Pakistan: Some rather badly arranged marriages*

Questions you get from foreigners about your country very much depends on your country’s foreign policy or the media portrayal of it. Thus, as my American colleague and myself were waiting for our luggage at the airport in Lahore, we kept staring at hundreds of bottled liquid that came out instead of our luggage. As a Muslim, to me it was a totally ordinary sight that pilgrims brought home zamzam water from Holy Lands but my American friend asked the crucial question: “is this gasoline?”.  Notice that this conversation took place about a month ago, before Bin Laden was raided in Pakistan. Even though we both knew that no airline in the world would admit hundreds of bottles of gasoline on board, the anecdote is still telling of the image of the country.

Entry ceramics at the Lahore Fort, Pakistan.

The entry gate to Lahore Forte.

Close view of the entry to Lahore Forte.

Inside the Lahore Forte.

This is not to say that there are no security problems in the country. For instance, we were told that our names were not going to be written on the signboards of the hotel, we were to go to the sign of the hotel. There were road blocks on many places until we got to the hotel at which time the security at the hotel checked whether we had explosives with a device that cost USD 50000. Indeed, our host did not leave us alone any moment. We have been told that the Pakistani security establishment is a bit murky and it is not hard to agree given the latest events involving Bin Laden. There are excellent analysis od the situation, one here;  and another here. 

Ceilings of the Lahore Forte.

A view from the Lahore Forte to mystical shrines nearby.

Nevertheless, people passed by us in their colorful clothes, old taxis in various paintings and the traffic flew just like in any other big city. I did not feel any threat or similar. I even started to play with my phone and realized that there was free WIFI connection on the street, while our host pointed out to the headquarters of the Kashmiri terrorist group, bringing me back to reality.

And a little Pakistani angel visiting the Lahore Forte.

Lahore is said to be more stable and prosperous than other cities in Pakistan. It attracts migrants who are said to work in brick factories polluting the outskirts of the city where bonded as well as child labor is supposed to be common. Located in the state of Punjab which was cut in half by the partition in 1947, I found the city green and colorful. Punjab is home to 90 million people in the country. A Punjabi daily speaks Urdu, Pashtu, Punjabi and English and unlike my country, language is not even an issue. Punjab means Persian for five waters meaning the five rivers passing through it. (Backgammon players from Turkey will recognize the word “penj” for five and “ab” as water in the old language). Here is a list of more common words we have: ziyafat; müşkül; şahin; hidayet; meşkale; ikbal; ticaret; rıza; ikrar.

An afternoon at the Lahore Forte.

Royal Mosque in Lahore.

And yes, they wanted a picture of me too in Lahore.

There are so many languages spoken in Pakistan, one wonders how you keep a country like this together? 160 million of them. As you wonder around the vibrant city, it is obvious that unlike the way put in the media, Pakistan is not a failed state. Obviously, it has huge problems but it also has a deep culture and history. Most of it all, it has an incredible human capital that has studied in the best schools of the world. All day, I was surrounded with amazingly good English speakers who were very well educated.

Outside the Lahore Forte.

No wonder that Pakistan is a large market for motorcycles.

At dinner, I was talking to someone who has worked at the World Bank for a long time and recently met our Head of State when he visited Pakistan. We discussed my favorite writer Orhan Pamuk, his books Snow, Istanbul and Museum of Innocence. No doubt owing to Pamuk’s talent, literature connected us as we shared a dilemma so well described by Pamuk: western educated elites living in eastern societies sometimes as a foreigner in their own country. How we wake up one day and realize that our countries will never be like what we dream of and sadly adopt our lives to this reality until we mature to view that it is not all that bad to be like western societies. We also discuss how long gone the days when after the US, Europe was such fresh air. 

Filipino jeepney's Pakistani version in Lahore.

A wall in Lahore.

Many ailments of Pakistan such as the military involvement in politics sounds terribly familiar as I read through the local newspaper that refers to Joel Migdal’s “Weak state strong society” thesis. Trying to understand the country, I flip through the many articles in recent issues of the Economist. If you want to read books that came out on Pakistan recently, here are some recommendations I read in the local newspaper. One of the writers, MJ Akbar, apparently makes an interesting argument that the Pakistani is stronger than the idea of Pakistan while the idea of India is stronger than the Indian. All this interest me even more. And the Economist recommends this book.

Crazy about the electric grids in Lahore.

As for sightseeing, we make first to the Lahore fort. It is huge, run down but also beautiful. It is also full of people some of which are very interested in having pictures with me while kids shake my hands. As a pale white person, I totally attract attentionJ. The view of mosques from the fort’s platform is quiet mystical with the Taj Mahal like architecture. It is also possible to view Minar-i Pakistan which was erected to commemorate the signing of Pakistan resolution which paved the way for the founding of Pakistan.

Jinnah watching the Wagah border.

Ta ta, here is the border Wagah, notice the crowd on the Indian side.

