Stumbling Blocks

Having returned to Pakistan a few days ago, it seemed at first that the crises of the past weeks regarding Memogate and the tragic border incident have calmed down and gave room to a more prudent attitude of all involved in order to save Democracy.


The key witness in the "Memogate" affair, who refused to come to Pakistan allegedly fearing for his life, is ordered to appear at Pakistan's High Commission in London in order to testify via video conference. There is hope that this might clarify important questions regarding the infamous memo possibly involving the government and the military alike.


Another matter  is about to turn into a major constitutional crisis involving Prime Minister Gilani, who refuses to request the Swiss authorities to reopen a case involving alleged funds of President Zardari on the ground of Presidential immunity. The Supreme Court of Pakistan is about to condemn the Prime Minister for contempt of court, which might lead to his indictment.


The Supreme Court and his energetic Chief Justice Chaudhry is moving forward on another important matter, ordering the two powerful intelligence agencies ISI (Inter Service Intelligence) and MI ((Military Intelligence) to present immediately seven prisoners who went missing in their custody. The objection, that their medical condition would not allow the transport of the prisoners, was dismissed by the judge - "bring them in helicopters, if they cannot be brought in cars". An investigation has been opened about the circumstances under which four other prisoners died in custody, shortly after being acquitted of terrorist activities.




Another and more visible stumbling block has developed into a daily challenge, namely to reach the desired destination. Protest rallies are staged with unpredictability and the text messages by the security usually take me by surprise, leaving me guess if there is a way around the blocked roads, if the wait-and-see policy is more promising or simply giving up and return home is the best solution. So far the not-giving-up strategy worked best this week - including avoiding yesterday's rally of transporters' organizations against the raising price of diesel and petrol and another several hours lasting demonstration of activists for Hazara province in the center of Islamabad.

After having brought my old and heavy Rolleiflex camera in my hand luggage through all security checks to Shanghai - there is nothing more beautiful than capturing life in black and white and on traditional film rolls, I thought - the carefully cooled rolls get cooked and all silver vaporized from the celluloid in the hands of the local professional photographer. He tried to develop them with his own mixture of chemicals, the standard chemicals not being available here on the market and he seems as distraught as me from the result... I am back to digital photos now.

The first warming sun rays of spring and the air is filled with heavy sweet smell of tiny hyacinths,  mothers with their children wind them to small bundles at street corners. What an enthusiastically welcomed change to the usual gladiolas, that fill the vendor stalls all year long with the only choice of color - white, red or dyed in blue ink. According to an old Indian proverb "the source of happiness lies in contentment", the ways of arranging these long lean sticks with a sharp tip let me no choice but create some truly inventive arrangements!

The British colonial past left numerous traces in the daily life in this part of the world, one of them being afternoon tea at 4pm, even at the construction site of the neighboring Moroccan residence. Spring is welcomed also here, the small housing tents leaving the workers to endure many cold nights during the winter season.

What better way to beat the Enclave blues than with birthday parties - numerous birthdays of the Wild Gang in a real accumulation are celebrated with great enthusiasm and repeatedly, under such themes as "Aquarius Birthdays" (Aquarius being widely interpreted...), "Indian Breakfast", "Ugly Girls Birthday Lunch", ... and that can all be done within one week and within very close neighborhood, we all live "down the road"!

A fresh slice of a new birthday cake today led to the amused question, if this had become a new habit of ours - daily Birthday celebrations. Definitely an idea to consider!