Flickr image by Faisal Saeed, View of Indus from Karakoram Highway
Not too long ago, I interviewed Roland Stevenson of RiverIndia, a company that leads kayaking expeditions in India and throughout the subcontinent. This past November, Roland led a team on an expedition down the Indus River in Pakistan, the longest river in the country and the 21st largest river in the world in terms of annual flow, [click here to read the interview]. While on the trip, considered one of the most successful descents of Indus River’s Rondu Gorge, the team filmed a documentary entitled, Hotel Charley IV: At Your Own Risk. The trailer of the film, shown below, not only highlights the breathtaking natural beauty of our country, but also the people-to-people understanding that was fostered during this expedition.
While on the trip, the team visited a school in a village called Harmosh, where they taught the students a class in English, [the school is now being targeted for closure by the Taliban]. At one point towards the end of the clip, a member of the team told the young students, “Thank you very much for letting us come to your valley and let us experience your river and your home and your culture. Thank you.” The trailer ends with the powerful message, “The children of Pakistan represent the future. Think about it.”
On a day like Earth Day, meant to inspire us all to appreciate the world and people around us, it is important for Pakistanis to be proud of not just our natural beauty but also the tenacity of our people in the face of daily violence, rising extremism, and political turmoil. Happy Earth Day everyone.
Great video, Kalsoom. Our country really is one of the most beautiful!
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Good choice on a feature for Earth Day!
Thanks guys, I believe the full film is currently on tour, but I’ll have to ask Roland about that.
Happy Earth Day ,Nice Post.
This is absolutely amazing. Let us know where we can see the full movie. Had no idea these expeditions were so dangerous!
nicely done, this goes onto my facebook.
cheers
Nice post!! Like a friend said: “Happy earth day, hug a tree.”
So Kalsoom, did you and your readers know that there’s a Pakistan Green Party. I found out because I’m a part of the DC Green Muslims (or atleast was) and the Green Party speaker is coming to DC. You should go check it out.
I went to their website (Pakistangreens.org), not too professional if you ask me but still a start. I’m toying with the idea of starting a green-based organization in Karachi…anyone in? =)
Well, I DO like the sunflower symbol on their website…
I think it’s good to raise awareness about the environment, but unfortunately, just like animal rights (my big “hug a tree” issue), people are more concerned with their own safety, the fact that they don’t have power for most of the day, and the fact that food prices have risen, to really care about green issues.
🙂
i’d second u on tht one Kalsoom. One cant even walk these days without keeping a check on the surroundings…
sigh!
This is amazing! Well done, Roland!!!
@ Poor victim, dear EARTH DAY !
the eternal Indus river’s view from man made
miracle of Karakurum highway, both are,
Pakistan’s pride and heritage, lovely photo,
thanks Faisal Saeed !!
@ Yawar dear,
The European Greens are all basically the ” thrown-outs ”
of Marxist/socialist parties, but they fundamentally
are Islamophobes, what about Pak-greens ? are they
different or have the same symtomes ?