads. However, this time the weather was better than expected. Yet some people were busy with rearing to their livestock in high pastures,collecting fodder for the cattle and peats for fuel. The local residents who came to the festival location were seemed talking passionately about the festival, their teams, the new road that is going to be built, and the Yak and Horses they had brought with them.

During the festival, games such as Yak Race &Yak Polo, Horse Race & Polo, Donkey Race & Donkey Polo, Football, Cricket, Volley ball and Buzkashi were palyed. I guess each game provided some entertainment to the spectators; however, the Buzkashi was mismanaged. It seemed like the rules were not followed as such and there was a bit of rush to end the game. On the final day, 24^th of August, Para troopers also exhibited their skills with great courage and landed safely on the ground having big round of applause from the spectators. Based on the thrill of the players, interest of local as well as non-local people, it is predictable that in future polo is going to be one of the most awaited games of the festival. This time a polo team from Ishqamen (Gilgit) also participated and in future it is expected that more will join. Yak Race might also be an element of fun for non-local people and other domestic tourists. Donkey polo was a game of passion for the youth of the area as it was seen that the donkey polo team players, who took part enthusiastically in the game were aged 15-18.

In the festival area there were hotels that provided food to the visitors on affordable prices. Mutton, Rice, Yak meat, Yak Milk and cream, beverages such as tea cold drinks, etc were available. Camping facilities were also available on rent that included tour guides, tents, sleeping bags etc. Small tuck shops were also opened by local people where sweets, chocolates, biscuits, etc were sold. Horses were available on rent if someone wanted to avail the opportunity of horse riding including visit to areas such as Chilmarabad, Garil, Lashkargaz or even the magnificent Qurumbur at an altitutde of 14,421 feet. Besides these services, local “Wakhi” music was also played by a group of some young people surrounded by non-local people. Pipe (Belu) and Daff were the major instruments used with the music. The wakhi music being in a language very different from Khowar gives a different sound to the ear of the audience.

The nights were kept warm by the activities of musical groups especially. Small groups of tourists had brought their own musical instruments from areas such as Booni, Kuragh, Chapali Mastuj, Yarkhoon etc who played and danced till late nights. The glowing tents looked very beautiful in the dark. Chitrali Dhol music was also performed by Chitral Scouts near the Chitral Scouts post at nights.

A very long narrative of the festival could be easily built mentioning details of the festival. However, apart from all that mentioned above, it is important to refer that Govt Organizations such as TCKP, Pak Army, Chitral Scouts, District Govt representatives and non-governmental organizations such as AKRSP, CIADP, AKHS, SRSP and PUNAR LSO took part in the festival to make it more important. It is expected that the number and interest of Govt departments and NGOs will increase and they would work together to uplift the area economically and socially. Due to the tough conditions of the area, the local people face a lot of challenges. The main issues faced by the area include livelihood challenges, accessibility, harsh winters, lack of transport (there is not a single vehicle in the area and people travel to Yarkhoon Lasht on foot or on horses to travel down district), health issues, opium addiction etc to name a few.

Last not the least, if Boroghil Festival is made a calendar event by the Govt and given its due attention, a day will come that it will be as famous as Shandur Festival. Or even more!

A view through my tent window :)

Why you should visit Boroghil Valley, Chitral ?

10 Reasons why you should visit Boroghil Valley in the North of Chitral?

1.       It  is breathtakingly beautiful.

2.       You will find many lakes with changing colors, the magnificent one being the Karumbar lake at an altitude of approx 14200 feet.

3.       It has lush green meadows and pastures.

4.       There are giant glaciers such as Chianter glacier, chitti boi glacier etc.

5.       It is best for Motor biking  and horse riding.

6.       You can find Yak meat and dairy.

7.       It is best for safe trekking and there are many passes which are connected to Afghanistan (Wakhan Corridor), Yasin Gilgit (Chilinji Pass) etc.

8.       The people are peaceful, traditional and tough.

9.       There are many local stories and myths associated with the area and lakes.

10.   It is an adventure. It needs getting out of your comfort zone and embracing the uncertainty.

Here are some photos i took on my recent visit to the valley.

Crystal Lake near Wakhan Corridor.......

