The moment you enter Pakistan through the Wagah border off Amritsar, it is a different story. The immigration staff at the Customs counters, the Pakistan Rangers, small-time officials and security personnel, the Pakistani hospitality and courtesy, all are at their best. No wonder, from Lahore to Karachi to Islamabad, the common sentiment you come across is that, both neighbours need to come together to exploit their huge potential and bring economic prosperity to the people.
Our drive to Lahore, the Capital of Punjab Province, springs in us a sense of nostalgia as if one is traversing through some old city of India. The security arrangements though convey a sense of “insecurity” in that country which has been struggling with internal security problems and political turmoil for years now. However, all that disappears as soon as one steps into the bustling markets and streets of Lahore. Suddenly, the insecurity gives way to a feeling of brimming warmth. People are out and out hospitable, going out of their way to ensure that the “Indian guests” are at home.
We soon squeeze into our busy travel schedule a visit toMinar-e-Pakistan, the great poet Allama Iqbal's tomb at Lahore Fort, Moti Masjid, the memorial of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the infamous Heera Mandi plus a few lanes and by-lanes of Lahore. The streets are no different from any Indian city — laden with weather beaten motorcycles, bullock carts, tongas, three-wheelers, and rickshaws.
We also pay a visit to the famous food street at Gawalmandi in the old city of Lahore, the centre of traditional Pakistani food. The traditional Kashmiri-Persian architecture is used extensively in structures that dot the area. The food street in the evening is closed for traffic and one has to take a horse-pulled carriage to reach it. A major tourist attraction of the area is the Cuckoo's Den at Shahi Mohalla which remains open all round the year 24/7. The food here is traditional and delicious, making it a true Lahori experience.
What one notices is, for the man on the street, any guest from India is just like “god”. There are discounts galore in shops when you say you are an Indian, there are friendly arguments over payment of food bills, gestures like offering of snacks and tea at almost all the places and a desire that peace should prevail between the two countries to allow free movement of people, if not the politicians.
The shopping in Lahore is also a delightful experience. The famous Anarkali Bazaar , which is one of the oldest surviving markets of Asia, is a must-visit. The Liberty Market located at Gulberg, a commercial hub of Lahore, is known for its rolls of lawn fabric, pathani suits, shawls and scarves with intricate designs, slippers, juttis, pumps and heels, traditional and modern gold and silver jewellery, lace, buttons and borders. The famous brands like Gul Ahmed, Nishat and Shireen Khan's boutiques sell the world famous Pakistani lawn fabric here.
Karachi like Mumbai
Moving on to Karachi, it is not too difficult to decide that the city just resembles Mumbai in its set up, streets, shopping complexes, the sea port, the breach hub. However, Karachi has a lot to offer when it comes to traditional carpets, designers suits, leather products — both for men and women — plus modern cafes, fast food joints and of course, the traditional cuisine.
Lately, Karachi has added a new marvel in the form of an upmarket food and entertainment complex called Port Grand Karachi, developed along the seaside. Port Grand, built at a cost of Rs. one billion (Pakistani), attracts visitors not only for food and entertainment but for a whole lot of things like free Wi-Fi, port bazaar, bookstore, florist shops, art lane, gift and antiques and outlets of international brands. Beach Avenue, a huge strip along the sea, is home to several restaurants.
Karachi is famous for its leather products, especially Pathani jutti, chappals and leather bags for women, traditional Pathani wear for women, designer lawn fabric and cloth trade which is mostly controlled by Pathans. One of the famous shopping destinations here is Zamzama, a place where the rich, famous and affluent like to hangout. If you want Pakistani, Afghani, Persian, Central Asian and Tibetan carpets or tribal rugs, this is the place to look for them.
Our short stay in Pakistani soon gets over. It is time to go back home, so people bid us farewell in the hope that non-tariff barriers come down soon to bring people of the two nations closer. Our driver Muhammad Husain pertinently sums up the popular sentiment, “People should be allowed to move freely to re-discover their roots as well as the strength of the two nations who have the potential to become Asian giants if they join hands.”
(The reporter was in Lahore and Karachi to cover Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma's official visit to Pakistan recently.)
