A year doesn’t last long these days. Already 365 days have passed since the quake in Kashmir last year. We are on our way back to do a series of packages from the region shoing how things have changed or not. As always one of our first tasks is to negotiate our excess baggage down. As we travel with about 120kg on average this is an onerous task but one we do - sometimes with glee at getting a discount and sometimes just because.
Once we get to Islamabad our first trip is with the army in a MI-17 helicopter being flown around a large part of the region to see schools, hospitals and the like.
This is the workhorse that has been flying around the region non stop basically 12 hours a day for the last year. Inside sat next to the Japanese ambassador Alex catches up on his reading. Which isn’t half as interesting as the guy on the right. Everytime we took off his was straight back into his Jeffery Archer novel.
Our first stop was near the border with India where we visited a girls school being built. The capacity almost tripled. One of women from an NGO concerned with the rebuilding had the audacity to say that the girls who died would be pleased as now those would have better facilities etc… undoubtedly true, but it was put in such a coldhearted manner.
Traveling around by chopper really does make you aware of what a huge task it is to rebuild and also how hardy and fit the people are who live here. Only once have I seen anyone breaking into a sweat walking up and down and up and down the hills.
One stop was to a MSF hospital near to the camp where we stayed with the Britsh forces in January. The hospital was build ‘porta-cabin’ style and had most of the facilities you could ask for. Building the infrasturcture to exceed pre-quake times does seem to be happening. the hospital was full with local queing outside for treatment. This is especially true for women who will only see female doctors - and now there are. We got so engrossed filming that we missed the convoy back to the chopper. Thankfully they did notice we weren’t there and sent a car back for us.
Back in the air again we are fairly free to walk around the cabin as we want. The pilots don’t seem to mind who takes pictures - but then again its not a regular flight.
Flying inbetween the hills you realise how remote the area is and how it has been scarred - dotted with shiny new corregated iron sheeting. We flew over a new lake that was about a mile long. Half a mountainside, and I do mean half, had come down and blocked a river. For some reason they - the experts - were concerend it may burst - I mean there must have been millions of tonnes of rock blocking its path.
Of course our trip would not be complete with out seeing some bureaucrats. Here we are in a meeting with the Prime Minister of AJ&K (Azad Jammu & Kashmir). After the next briefing we went to the Turkish Ambassador asked me if I enjoyed my sleep. Well if there is nothing to photograph why not. Being Ramadan and not having lunch one does need a power nap every now and again.
Back in the chopper the Major taking us around regularily held up signs saying where we were going. This one tells us the route back - Batagram then to the Alai valley. He held up one earlier in the day stating no tents above 7,000 feet. Hmmm.
Whats that between the two houses? Oh - must be below 7,000ft then.
Lastly before we head back to Islamabad for Iftar - breaking the fast - we fly over the Alai Valley. I haven’t met many people who have been this far - it is very remote and hard to get to but it is also very very conservative and you do need to be careful filming anyone as they get very angry. Absolutely stunning though.
Back into Islamabad we fly over Constitution Avenue with the Presidents Palace at the end where everything continues as normal. Not even thirty minutes flying time.