                                     

                                       

Dairy products and local bread

Pasture on 12,000 + feet

The Lady with an untold story………

“I have been through a very tough life.” Rahim was talking to the lady in the rear seat of double cabin pick up. Trying to impress her he stressed on the word “tough’’. But it seemed like he failed because the lady was as calm and unmoved as a rock hardened by nature with the passage of time. He didn’t give up and tried the second time, “Life has been tough as I lost my father at an early age and being the eldest I had to carry many responsibilities on my shoulders.” Rahim paused for a while. The pickup was now ascending. Seating in the front seat Rahim could only look at the mountains with some snow on the peaks. The seasoned driver was confident with his eyes on the road. “My father passed away when I was two months old.” This time the voice came from the rear seat, from the lady who had recently graduated from university. Rahim was startled. “Oh….. Oh! So sorry to hear that.” The only words he could utter with astonishment, grief, empathy and many mixed emotions. The young lady continued, “And then my mother married another man when she was still too young. Life has not been that 'tough' on me although i stayed with my uncles after my mom married another man. She added. The secret of her calmness and reason of Rahim's failure to impress him was not any more a puzzle. Rahim couldn’t say anything. He was staring at the mountains around the valley. For a while he thought the tallest of the rocks is crashing down due to thunder struck. But soon he realized it was an illusion since the sky was clear and the only sound was that of slow music inside the car. Rahim leaned back and closed his eyes.

Sometimes you have to shut your eyes to see the truth. Most of us think that what we have endured is incomparable to any other difficulty and hardship. We tend to make a world of our own based on our assumptions. Then we try to cash the credit of being tough, hardworking and successful. At times this seems to be so one sided and egoistic approach of looking at yourself and the world. There are many stories untold which are more impressive than the one you know, you tell and people know. There is no universal yardstick to measure success, pride and no tough-guy-scale. You are not the only one who has faced hardships and challenges and neither have you got any edge over others for being hardworking and tough.

Suddenly, Rahim’s eyes open when the pickup started moving ahead on the bumpy road of the valley. He smiles. Truth is such a peaceful realization. Humility and humbleness are worth more than pride and self-centeredness. The lady with an untold story makes deeper impression than the man who tells his own story. He thought so! J

Motivation and Flat Tyres

Erwin on Shandur Pass with a flat tyre... A long way to go !

Motivation….. You can call it a fluid which fills your veins with rushing blood. Or, a spark that gives ignition to flares and flames. Nevertheless, at times it could be like the air we fill in our vehicles tyres.  I would not go into the psychological explanation of motivation. Well, that’s not my field truly. The point here to make is; motivation can be lost and gained like we lose air in our vehicles tyres. (And you need to refill of course). The key is not to take it by heart when the tyres get flat. Instead be ready to get down and fix the point or puncture hole that is drawing out the air. Likewise, when you feel down and frustrated you have to give it a moment of thought to find out the cause, reason or stimulus that is drawing out the energy inside you. It could be a person, an event, a task unaccomplished, and an expectation unmet or could be indigestion (simply due to the food you just took in hurry during your lunch break). When you find the puncture hole, the next step is to clean it with water or any fluid for greater exposure. Motivation is related to emotions most of the times so make sure you spot it rightly. But, never over think the reason. Just work on it. It’s a 5 minutes job to repair a puncture of your automobile tyre. Similarly, you need not to sit and think philosophically over the cause/s of feeling down. Just get up and show a match stick to the spark. Be positive when you feel down that it’s temporary and volatile. Share with a friend or close one. Have a run or dance. Capture the driving seat of your life again and steer the vehicle towards your goals. There you go! 

Confession !!!

Tears of love, anger and suffocation trickled down her bright round face. She was suffocated because she wanted to confess. People admit their love but that’s what you do when you are proud and enchanted by proximity of your beloved. This was confession and you confess when you are hurt or dejected.

Confessions are strange things. They open you up and let you free like a balloon full of helium.  Some confessions are like volcano eruptions. The surroundings become aware with the explosion, and the heat with its utmost intensity burn things around; even the very mountain that has served as a womb for such a ferocious thing is shaken and shattered. Some confessions are like global warming. Slow and steady with drastic effects in the long term but noticed by only those who are curious and caring enough. Nimra was melting the same way under the heat of confession. She opened up. She loved someone and now she was hurt.