As we walk out of the fort, on our left is the royal mosque and on the right the brothel of Lahore (Heera Mandi). Our hosts joke that it was a perfect situation for the Moghul emperor. In between, there is the shrine of Allama Iqbal, the national poet of Pakistan. He lived in Lahore before Pakistan came into existence and the airport in Lahore is named after him. We ran into celebrations of his 80^th death anniversary. On our way back to the hotel, we pass from roads where men with henna on their beard or hair take an afternoon sleep, play cards or just sit idly. We see colonial brick buildings, pass by a place called Charing Cross as well as Qaddafi StadiumJ. Our host tells us funny jokes about India and Pakistan. Two dogs meet at the Pakistani-India while they are crossing the border. The one from India is very thin. So when the Pakistani dog asks him why he is coming to Pakistan, he answers: there is no meat in India, I am starving. Why do you want to go to India? The Pakistani dog says: I can eat meat but cannot bark in PakistanJ.

Border ceremony at Wagah.

Next day, we insist on going to Wagah (30 km from Lahore) to see the border ceremony. This is the only legal crossing between India and Pakistan which according to the Economist is the world’s most dangerous border. Loud music, plastic flags given to our hands, crowds from every age, cheerleader like men to lead the crowds, an amazing ritual of flags taken down, Indian and Pakistani soldiers dressed up same but in different color walking in a kick like walk towards each other while we shout with our Pakistan flags. While we totally embarrass our hosts, we are amazed that this ritual is repeated EVERY DAY! It is a sight not to be missed and makes me think that I will never ever complain about nationalism in my country.

Border ceremony at Wagah.

On our return to the city, we eat at Cooco’s Den in Heera Mandi. Not only it is an interesting building, it has an amazing view of the Badshahi mosque at night and the food is AMAZING! For more see: . Notice that alcohol is not served in restaurants in Pakistan but in hotels, it is available. So, we enjoyed Pakistani whisky and beer (brewed in Rawalpindi).

The gate is now open at Wagah.

The flags are coming down at Wagah.

As I head to the airport at 2 am in the morning, I see people using the road, fields and all flat empty spaces to play cricket. I then remember that Imran Khan is the national hero of this cricket crazed country. Colorful, troubled and full of paradoxes, one trip appears totally not enough to unravel its secrets. There is a chance that I might give consultancy to colleagues in Pakistan which means I might come back sooner than I think. Despite the short visit, I totally admired people’s sense of humor despite all the troubles in the country: Are all marriages arranged in Pakistan?. “Yes, some rather badly”. (*Special thanks to KA for the joke, that made it to the title).

Going, going, gone in Wagah.

Mission accomplished, flag taken down and back at Wagah.

View from Cooco's Den towards Badshahi Mosque.

Little Muscovites in Turkey

At 1800 meters high, in the furthest northeastern part of the Anatolian plateau, totally covered with snow in a vast emptiness, I was one more time taken by my own country that revealed a totally different culture and aura to me. Here I was  in Kars, at the border with Armenia where at one time 19 different ethnicities lived side by side. The first republic of Anatolia (before Republic of Turkey) was also established here although it was a short lived one.  Today it is mostly Kurdish (65%) with Turks and Azeris constituting the largest minority among others.

A view from the Old Town with the Kars river passing through.

This boy from Kars wanted me to put his picture in Facebook.

People from Kars glide on ice and laugh while you barely can take a proper step.

What so struck me was the fact that 40 years of occupation by Russians at the end of nineteenth century left so many 19th century Baltic architecture buildings in the city. (For a city plan in Russian, scroll down). The first time I heard about this heritage was in Nobel winner Orhan Pamuk’s “Snow”. He was describing  events taking place in 3-4 days when the town was cut off by heavy snow from the world. The hero found himself in the middle of political struggles in the city and often walked around decrepit buildings while yearning for love. There was a certain sadness and melancholy accompanying the novel. In Reha Erdem’s “Kosmos”, (for a trailer see http://www.kosmos.com.tr/), this melancholy seemed to be accompanied by the poetic beauty of the snow covering the city. Indeed, Kars seems to have benefited from all this scenery with the former mayor turning it into a movie set.

Another 19th century Baltic style building in Kars: doctors' house.

This is the trade exchange building in Kars, now privately owned.

Otel Ferah in Kars in which Pamuk's Snow is taking place.
Photo: Zeren Göktan.

Turkish politics recently handed another landmark to Kars. Prime minister Erdoğan during the commemoration of the dead soldiers of the First World War in nearby Sarıkamış numbering around 90.000, looked up to the citadel and called a newly erected statue as “monstrosity” and ordered its demolition. It was designed by the artist Mehmet Aksoy, as a result of a competition for the memory of those soldiers. There has been much debate whether it should be torn down because the PM did not like it. When I was there in February 2011, it was one of the tourist attractions of the city but has been removed piece by piece. So much for art that is not liked by (long live) my Sultan! It has been said that this was a maneuver of the prime minister probably to counter balance the publicity created by the collective prayer of the MHP (Nationalist Action Party)  in the Fethiye Mosque in Ani. Located 45 km from Kars, Ani used to be a big town on the Silk Road in Middle Ages. It also happens to be the place where Turks entered Anatolia in 11^th century. The Fethiye (means conquest) Mosque is supposed to be the first place where prayer was held in Anatolia by Turks. Hence, the emphasis of that point by the nationalists.

