As I revisit the past reflecting the heroic deeds of both humans and animals, my thoughts honed on the recent rescue mission undertaken by my friend Muhammad Imran at the Lowerai Top, whose effort was supported by a dog that I observed .
Here comes another real life story of a similar dog named Togo. This sled dog helped save an entire Alaskan town in 1925. Alaska was afflicted with deadly sickness called diphtheria. It population of a 10,000 people were at risk of death . They urgently needed medicine, called antitoxin, to save them. The mission was to deliver the cure through the Coldest and most dangerous paths about a distance of 1120 miles (1800 kilometers) within five days. However, the dog that did the most difficult part of the work was Togo who crossed the longest distance of 260 miles (418 kilometers) carrying the medicine loaded on the sleigh that he pulled all along. .
I hope Honourable Fazal Hakim Khan the incumbent Minister KP of Climate Change incidentally from my hometown of Swat understands what challenges lie ahead in not only saving the forests but the human lives that are now threatened. Though, he has to learn alot including the courtesy to return calls to the ones who reach out to him despite politicians being notorious for having poor memories and he can’t be an exception being elevated to this sensitive appointment as guardian of the billion trees tsunami of the much trumpeted PTI initiative in the past .
I hope by the time Honourable Prince Siraj Ul Mulk returns to Chitral from his African safari, he would be holding a modest but impressive ceremony at the Hindu Kush Heights to honour this hero dog from Chitral whom I spotted to be the very last to leave the site of rescue in the heavy snow to ensure no human is left behind. Such missions are inspirational for our rescue volunteers and nation who are threatened by the hazards of climate change. May Pakistan live long and may Its politicians learn the value of human lives that continue to suffer because of their reckless policies and extravagant lifestyles. I wish our leaders are as brave and wise like China in our neighbourhood, who started their journey as a nation on bicycles and today produces a commercial airline indigenously.