Nimra loved someone deep because she was by nature extremist. So was she, in case of relationships. Sometimes she could go to the peak of indifference which would tempt you to hate or dump her friendship. Only the very close ones were aware of this extremism. She oscillated between love and indifference, like a pendulum oscillating to extremes. This time when Nimra opened up she was looking so innocent, so pure and childlike. Rameez, her friend, tried to distract her from more confessions because confessions are also very pure and personal. But she confessed and kept expanding, like a vast ice over a pond, melting due to the heat of sun burning miles away due to its own confession.

Everything in nature confesses; falling leaves of maple, scaling skin of snakes, changing phases of moon and so on.  Yet, maples feel light with falling leaves, snakes hope for new skin and moon transforms into new moon.  Exactly the same way, Nimra was feeling light the other day after the long confession hour she spent with her friend Rameez who listened to her and wiped her tears off with a kiss. A kiss which was as pure as her confession !  

I AM NOT A CV PERSON !

It’s great dealing with students, young and enthusiastic people. It gives you a firsthand observation of energy, courage and hope. Although, a times you also see someone trying hard to find courage and hope yet in most cases it’s always a youthful experience. Anyways, cutting the story short; this morning a fresh graduate girl drops by the office. “I was wondering if there is any job interview going on?” says the girl with decent study glasses on her nose. “Miss, although there isn’t any such thing going on, you can drop your CV with us and we’ll let you know if there’s any relevant opportunity available.” That was a reply I tried to make as much professional as possible. “Oh! I’m not a CV person.” This time I raised my brows and thought what is that supposed to mean. “Miss, CV is the first thing you should have if you are looking for a job.” I said that with a smile on my face and feeling good that I was saying things like HR managers. LOL. (I’m a marketing person basically). “I know”, says the NUST graduate. “But I don’t carry CV and nor I email. I’m a CV by myself.”  This time I got it. She was a very bold and self confident girl inspired from the motivational speakers who are teaching us (the youth) to be unorthodox and think out of the box. “Oh I see”, with a smile on my face I told her to wait and talked to some senior manager. “Atta, CV is the first thing for any job.” says my senior, as I expected. I apologized for no current openings and she left with the determination of sharing no CV. She was a “No CV” person.

There are many reasons for this write up. Definitely, this was an out of the box way of asking for a job. It shows motivation and the courage to break the old rules. But would it work? I guess, it won’t work for many reasons. First of all there are always some procedural norms in every organization. Secondly, centralization is dominant in organizations and there’s a long way in most of the organizations in Pakistan (hierarchy). Thirdly, the job market is not that good. Jobs are not so easy available that your first confident move (or overconfident?) would make you desirable in the eyes of employers/businesses/organizations. Higher unemployment rate has made a large pool of candidates available to the organizations. CEOs are sharp enough to choose the one with better skills and more experiences after several interview sessions. First impression may not be the last impression. (It might be the the last, but for you...so be careful).

Drafting and crafting a good CV is the first thing you should do after you graduate if you are looking for a job. A CV may not tell everything you are, but it does summarize the skills you have with a little touch to your past (background information).  Yes, we all know most of the times people exaggerate things on their CVs. If you can’t defend it don’t put it down on the CV. The interviewers are people with experienced eyes and sharp mind (If they are looking for the best).

  

No matter how bold, talented, self confident and out-of-the-box guy or girl you are, you should have a well drafted CV with you so that you can email it and drop it to the employers to make the first impression. Inflation, unemployment, centralization, SOPs and volatile job market make it hard for the “I’m not a CV person”.  

Simple Tips for Winning Job Interviews - Based on personal experience !

                                      How to nail a job interview !

1-Plan your interview and visualize the setting in order to avoid any kind of first meeting embarrassment.

2- Carry out research about the institution or organization to which you are applying.

3- Try to find out how big is the organization financially (in financial statements) so that you can have an idea of the salary package you can ask for.

4-When going for an interview, dress formally and have a decent hair cut.

5-If it is your second interview session for the same job in the same place, prepare well for the questions you have not answered properly in the first session. They might be asked once again.

6-Be honest and speak the truth. Especially in the case when you don’t know the answer well.

