to send or not to send...

Numerous events during the last few days kept everyone holding their breath. The Prime Minister's refusal to comply with the order of the Supreme Court, to send a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen an investigation against the President of this country finally cost him his job. He is the 23rd consecutive Pakistani leader to leave office before completing his term. The first candidate, proposed by the ruling PPP, did not make it to the election process by the parliament, having had to face an immediate arrest warrant by the Anti Narcotics Force related to alleged drug import irregularities. The now elected Prime Minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, was Minister for Water and Power before and is widely seen responsible for the current energy crisis. The first meeting the day after his election was on energy.  
Protests take an increasingly violent turn in face of ever growing shortage of fuel, electricity and water.  



Scorching heat is banning us into the pleasantly cooled houses. That means, of course, the lucky ones who have cooling units powered by generators that jump in during the load shedding hours, which expand over an increasing number of hours. The once lazy stroll to a cooling swim in the pool turns into a run over the hot stone plates to reach the water oasis, gliding fast and easily into 32°C warm water, avoiding to touch the blazing hot stairs or handrail. No vigorous exercise, just a few slow moving paddles around big, lean, but powerfully stinging wasps that quench their thirst with water from the pool, closely watched by exotic budgerigars and parrots who wait to satisfy their hunger on this delicacy.

A rare visit from Switzerland, two fashionable women included, makes for a small shopping tour in Islamabad and we head - of course! - for shawls at Maharaja. It is late afternoon and only dim light inside the vast empire of cashmere, silk, embroideries and quilts. Ceiling fans give a slight movement of air, the sales assistants lying on pillows along the walls, obviously not in anticipation of any customer. The owner shows up, with his usual kind smile, offering tea and asking about the well being of some of my colleagues. Most of them are gone since a while, but they appear to have left fond memories with the shop keeper! Gradually we move all the way to the back rooms, piling up some potential treasures to be purchased. The variety and treasures are numerous, even silk saris can be found, a dress that is becoming popular again among the elegant and stylish Pakistani ladies, the younger ones adding their elaborate choice of tailor made cholis (the blouse worn under the 5-6m long shawl that is wrapped around the body) in surprising new combinations. The sari was forbidden for women in Pakistan during Zia ul-Haq's regime in the Eighties. I resist the various invitations by well meaning friends to get wrapped in these five meters of stunning silk swath, suspecting to be exposed half naked after the first three steps, watching the beauty of this artistic dress piled around my feet.

The shop was once mentioned in an article in the American Vogue and had many customers among the international community, but the business slowed down, not only due to the summer season. A wonderful friend here taught me how to bargain and I am slowly becoming an expert on that field, actually starting to enjoy it. Interestingly enough, it appears to be more promising to bargain with men than with women, tells my growing experience.

Then, in order to finalize the purchase of a substantial pile of shawls and to pay with the credit card, the lamps in the shop have to be switched off to have enough electricity for the processing of the payment.

We leave the textiles behind and go for the next Pakistani specialty, Khussas - shoes that are produced only in Lahore and Multan. All handmade with locally produced leather, the left shoe identical with the right, incredibly comfortable, stitched and died in all colors and worn by most women during the summer months, which last from March to October… Easy to decide, as the price allows to fulfill various wishes.

Boys enjoy summer vacation from school here just as anywhere else in the world and find cooling by jumping into the water irrigation canals, using air filled plastic bags as swimming devices.