Adil Najam

A few readers have asked us to provide links to various media appearances by Gen. Musharraf here on ATP. A very good and constantly updated colelction is available at Trekker’s blog here.

Meanwhile, we are providing video clips of some of the most talked appearances (rather, those that are available on the web for linking).

Related ATP Posts on Gen. Musharraf’s new book, In the Line of Fire and his US visit here, here, here, here, and here.

First, the much talked about appearance on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show and then the apperance on 60 Minutes. Third we have updated this post to include the CNN interview by Wolf Blitzer. We have also added the most pertinent part of the White House Press Conference with President Bush and President Musharraf.

Owais Mughal

Curtain Raiser. On August 23, 2006, ATP had a post on Bolan Pass, on November 2, 2006 another post on Chappar Rift and on December 18, 2006 yet another post on Khojak Tunnel. In the following we will discuss another famous pass railway of Pakistan i.e. The Khyber Pass Railway. Before we start on our journey, a word about the photograph below. It shows the arrival of weekly Sunday passenger at Landi Kotal in 1975. It is being pulled and pushed by two steam locomotives which signify the effort required in bringing this train from Peshawar, up the Khyber Pass to Landi Kotal.

Departing Peshawar. It is 8:00 a.m. on a sunny Sunday at Peshawar cantonment. The Steam locomotive number 2216, which was built in 1916 by Kitson and Company of Leeds, UK is all set to start on yet another journey. The driver and fireman give one final inspection to the engine vitals and with a long whistle the number 2216 coupled to a tourist train pulls out of the station. Today the destination is Landi Kotal via Khyber Pass.

The train gains speed and soon passes through Peshawar localities of Notia Gate, Swati Gate and Bara Gate. Since the track is now seldom used, there are vehicles parked very close to the track. Many children run along and clap as they see the approaching train.

Across Peshawar Airport. After crossing Bara Gate the train slows down and ultimately comes to a full stop. In front of the locomotive lies the 9000 ft long runway of Peshawar International Airport. The train now waits for clearance from the airport control tower before it could move. Sometimes the clearence comes over the phone and sometimes the train crew has to personally walk to the tower and get clearence while enjoying cup of tea with the tower staff. Peshawar is the only international airport in the world where a rail track crosses the main runway. The small photo above is the satellite image of Peshawar airport’s main runway. The diagonal path crossing the runway is the Peshawar – Landi Kotal rail track. After clearance is received from the control tower, the train chugs forward.

Adil Najam

I have felt a feeling of guilt all day today for having focussed on the ‘coup’ rumors that were triggered by the national power breakdown instead of directing focus on what that breakdown meant for ordinary Pakistanis; why it happened, and what should now be done? The journalistic instinct to pounce on the sensational got the better of me. I apologize.

This picture, published in the Daily Times (25 September, 2006) is a telling reminder of what such an occarance means to the lives and livelihoods or ordinary Pakistanis. But much more than that, it is a testimony to our national resilience. We saw the same resilience during the cruel loadshedding in Karachi this summer, and later during the Karachi flooding.

Sadly, it is also a reminder of just how ‘normal’ such an occarance has become, even though the intensity of this breakdown went beyond the Pakistani ‘normal’. In most other places, such a thing would have brought life to a total standstill. Sheer anarchy. From what I can tell, apart from rumor-baazi (which happens regualrly, anyhow), it was taken in its stride. People cursed, talked, got a little angry… and, then, they went on with their lives. What else could they do?