7-Don’t presume the duration of your interview. It can be longer than expected. Be mentally prepared.

  

8-Keep a decent smile on your face but some questions need to be taken with a serious expression.

   

9-If your job needs a sense of humor or agreeableness don’t miss the chance to express (both).

10-Your interviewers are much more experienced, so don’t bluff.

11- You should know the expected job description. The question could be, " What do you expect you would be doing as an HR manager?", for example. However, most of the companies explain the job description with the job ad or announcement. If not, you must know what's expected from you.

   

Now, you will definitely nail the job if the organization is looking for a hard working person like you. Good luck! :)

     

The Issue of Blasphemy: Reason and Reaction

So we can say there were three kinds of people last Friday, when there was a public holiday in protest against the thoughtless video of Sam Bascile which ridiculed the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) of Muslims all over the world. One group consisted of those people who went out on the roads and streets to show their love for Prophet Muhmmad (PBUH). Among this group there were people who protested peacefully and wanted to show the world their unity and some people who wanted to break things, loot banks, set on fire buildings and beat up those who hinder their way i-e police. The Second group consisted of people who were active on social media discussing what’s going on, sharing pictures and updates and condemning both the film makers and violent protesters. The third group consisted of people who just spent the holiday at home face booking, listening to Bollywood songs and/or watching movies.

Based on my little cultural and social experience in the United States I would like to share my thoughts on the issue. Before reading further, be it known that I’m a Muslim who has a great reverence for Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) who came as a messenger of God to preach love for every human being. He taught not to cause any harm to anyone without any reason and preached high of forgiveness.

Talking about Americans, majority of them are loving, caring and achievement oriented people. Their society is individualistically shaped with emphasis on individual responsibility. A person is responsible for his own actions. No doubt, there could be lobbying and team work but most of the times one couldn’t stop an individual from doing something because the constitution of America insofar holds no such thing against individual freedom.  America’s founding ideal was the principle of individual rights. If you are forcing a person not to do something you are violating his/her individual right or in other words, the constitution. Ayn Rand, a famous American philosopher writes in her book, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, “In a capitalist society, all human relationships are voluntary. Men are free to cooperate or not, to deal with one another or not, as their own individual judgments, convictions and interests dictate."  This manifests the majority thought in American life and constitution. Now, the issue here is formulation of a subsequent law or set of rules to define the limits of freedom. On philosophical grounds if there are limits there’s no freedom, albeit the notion of freedom with responsibility is the need of the time. Which one is better? Is it Freedom of speech or inciting to riot? At least on international level and global context the rules should be mollified to create greater acceptance and harmony among the human beings on the rapidly globalizing planet. So, the first and foremost sensible thing would be to take the issue at UN’s level and ponder over the possible formulation of a law which restrains people from being involved in disgrace of sacred books  or personalities. It would also be worth mentioning that so far no single Muslim has been involved in disgracing Bible or Jesus Christ because it is forbidden in the Holy Quran to degrade anything sacred for someone. If some has done it (which I don’t know) or happens to do it, he/she is not a Muslim, rather be called miscreant.

Secondly, due to scientific and technological advancement far greater than us, there is a huge mutual-understanding-gap between Pakistanis and Americans. For example, people of the subcontinent are context oriented while Americans are content oriented. People in this part of the world are collectivistic and emotionally a little more charged than Americans. To prove Sam Bascile and Terry Jones wrong and make others understand certain issues, morals or ideals, the best is to engage in convincing through education, logic and rationale. An international seminar on the life of Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him, for example, would be the best reaction where scholars should present his ideals and why they think he was the greatest man on earth.

Last but not least, faith is something more close to emotion and divinity than rationale and reality. However, that doesn’t mean reason and faith can’t marry. If we keep things at two extremes, life would be miserable. The romantic merging of faith and rationale, divinity and reality, science and theology, individualism and collectivism, and east and west is the need of the time to create global peace and understanding.

THREE CUPS OF TEA

Greg Mortenson is a real American hero. I should say that after reading "Three Cups of Tea", a story or biography of Greg, co-authored by David Olive Relin.

