Pakistan is quite a safer place to visit

THAHA M. MUZAMMIL

On receiving an invitation from the South Asian Free Media Association to attend a workshop during April 22 to 25 in Lahore, Pakistan, I thought a while whether it would be safe enough to travel to that country. Some friends and family members too cautioned me travelling to Pakistan given the present security condition.

Anyway, I undertook the journey. Left for Pakistan three days ahead of the workshop and arrived in Karachchi on April 19. My good journalist friend, President of SAFMA, Sindh Province, Aamer Mahmood, took care of my stay in Karachchi.

We travelled length and breadth of Karachchi, the largest and commercial city of Pakistan, day and night, without any fear. Beaches, shopping malls, markets are filled with people.

Even the restaurant we went late in the night was full of people. I just asked the server how many people are there in the restaurant, he said over one thousand at the moment. I didn’t see a semblance of uneasiness. No security check points on roads, no military personnel around. The situation looked quite normal everywhere.

Why then all these propaganda of security threats in Pakistan? I asked my friend Aamer. He said, unfortunately the US’s vicious eye has fallen on Pakistan. Certain powers are unreasonably trying to fork their finger in the internal affairs of the country.

They try to portray Pakistan as a terrorist producing country; we are actually a victim of terrorism which the world knows best.

These Taliban have become a headache. Who created and fostered the Taliban and placed them on the borders of Pakistan? From where are these Taliban getting those sophisticated weapons which you saw on television? Pakistanis know well about these things, but, unfortunately all the major news agencies of the world are under the influence of big players of international affairs.

They know how to project a country to the rest of the world according to taste of their masters. One thing should be clear to everyone that Pakistan is quite capable of safeguarding itself from any threats, internal or external. And all the evil scheming of enemies are bound to fail, Aamer said.

Since my connecting flight to Lahore was early next day we returned home around 1 a.m. for a few hours rest and then to proceed to the airport at 3 a.m.

When I arrived at the Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore the alert of my Sri Lankan friends cropped up in mind. I had arrived at the purported hot spot of the region. I looked around. No much security hassle, only a routine security and Customs check which are quite normal as at any international airport.

Lahore is the second largest and historical city in Pakistan after Karachchi bordering the Indian city of Amritsar. Lahore is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its Mughal heritage.

Lahore also is often called the cultural heart of Pakistan, as it is the centre of Pakistani arts, films and intelligentsia. It is located near the Ravi River, close to the Pakistan-India border. Mughal structures such as the Badshahi Mosque, the Data Durbar Complex, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the Mausolea of Jehangir and Nur Jehan are popular tourist spots in the city.

Lahore is also home to many British colonial structures built in the Indo-Gothic style, such as the Lahore High Court, the General Post Office (GPO), and many older universities. Since I was in Lahore two days ahead of the program I was able to roam the city all alone.

The Anarkali market and the Liberty market are filled with people. I could talk to many of them with regard to lots of issues.

When I asked of some recent blasts in Lahore they say these types of incidents are taking place everywhere in the world; in India, in US, in Europe even in Sri Lanka. It doesn’t mean the country is filled with terrorism.

You are here now; see for yourself how safe it is in Lahore, they said. All of them felt sorry about what happened to our cricketers. No Pakistani with his sound mind would have done this, they say. They firmly believe some external hands are behind this incident to discredit Pakistan and to tarnish its image.

Pakistanis are very friendly. When you say you are a Sri Lankan they take extra care of you. They love Sri Lanka a lot.

So let us not be gullible to what the Western media is propagating about a Third World country. Pakistan is quite a safe place to visit.