'We advise against all travel to specific regions of Pakistan and against all but essential travel to other specific regions of Pakistan, including Lahore.'
-Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice for travellers, 06 September 2010
Leapt out of your chairs to book an immediate holiday to Pakistan yet? Why ever not? Surely you only need to be told once not to do something, because it is dangerous and verging on the insane, before you are itching with excitement to do exactly that, the dangerous and the insane?
Or perhaps you only need to read the word 'Pakistan' before the sense cells of your brain, the ones which constantly tick-off those other insane-dangerous-excitement cells with their relentless cautioning, start remembering snippets of information you may have read this summer; 20million harmed by flooding, thousands marooned, 1600 fatalities, 3.2million homeless, below-subsistence economies destroyed, cholera, dysentery...and your enthusiasm has been crushed.
Moreover, Pakistan's dangers are an older story; 10 000 Pakistani civilians have been killed in terrorist attacks since 9/11, suicide bombings are a daily occurrence in the North-West; inter-ethnic feuds have led to 100 deaths in Karachi this summer alone. And yet, by even mentioning terrorism, I feel myself leaning towards hypocrisy, since like others I noticed how shamefully political issues have been allowed to cloud the focus on an overwhelming humanitarian crisis. On both sides of the conflict, too many have seen the flood as an opportunity to present themselves as a useful ally to the Pakistani civilians.
However, whilst the US and Islamic charities with supposed links to terrorist groups may have needed to sort out their priorities the aid itself should not be criticised and their own motives have, at least, greater merit than the widespread disinterest that initially ensued the flooding over a month ago. The reasons for the sluggish reaction and lack of aid may have been valid; Haiti this year has already exhausted charitable interest and the gradual nature of the disaster removed the 'shock-factor'. Furthermore, August is holiday time thus, surely, news doesn't happen (with the exception of course of the David Cameron's holiday pics and new baby which usurped the Pakistan story from the front page for several days).
Apathy should be the very last response on reading about Pakistan, the numerous values of which are being wrongly obscured by its dangers. It is not surprising, given these dangers and the advice from the Foreign Office that foreign travel to Pakistan has never taken off, and of course caution is necessary, but caution must not counter curiosity in Pakistan.
Lahore and Peshawar are cultural centres offering bustling bazaars, shady boulevards, a mixture of history and architecture from Buddhist ruins to British Churches. Although bridges and communications have been severely affected by the floods, the natural beauty of the Khyber Pass, along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the Karakoram Highway (KKH), will recover. Here travellers can witness the ravines, peaks and glaciers of the Hindu Kush mountain range, bathe in hot springs, river-raft and hope to witness the endangered snow leopard. The adventure and excitement of wandering along an ancient Silk Road, tramped along by Alexander the Great himself through an area where tribal customs supersede national law is incomparable. The local population, scattered in small villages, some nomadic, offer notable hospitality. Lonely Planet described this province as possessing 'romance', and yes, maybe the sight of bombed sites in Peshawar, the need for an armed tribal escort and the sign 'Foreigners Not Permitted Beyond this Point' along the Khyber pass might diminish this 'romance', but ask yourself this; did Alexander the Great stop here?

We should take heed of the Foreign Office advice, Pakistan is a multiple-hazard country, but avoiding travel, inquiry and insight into this country is self-defeating and will only allow our growing indifference to the consequence of these hazards to perpetuate, thus travel to Pakistan is more ‘essential’ now than it has ever been before.