When i came to the United States my friend Kristen told me about a book which i hadn't heard of. The title of the book grabed my attention at first because in our villages Chai, Tea, is the most favorite beverage due to a variety of reasons such as, convenience to make, availability of milk, quick remedy for triteness, and may be  we can't afford coffee. I googled and the  information from wikipedia fueled my interest because it was a book about the mountainous and unapproacable areas of Northern Pakistan where i come from. I texted Kristen. " Though i will buy it later and read, and comment on the book some time, but i do agree with some info as explained by wikipedia." Kristen had the book in her house and one day she brought me the book to read. I read it, and found out that it is more than a story. It is a philosophy of humanism, strategy of counter terrorism and biography of a legendary.

I am writting about this because i am very passionate about education in remote areas, and also, some of my friends in the US were confused. Some people had criticized Greg and some didn't believe in what has been written in the book.

There can be two possible reasons why some people think of it as an exaggeration or not very factual. 

1- The abject poverty and hardships of life in the Hindukush and Karakorum ranges of the Himalayas is too hard to believe. Unless someone has visited the places and lived in the society like Greg Mortenson did.

2- The book has been written in a novelestic narration. It is not just a dry description of facts and figures. It is thrilling, interesting and seems like one is watching a movie. So, some people might think of it- a movie from Hollywood. 

But, i think it is a composition of real life experiences of a mountain climber who fails his attempt to reach the summit of  K2 in 1993, and stranded, reaches a valley called Korphe. Surviving death, and being loved, respected and protected by the poor people of the remote area, Greg promises to build a school there. The story starts and Greg finds a purpose for his life. A purpose more valuable then reaching the top of K2. A purpose to educate the people of Korphe. This vision leads to a life long struggle, hard sufferings, deep understanding and splendid success. Greg, in 2002-03, fully convinced that  a balanced education is the key to fight terrorism, poverty and hatred, laments over the civilian causalities in Afghanistan and plunges into the war-stricken zone of Afghanistan to builds schools there. Having a sound cultural understanding, or cultural intelligence i would rather say, which he develops during his mission to build schools in the northern Pakistan, he is the most loved person there (northern Pakistan).

Greg also point outs the root causes of terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan and provides the best guidelines or long term strategies to pursue, in order to win hearts and minds of the people.

The two things in the book which need clearification is, Greg or Relin, has used the term "Muslim Bomb" when he refers to the atomic bomb Pakistan detonated in 1998 to become a nuclear state. The only reason Pakistan went for atomic bomb was, to balance the supermacy of India in the South Asia as a Nuclear State. The nuclear test was not an attempt to frighten the non muslim world like Russia or the US, millions of miles away. Secondly, Greg has met different people from different sects of Islam. So when one is reading the book he might find some different point of views regarding Islam because we have so many sects, unfortunately.

I am inspired by Greg's work. He has done a great job. I should visit the places and schools he has described in the book. Skardu, where he used to conduct jirga, meetings, with his friends from the villages to carry out his projects, is 840 Kilometers ( 522 miles) from my district Chitral. However, Chitral and Baltistan share the same topography and climate.

I higly recommend Three cups of Tea  for reading. It will broaden one's understanding of terrorism, education, and most importantly, it is a testimony of how one person can make a difference. Greg is co-founder of Central Asia Institute ( CAI), a non profit organisation built to keep his mission alive. Recently, Greg and some of his close friends like Ghulam Parvi have been accused of some financial scandals, however i would say that the great job he has done is unquestionable. Greg has been awarded with Pakistan's highest civil award "Sitara e Pakistan" ( Star of Pakistan).

The importance of learning a second language !

           Any language other than someone’s native language or mother tongue is a second language. Every one of us can speak his native language easily because of being born and brought up in a family and neighborhood where all speak and understand it. It is quite difficult to understand some other language and master it. However, this has certain benefits and one must try to learn at least one language other than the native language.

 Learning a second language enhances your cognitive abilities. The mind is a complex mass. Some people say that we are normally using only ten percent of our brain. With this ten percent, humans have created wonders and achieved so much. What if we use some more of it for learning a second language?

            Learning a second language means interacting with a new group, and new people with different cultures and different ethnicities. This interaction might lead to new friendships and opportunities to learn and engage in a business. Globalization of businesses would help create consumer demand for different products across borders.

