Beautiful landscape in Hunza
Spontaneity
It was a typical snowy day in Ithaca. I was procrastinating in a breakout room when my friend Bilal dropped a message into our broader Cornell Johnson Facebook group about a “Trek1” to Pakistan. A couple of texts and 6 hours later, my security deposit left my Venmo account. Part of me was ecstatic to finally be traveling to the Greater Middle East, and part of me questioned if I was being a little too impulsive. Excitement trumped apprehension, as I saw a tremendous opportunity to dive into a society I am pretty far removed from. Only one problem. Most people I spoke too did not carry the same sentiment.
The pushbacks I received from my friends and family were varying but persistent: “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” – “What is there to see in that country?” – “I guess we will start looking for a new roommate now…”
I would explain the interesting things we’d be doing, like meeting the Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff, and Ambassador to the U.S. (a Cornell alum). We would be meeting the Godfather of the private sector and the most prominent human rights activist, in a country that has historically struggled in both of these realms. But my reasoning always seemed to fall on deaf ears, and my friends and family continued to question why I chose to venture to such a volatile and faraway country. To be honest, I was traveling to a completely foreign country with little to nothing guiding my expectations. No friend sharing their itinerary, no “10 Must Visit…” travel sites and no time to seek this information out. For the first time in a long time, I was relinquishing the travel planning responsibilities, and completely at the will of two strangers, organizing this trip for 19 individuals.
Meeting Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
Trekking
This particular trek was open to anyone at Cornell, and our group included law and business graduate students, medical researchers, undergraduates and masters students from the CIPA school. Despite our diverse backgrounds, it only took 24 hours for the group to norm with each other. This was possible thanks to the efforts of our organizers Shane and Zohair, two 2nd year Fulbright scholars from the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA), and their efforts to foster an open-minded environment. Shane and Zohair pushed us to ask our speakers hard-hitting questions and insisted that nothing was too taboo to discuss. As a result, we consistently enjoyed robust discussions with each other and our speakers. This provided a more holistic perspective than a purely economic/business focused MBA Trek. Common points of discussion were as follows:
Overspending on military and underspending on social programs
Current political friction between Pakistan and the western world
The role religion plays in governing the country
Lack of faith in the political system – leading to political instability
Unclear economic direction and development
Shane and Zohair were genuinely excited for us to have a deeper understanding of their country, so they organized this robust itinerary which touched on key aspects of the Pakistani culture – human rights, government policies, the economy, education. Their enthusiasm in helping us to experience the culture and history of their country was shared by most Pakistanis we met.
I could easily write an entirely separate blog post on the incredible access we received on this trip, but for simplicity sake, I will list some of the highlights of our trip:
College of Arts and Lahore University of Management
We learned about what were the key focal points in their education system
Microfinance Discussion in Village (city outskirts):
This gave us insights into how small business grow and develop in Pakistan
Pakistan Indian Border – flag lowering ceremony
Highlights the complicated relationship between India and Pakistan and the strife their citizens are subjected to
Pakistan & Army Museum
Demonstrated how intertwined the military is with everyday life
Punjab IT board, PITB, and Plan9 (Start-up incubators)
Showed us how Pakistan is trying to develop alternative sectors and build sustainable companies and industries
Fireside Chat with Jibran Nasir
The leader and civil rights activist told us about how difficult and dangerous it is to support human rights in Pakistan
Boat ride through Attabad Lake
Going to Hunza and seeing the mountainous regions gave a tremendous perspective on how difficult a region Pakistan is to navigate
Faisal Mosque and countless other historical sites
Showcased the beauty and rich history of the country
Compare and Contrast
After several days, it dawned on me that Pakistan both had glaring similarities and dramatic differences to prior countries I’ve visited.
Similarities
Plenty of cultural and historical sites to visit
Delicious cuisine that utilizes ingredients and spices native to the region
Helpful and welcoming locals, looking to tell Pakistan’s story
Plenty of Gram-able sceneries
Differences
90% to 95% fewer tourists
No harassing shopkeepers pressuring you to buy souvenirs and trinkets
Less angst around pickpocketers/petty crimes
This might be due to overconfidence given I was with a larger group, relative to when I travel solo and have to be hypersensitive of my surroundings
In my experience, Muslim countries tend to have strong controls/punishments around these types of crimes
The curious stares of kids and locals, many seeing tourists for the first time
Obviously, there were subtle reminders of where I was… random security checkpoints, guards bomb sweeping cars and checking everyone’s trunks. While walking through street markets, shopkeepers had single barrel shotguns or old AK-47s with magazines scotched taped together. With tattered roads and blown out guard rails, the general infrastructure reflected the turbulent history of the country, which is common for developing countries.
Patience
Despite the turbulent history, Pakistanis were extremely excited to speak about how far the country has come and where the country was going. The people we encountered would explain their traditions and how those traditions have affected key decision-making processes past and present. Military leaders addressed the many coups that have occurred in the past, and they explained the role of the military in holding governmental powers accountable, as Pakistanis search for political stability. We probed government officials and private sector titans on the countries strategy to establish sustainable industries outside of textile. Where Pakistan’s society is today feels eerily similar to my first few visits to China in 1997 and to a lesser extent Colombia in 2013. There is no doubt that Pakistan still has a long road towards rebuilding, but patience from the global community will go a long way to aiding that.
At the outset, I shared a lot of the same hesitancies that most travelers feel around visiting countries like Pakistan, and that trepidation was intensified by the pushback I received from those around me. However, my impulsive decision to go was validated by this incredibly insightful experience. Culturally untouched (arguably abandoned) by the Western world, Pakistan remains the unique experience travelers long for. Without Shane and Zohair’s masterful planning and coordinating, we would not have been able to deep dive on a society that I previously knew nothing about. The effort and time they dedicated to this trek not only demonstrated their love for Pakistan but also showed their passion for curiosity and ability to care for strangers.
Thank you both for an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime.
Zohair and Shan!
1Treks are school/student-organized trips to other cities or countries. There is usually a mix of professional and social which allow the students to better understand the culture of that given region. These treks will often be for course credit.