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Gojal: Where Pakistan begins
Gojal: Where Pakistan begins - Blogs - DAWN.COM
SYED MEHDI BUKHARI
It’s the second week of November. There is a tremendous silence around me; snowflakes fall gently from the sky. The day is so white — there’s no color in sight save for my red jeep and gray jacket, all other colors have become invisible under the thick snow.
There is neither a military check post, nor any signs of civilian settlement here. This is the Pak-China border, and I am standing at the Khunjerab Pass, with my face towards Pakistan’s brother, China.
The writer at Khunjerab Pass, Pakistan.
The Pakistani segment of the Karakoram Highway, which is also dubbed as the eight wonder of the world, ends here. From here, this highway goes through the bluish waters of the Karakul Lake, settlements of nomads, and through the areas harbouring wild mountainous camels with two humps, and finally ends at Kashgar.
From here, a road leads to Yarkand, and another leads to the Taklamakan Desert, which is the world’s second largest desert, with shifting sand dunes.
The border is protected with barbed wires. As I stand, a flock of sheep appears in sight, moving aimlessly, and then entering the Chinese territory for grazing. The sheep stop by the grass, covered with tiny snowballs, sniff it, and move ahead instantly as if expressing dislike. There is no herdsman with the flock, which is usual in the northern areas. The birds and animals have no borders, but I have to return from this point.
My next destination is Attabad Lake in Hunza.
Among the blackish and forsaken mountains of Karakoram, there is this lake, which came into being purely by chance, it is one of Pakistan’s biggest fresh water reservoirs. This 22-kilometer long and 220-feet deep lake is filled with the blue waters of River Hunza, when a landslide in 2010 blocked its flow, creating a landslide dam. Strong winds in this narrow mountain pass create ripples in the blue-green water of the lake.
With the creation of this lake, more than 18 kilometers of the Karakoram Highway has been submerged, lost somewhere in the depths, suspending transportation by road. Now, the only option is to cross the lake, reach the Hussaini Village, and get on the Karakoram Highway again.
The lake is terrifying. Not only did it drown several villages and people, but it has also affected trade with China. Now, the lake has its own ‘traffic’, boats, big and small, which transport humans, vehicles, and goods from here to there. The sailors are happy with the money oozing out of their pockets. The disaster has proven to be a tragedy for some, and a blessing for others.
Hunza River, Gojal.
Attabad Lake Crossing.
As the boat is fully loaded, the sailor lifts the anchor. You couldn’t hear the person next to you in the terrible noise of engine, so everyone is involved in himself. The journey is 45 minutes long. As the boat makes a sharp turn, I see Passu Cones, a series of mountains pointed as nails.
Strong winds rock the boat, my heart easily skips a couple of beats. The sailor observing my face, smiles. I look past him at the Passu Cones, just to not feel the fear, I tell myself. The boat finally reaches the bank, and everyone gets off. The sailors are mostly Pakhtuns, who have come here to earn a living. I had a brief exchange with the sailor. He happened to have sailed in the Kabul River once, now the Attabad Lake is his second home.
I have reached the Hussaini Village. In the bright sunlight, the Passu Cones are bathed in gold.
Gulmit Village and Passu Cones.
Gulmit Village.
Passu.
This entire area is called Upper Hunza or Gojal. The Gojal Valley borders China and Afghanistan, with its border meeting the Chinese border at Khunjerab — 15,397 feet above sea level — and remains covered with snow all year long.
In the north west, there is Chiporsun, whose border touches the Wakhan region of Afghanistan. Wakhan is about six square miles in area, after which starts Tajikistan. The Karakoram Highway which connects Pakistan to China also passes through Gojal Valley and enters China at Khunjerab.
Karakoram Highway in Gojal.
Gojal: Where Pakistan begins - Blogs - DAWN.COM
SYED MEHDI BUKHARI
It’s the second week of November. There is a tremendous silence around me; snowflakes fall gently from the sky. The day is so white — there’s no color in sight save for my red jeep and gray jacket, all other colors have become invisible under the thick snow.
There is neither a military check post, nor any signs of civilian settlement here. This is the Pak-China border, and I am standing at the Khunjerab Pass, with my face towards Pakistan’s brother, China.
The writer at Khunjerab Pass, Pakistan.
The Pakistani segment of the Karakoram Highway, which is also dubbed as the eight wonder of the world, ends here. From here, this highway goes through the bluish waters of the Karakul Lake, settlements of nomads, and through the areas harbouring wild mountainous camels with two humps, and finally ends at Kashgar.
From here, a road leads to Yarkand, and another leads to the Taklamakan Desert, which is the world’s second largest desert, with shifting sand dunes.
The border is protected with barbed wires. As I stand, a flock of sheep appears in sight, moving aimlessly, and then entering the Chinese territory for grazing. The sheep stop by the grass, covered with tiny snowballs, sniff it, and move ahead instantly as if expressing dislike. There is no herdsman with the flock, which is usual in the northern areas. The birds and animals have no borders, but I have to return from this point.
My next destination is Attabad Lake in Hunza.
Among the blackish and forsaken mountains of Karakoram, there is this lake, which came into being purely by chance, it is one of Pakistan’s biggest fresh water reservoirs. This 22-kilometer long and 220-feet deep lake is filled with the blue waters of River Hunza, when a landslide in 2010 blocked its flow, creating a landslide dam. Strong winds in this narrow mountain pass create ripples in the blue-green water of the lake.
With the creation of this lake, more than 18 kilometers of the Karakoram Highway has been submerged, lost somewhere in the depths, suspending transportation by road. Now, the only option is to cross the lake, reach the Hussaini Village, and get on the Karakoram Highway again.
The lake is terrifying. Not only did it drown several villages and people, but it has also affected trade with China. Now, the lake has its own ‘traffic’, boats, big and small, which transport humans, vehicles, and goods from here to there. The sailors are happy with the money oozing out of their pockets. The disaster has proven to be a tragedy for some, and a blessing for others.
Hunza River, Gojal.
Attabad Lake Crossing.
As the boat is fully loaded, the sailor lifts the anchor. You couldn’t hear the person next to you in the terrible noise of engine, so everyone is involved in himself. The journey is 45 minutes long. As the boat makes a sharp turn, I see Passu Cones, a series of mountains pointed as nails.
Strong winds rock the boat, my heart easily skips a couple of beats. The sailor observing my face, smiles. I look past him at the Passu Cones, just to not feel the fear, I tell myself. The boat finally reaches the bank, and everyone gets off. The sailors are mostly Pakhtuns, who have come here to earn a living. I had a brief exchange with the sailor. He happened to have sailed in the Kabul River once, now the Attabad Lake is his second home.
I have reached the Hussaini Village. In the bright sunlight, the Passu Cones are bathed in gold.
Gulmit Village and Passu Cones.
Gulmit Village.
Passu.
This entire area is called Upper Hunza or Gojal. The Gojal Valley borders China and Afghanistan, with its border meeting the Chinese border at Khunjerab — 15,397 feet above sea level — and remains covered with snow all year long.
In the north west, there is Chiporsun, whose border touches the Wakhan region of Afghanistan. Wakhan is about six square miles in area, after which starts Tajikistan. The Karakoram Highway which connects Pakistan to China also passes through Gojal Valley and enters China at Khunjerab.
Karakoram Highway in Gojal.