            Career opportunities are also enhanced by learning a second language. If someone learns Spanish in the United States, the chances of getting a job increase as Hispanics are the largest minority in the US. This is also the case with countries where there are two or more languages widely spoken. For example, in Pakistan, Urdu is the national language but English is widely spoken and taught in the universities, besides being a secondary national language. If you know how to read, write, and speak English well, the chances finding a good job increase.

            By learning a second language one can have access to a different set of knowledge and information which might strengthen the knowledge base. A scholar looking for some information, data or evidence might find something in a language different from his native language. Although translations are available, like Google Translator, the understanding of something on your own keeps the originality.  Take it the other way, by learning any other language you might be able to translate something into your own native language, which would help people understand things they wouldn’t have understood before.

                                    Some people might argue that learning a second language will lead to losing your culture. I don’t think so. You don’t lose your culture. You learn about a new culture but keep your own traditional culture. I believe that someone’s cultural values would not be that much shaky that just learning a different language would make them lose their culture which is inherited in their genes. Besides culture, it doesn't mean you are not valuing your own language. To learn a second language we don't need to disrespect our own languge.

            I would suggest learning at least one other language in your lifetime. It will improve your mental capabilities, groom your personality and provide access to more information. 

American Culture versus Pakistani Culture

                                     It is quite interesting to learn about cultures. I wanted to share something about US culture and compare it to the culture of Pakistan. Pakistan is a developing country of South Asia while the United States of America is a developed country in the other corner of the World. They have two different cultures and very few similarities.

First of all, In the United States of America people are more individualistic and independent whereas in Pakistan, society is more collectivistic and interdependent. In Pakistan when you are making a decision you take into consideration your family, friends and community.  You might have a best decision in your self-interest, but if your family or close friends are not happy with the decision, you might give up. However, in United States you can go for what you think is best for you.

Furthermore, meal etiquette, or table manners, is different. In America people use forks, knives and spoon during meals. People use dining tables. In Pakistan using fingers is common and usually all family members or friends sit together on the floor for meal. Although this trend is changing in the major cities but laying a table cloth, Dastar’Khawn, on the floor for meal is famous in towns and villages.

Third, time is highly valued in America. One is supposed to meet the deadlines and schedule routine matters. In Pakistan people take life easy in general. It is OK if you are 15-20 minutes late for a meeting, ceremony or party. People are more direct and timely when it comes to communication in the United States, while in Pakistan people are context oriented and search for clues.

The other thing I learned was something about dating. Dating is a part of US culture. If a man likes a lady they usually start dating and may get into a relationship. This relationship usually leads to romance and marriage. However, in Pakistan dating is considered taboo due to social disapproval as well as religious restrictions. The decision to marry is taken after consulting parents. The approval of family and close relatives is a major step for a couple to get married.

There are few similarities between US culture and Pakistani culture. The people of both nations love music. People listen to music and dance to it in both countries. Same is the case with sports. In America young people are very enthusiastic about sports like baseball, basketball and rugby. In Pakistan people get really excited about cricket and hockey.

Both in America and Pakistan, people respect their elders. It is considered rude to interrupt while they are talking to each other. Hugging each other is common among friends in both countries. In Pakistan men hug each other and handshake while ladies kiss each other on cheeks as well.

The cultures of America and Pakistan are quite different and there are a few similarities. The information I shared is not based on some extensive research or for any academic purpose. It is a general observation of everyday life in United States. I am trying to learn more about US culture during my stay here.

Is Urdu the best option for socio-economic development of Pakistan as a nation?

Last week I read an article in the Daily Express by Orya Maqbool Jan, a famous columnist of Pakistan, in which he emphasized the belief that in the past five thousand years no nation has ever achieved the pinnacle of success and development unless it has adopted its own language as a source of education. Resting his case he further mentioned that we need to translate all the existing knowledge base into Urdu if we want to stand as a developed nation.

My first response to this belief was a mix of respect for his love towards Urdu and disagreement with his point of view that we can’t be creative in any other language except our own, as he had once mentioned in a TV show (Azaan TV).  I thought, creativity has nothing to do with language. Language is a tool of communication of thoughts and creativity. You can transfer your creativity into Arabic, Urdu, English, digital codes and graphic animations. After a day or so, I revisited my thought and took interest in reading more. I tried to find answers to my own questions. Is transferring creativity into your own language quicker and into any foreign language  slow ? Does it take too much time because first you would have to master that language? Can development at the national level can be achieved by using a second language or not?