The twelve Apostils Church in Kars with the Kars castle on the right.

The constitution of the first republic in Anatolia established in Kars.

And the famous, unfinished "monstrosity" in Kars, before its removal.
Photo: Zeren Göktan.

Because it is right at the border with Armenia and partly is in a military zone, Ani remained closed for decades to visit. No doubt Kars will benefit from the opening of the border with Armenia. Even today many Armenians are visiting Ani. Our guide explains the use of dynamite for mining right across the river in Armenia is damaging Ani. Unfortunately, Ani also lies on the North Anatolian fault line which meant it was destructed by earthquakes.

The stone bier of the Fethiye Mosque (to lay the dead) in Kars. Converted from a church,
notice the removal of the vertical peace of the cross.

The interior of the Fethiye Mosque in Kars converted from Aleksander Nevsky Church.

The Fethiye Mosque in Kars at night.

Kars’ economy is based on stock breeding and its cheese and honey are excellent. Recently ski tourism also increased thanks to better air connection. The nearby Sarıkamış has one of the longest  ski-run in Europe and very good quality snow. In the town itself, there is the 12 apostils church which bares the clear hallmarks of Armenian architecture. Along the river there is a Turkish bath and old houses such as Ahmet Tevfik Paşa Palace and on top the castle of Kars. Another interesting building is the former Aleksander Nevsky Church which is today the Fethiye mosque. It was originally built as an army base during the Ottoman-Russian War.

A view from Kars streets.

University of Caucasia, Department of Political Science in Kars.

This square in Kars is covered with typical Baltic style buildings with the one
on the right being the Mayor's residence.

The newly opened University of Caucasia must also be mentioned as it pulls students to the town, contributing to the economy. Built in the beautiful Baltic architecture, the political science department of the university is where political prisoners used to be held in appalling conditions during the military rule in 1980-3. One man, Cemal Kırbayır, is said to have notoriously “disappeared” from here. His 103 year old mother Berfo, recently met prime minister Erdoğan to discuss his whereabouts and other disappearances that have happened in the past. It has been recently confirmed to her by a Parliamentary Commission that it is certain that he died in the hand of the military regime. Today, in the same building, political science students, learn “on site” about power, state and civil society where once the former two were plenty while the latter none. Now, that’s what I call the irony of history:-).

KAMER restaurant in Kars, run by women for victims of domestic violence.

A barber store in Kars.
Photo: Zeren Göktan.

Ahmet Tevfik Paşa Palace in Kars.
Photo: Zeren Göktan.

Not only the architecture but also the politics of the town bore a Russian mark: it voted left in a neighborhood of Turkey with clear conservative tendencies. Indeed people from Kars proudly tell you about the city’s tolerant attitude. In such a small town, restaurants remain open in Ramadan or non fasting people freely smoke in public, something you do not see in 150 km away Erzurum. “Erzurum strangles us when we need to go there. We cannot wait to get back”. No wonder they used to call Kars “little Moscow”. However, with the shift of Kurdish politics from left, Kars no longer votes left. It has one MP from MHP and two from Prime Minister’s AKP, hence the political shows about the statue and the collective prayer from both parties:-).

View from Ani, Kars.
Photo: Zeren Göktan.

View from Ani, Kars.
Picture: Zeren Göktan.

Manuşehr (moon faced) Mosque on the very left in Ani is the first Turkish mosque in Anatolia.
The Fethiye Mosque in the middle is the spot of collective prayer by MHP.

Arpaçay river in Ani, forming the Turkey-Armenia border, Turkey on the left.

When in Kars, you should taste the famous goose, salty but yummy. I would also recommend the KAMER restaurant which is run by women. Its income supports a shelter for women escaping from domestic violence. I tasted “hengel” which can be best described as ravioli without meat.  If you have time, what could make your experience a truly different one would be to take the train to Kars. If not, it is one and half hours of flight from Istanbul. Try staying in Kars’ only boutique hotel Kar's. I would truly hope that the now decrepit Ferah Hotel mentioned in Pamuk’s snow is soon restored. And do not forget to take your camera, small amount of brandy, and warm boots and explore the city on foot at night for a truly romantic experience. The dim lights, the lonely streets, the light reflected from the snow is otherworldly.

On the way to Sarıkamış, these men ride horses without saddle to train them.

And these horses in Kars slide on ice and still carry people.

A shorter version of this post is available at Hurriyet Daily News.