A pioneer of International Tourism in Pakistan and owner of the famous Sehari Travels, Honourable Zahoor Durrani, reached out to me heartbroken. He was the one who, out of his own resources, ran the famous steam train to Khyber Pass, attracting loads of tourists to the country through chartered planes. He never demanded a reward for it, nor did the country ever think of recognizing his services. Yet he is heartbroken today for a different reason: he sees his beloved country’s history defaced and distorted.
It is laughable when someone cuts off his nose to spite his face, yet he expects his cosmetic gestures will win him appreciation and recognition. We aim to present a soft image internationally, but in reality, we are known for our brutal image and a face blackened by our own foolishness. A classic example is the cheap so-called beautification of the centuries-old Peshawar city. The old structure is whitewashed and cheaply repainted to give it a new look. No wonder all those who rule Pakistan today seem to believe its history began on 14th August 1947, as if before that, there was neither a city called Peshawar nor any sensible civilization that inhabited it.
What could be more shameful than the wrong spelling of an international city of Kabul , instead of being named Kabuli Gate, is replaced with the ludicrous spelling of Kabli Gate , distorting the ambiance of the famous Storytellers’ Bazaar (Qissa Khawani Bazaar). This marketplace’s history as a commercial hub of Central Asian trade, where caravans would stop over and traders would exchange information about their travels, is now lost.
May I humbly beg the horse-loving Chief Minister, Honourable Amin Khan Gandapur, to have some heart. The way he is sensitive to his own family’s history and traditions, he should show the same empathy and sensitivity to the history of Peshawar, a city of flowers and many heroes both living and dead , including the Victor of epic battle of Maiwand Sardar Muhammad Ayub Khan that every Pukhtun prides , incidentally my immediate ancestor, who lies forgotten, buried next to his Momand mother in the Durrani Graveyard, just as the history of Peshawar is now forgotten and whitewashed.