What is development? We can define development in different ways. GDP, per capita income, life standard and poverty eradication, are the most commonly used terms to define and explain development. The World Bank in its 1999 World Development Report  stated that it is a multidimensional process including major changes in social structures and economic stability. The most attractive and appealing  is the explanation of development in economic terms as emphasized by the West, “the path towards maximization of goods and services per head”. This may be easy to measure. However, some authors such as Wiseman Magwa and Davie E. Mustafa, are of the view that development is a multi-dimensional process involving changes in attitudes, structure and institutions in a given society. They hold the view that the needs of societies are different and not identical. I focused on this broad explanation because we are facing social problems, political problems and economic problems altogether. Based on this broad definition, can a second or third language (foreign) bring development to Pakistan? Is it Urdu that can trigger the multidimensional change process for development?

Let’s not consider all the languages and dialects spoken in Pakistan to keep it short and to the point. Urdu is our national language and lingua franca. We have five major languages; Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki and Balochi. It means Urdu is not the first language or mother tongue of most of the Pakistanis and native Urdu speakers are about 8% of the total population. But a fact about Urdu language is that almost every Pakistani uses it as a second language. If we start systematically, counting indigenous languages, then Urdu is our second language and English third. English is our secondary official language -- dominantly officail. If we talk about language of the masses in Pakistan, definitely it is Urdu. If we were to choose a language for any big national-level change it seems to be Urdu because of the simple fact that it is the most understood and spoken language of the population.

Language can be an aid to development as well as barrier to development. If I stick to the broader definition of development, aforementioned, then English is a barrier to development in Pakistan. It is not the language of the masses. The best way to reach the masses for any social, political and scientific purposes is through the use of the language they easily understand. Concepts and terminologies can be constructed in indigenous languages as well, although it would need a huge and exhaustive effort due to the fact that we haven’t done something like that yet. According to Wolff (1999), the development of a whole country in terms of its economy or political culture hinges on communicative efficiency based on language. Again, it seems Urdu would be efficient in such a case, at least in the case of domestic commerce, product and services, policy matters, administration and politics. If Ufone comes up with commercials in English language, would most of prospective & current customers, the target market, understand the packages they offer? If a school kid in a K.G. class was taught the word, "apple", wouldn’t we need to make him understand first in his native language? His mind would use the native language to identify apple, unless he was brought up with parents who always speak English. If Imran Khan or Nawaz Sharif comes to Chitral or Peshawar and addresses the public in English would that work for them to gain socail and political support?

Molvi Abdul Haq, Baba-e- Urdu, used to emphasize that Urdu is the thing that unites the whole nation. Sometimes, this thing seems to me to be Urdu and Cricket. We have been acting like an emotional nation throughout our history. Projecting English as a language of development doesn’t seem to fit the nation’s affective component of social structure. Joshua A. Fishman, in the World Handbook of Political and Social Indicators and A Cross-Polity Survey, states, “ Linguistically homogenous polities are usually, economically more developed, educationally more advanced, politically more modernized, and ideologically and politically more tranquil and stable."

Kishe (2003) holds the idea that there seems to be a correlation in Africa between underdevelopment and the use of a foreign language as the official language of a given country. Can we hold this theory for Pakistan, in Asia? After all, according to World Bank statistics, the nominal GDP of Pakistan in 2010 was 174,799 million USD,  not very different from South Africa’s 363,704 million USD--even worse. In this same continent called Asia, Japan and China have Japanese and Chinese respectively as their official and national languages and their economies are booming. Is Urdu the missing link to our socio-economic development? Do all the stake holders of development in Pakistan understand English fully? 

There are also benefits associated with learning a secondary language, in our case, English or any other. For example, increased cognitive abilities, higher job opportunities, greater access to research-based knowledge, cultural awareness and higher scores in standardized international tests. I would never say no to learning a second or third language whether it is English or Arabic. Usually it has been noticed that English in our country is associated with elites and bureaucracy. This is also one of the reasons we opt for English because, humans,  rational egoists, first think of themselves and their families. Every young man will go for English unless there is a change in the system, to bring linguistic homogeneity in education system in Pakistan.

