A Visit To Kashmir

Copy Editor: Mashal Shahid

I’m very fond of traveling but unfortunately my family is always too busy to arrange such trips. A few days ago, I saw a FaceBook ad for a trip to Tolipeer and Negora waterfall, Azad Kashmir. The date for booking the trip had already passed but as I contacted them anyway and luckily, I got almost the last available seat. The trip was just a few hours away from my home. The trip charges were very reasonable which actually spurred me to take the risk. I was very excited to imagine that in next 24 hours I will have finally witnessed the beauty of Kashmir.

Here is what I experienced. There were two Afghan brothers in our entourage. When the first check post came in our way to Kashmir, a security personnel named Noor came inside the coach and asked us to show our National Identity cards. He demanded that if there is any foreigner among us, he should get off the coach as no foreigner is allowed to go further. The trip organizers were a bit worried regarding the Afghan brothers but they assured Noor that there was no foreigner in the coach. The security personal replied ‘OK’ but warned that if any foreigner was found, they will be detained the way back. Well, with this threat looming over our heads, we resumed our journey. After a long tiring drive, we finally reached Kashmir. I dozed off periodically, throwing glances out of the window in the hope of catching mesmerizing scenery but it was no different than the route to Murree. Yet my fingers were crossed for catching the most beautiful views of my life once we reached Kashmir.

But when we reached our destination, my heart broke into million pieces seeing garbage littered all around. I recalled the recent Facebook and TV show, The Rickshaw Diary, in which the host and the travel guide Wajahat Malik was too much aggressive about the cleaning drive in northern areas that at one point, he suggested charging RS: 500 from every person who goes to northern areas to make people responsible for keeping the environment clean. At that time, I had thought it is insane to burdenize the poor citizens who have recently got attracted to discover Pakistan, as this session the traveling trend seemed to increase among the public. But when I saw it by my own eyes, I was not less aggressive than Wajahat Malik. I was thinking I came here after taking risk to join a Facebook Advertised trip, and despite having traveling sickness, I traveled for 5 to 6 hours to reach this littered place?…These Kashmir hills at 8800 feet above sea level? I was so annoyed. And I was thinking what I would share with my social media friends? This garbage? Or I must take the photos with conscious efforts of hiding the garbage? It was a very painful experience. My dream to visit the Kashmir came true but my heart was broken too and this was not what I had always imagined about Kashmir. It’s worth mentioning that the trip organizers canceled the other mentioned spot due to lack of time. I think Negora waterfall was added in this trip just for attraction, because it was not possible to cover two points in one day.  

Here are few suggestions for government to remedy this contagious issue:

Installations of cameras is need of time

More dustbins and manpower should be allocated

Student trips to motivate social reform

And yes as Wajahat Malik suggested fine can work but I would say RS: 500 per person would be too much for families but as little as RS: 10 per person is good. This is our own land; it is us who’ve to protect it.

Long Live Pakistan and Kashmir!