Facts about Pakistan

Overstay: Day 6

Location: Lahore

Weather: Fine

Understanding Pakistan would never be complete without mentioning about the land and its people.

‘Excuse me, which section should I go to apply for visa extension?’

‘Sorry, Sir, this is passport office. You can only apply for passport or extension, not visa.’

‘Huh?’(I think this guy didn’t even know what is the different between passport and visa)

…the next second I found myself in the 1^st floor waiting in front of a door with a plate written Visa Section.

X             X             X

‘Hello, which bus shall I take to go to Regal Chowk?’

‘No bus. Only special hired.’

‘Are you telling me there is no bus from the main train station to the downtown? ’

’This is Pakistan, my dear.’

…the next second I found myself on a big shuttle bus to Regal Chowk.

Welcome to Pakistan – the land where everybody simply says what they want. And you know what? They would still tell you in a plausible way without feeling guilty. Oh, my dear!

The following are the standard interrogation you would have to confront no matter when you are working on the street, taking a rickshaw(they will drive along with the rickshaw you are taking and ask until they are satisfied!), eating, shopping, peeing, etc in which if you never encounter this, you never been to Pakistan.

‘Which country?’ (Malaysia)

‘How are you?’(Don’t you see I’m so fine?)

‘What’s your name?’(My name is Tan. I’m not a terrorist)

‘Are you married?’(No.) ‘Why?’(No why)

‘How many brothers and sisters?’(2 brothers and 1 sister)

‘What’s your job?’(Tourist!)

‘What are you doing here?’(…fulfilling your curiosity)

’What’s your father’s name?’(Huh? What? Say again?)

Pakistanis are friendly though, perhaps too friendly sometimes.

And if you want to learn about how dirty the country is, you don’t have to go far. Simply stop by anywhere where Pakistanis congregate. If you want to have a closer taste of the unprecedented environment, head to the periphery of bus stations. You can also take a train to pay tribute to the numerous rubbish humps dotted along the rails. You don’t have to pay for visiting all those places but photography is strictly prohibited as people pee and shit everywhere. If you want to know why Pakistani men squat when they pee, get a Shalwar Kameez and you will know why.

Rail line in Taxila

Homeless people simply camp near the rail line

People sit next to you on a minibus spit in front of you; while walking on the street, you have to stay alerted to avoid people’s spitting; power failure is a daily show; drug addicts are ubiquitous at street corners; brothel, prostitution, adult cinema and beer are not uncommon in this Islamic country; armory and gun shop are just along the street.

And last but not least, Pakistan’s next potential UNESCO World Heritage SiGHT – the extraordinarily bizarrely flowery decorated trucks and buses.

Pakistan's next UNESCO World Heritage SiGHT