On a national level scenario -- mass scale development, participation of masses and effective and quick flow of information throughout Pakistan, Urdu seems to be the best option. All alone, Urdu, too, can’t bring about miracle if we are not committed to be honest, moderate, tolerant and responsible citizens of Pakistan.
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References and useful links:

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/GDP.pdf

http://utilika.org/pubs/etc/ndld-asl.pdf

http://www.polytechnic.edu.na/academics/schools/comm_legal_secre/comm/nawa_journal/language-and-development-Magwa-Mutasa.pdf

A trip to Shawnee National forest: To explore the part of America famous for its natural and recreational sites.

January 27-29,2012.

Paul Starcher, International Student Counselor at University of Evansville, introduced me to the University of Evansville Venturing Crew 365 but I had to get registered with the Boys Scouts of America (BSA) and pass “Youth Protection Training” to join them in their events or community services. It took me a few days to do that and my first trip with the crew was to Shawnee National Forest in Illinois. It cost about $60 dollars (from registration to the whole trip) but the fun I had and things I learned are beyond the monetary value I just mentioned.

Shawnee National Forest is located at about a 2 hours’ drive from Evansville. We, a group of 28 students, set off on the evening of January 27 and reached “Garden of the Gods” at about 8 pm. It was my first formal camping trip and it was a great chance to learn things from setting up tents to working on a team. It was a lot of fun to make a fire with wood and I said, “I can smell my home now”, which made the friends laugh out loud (In Chitral we make fire by woods in our homes, may be a surprise to many of you). At night it got pretty cold but in the morning going to see the sunrise in the wilderness of the forest was a mesmerizing moment. After a  breakfast of scrambled eggs, we started hiking and I came across huge pine and oak trees, ponds and streams, small herbs (as I can’t name) and different scenes which were the manifestation of the greatness and beauty of nature. We took some memorable pictures together capturing nature in the background.

Descending was a little tough as we all were tired but we waited for each other, making sure everyone is in the queue and sang on the way back to keep ourselves encouraged and energetic. We went to Burden Falls and enjoyed our time near the 100 foot high water fall. I was the first to reach the bottom of the water fall and also the first to slip and get some cold water on my jeans. As soon as we arrived back to our camping site I changed my jeans and joined the team for cooking and collecting wood to make a fire. I loved the rice with hot sauce. After dinner, we had a game which was a mixture of dance and songs.

On the morning of  January 29, we went to the observation trail in the Garden of the Gods. There were giant and marvelous rocks which had been shaped into different images like hogbacks and camel. According to the printed information I read on one of the rocks, these images are the result of sedimentation.There used to be a sea in this area some 320 Million years ago. This also depicts the role of nature in shaping our history and geography. After an hour of rock climbing and photography we were on our way back, after a memorable 2 days trip.
Last but not least, I am lucky to have a visit to the “Camel Rock” and take a picture with it because in 2016 this rock is going to be featured on US coins, part of US Mint’s “ America the beautiful” quarters program. 

Things I learned!

I learned a high sense of responsibility. Back at home I used to go on tours and trips with friends and ,unfortunately, in open places like a camping site or playground we would not bother to pick up the trash, papers etc. left behind by us. But here I saw that our team had a trash box or drum with them and we used to put any useless thing into it, from fruit peelings to used plastic plates. On the last day when we were about to pull down our tents and pack back we stood in a line in such a way that the whole camping site was covered horizontally. Then we started walking till the end picking every small bit of anything left by us, if any. Eventually, we left the camping site as clean as we had received it.

The second thing I learned was conservation of nature. In our whole hiking trip, in which we covered about 60 miles on the average, I observed that the trees are not smote down anywhere. There are instructions printed not to carry any grass seed outside the forest or bring new ones. There were specific routes to be followed while hiking so that not every part is trodden down by the people.

Thirdly, here in the USA, I found out that the laws for preservation of nature, archeological artifacts and historical avenues are well defined and implemented. It is because preservation of such things would ultimately lead to more tourists, greater revenue and higher standards.

I feel more responsible about nature around the globe after this trip.