Even though an overwhelming majority of Pakistan’s population follows the religion of Islam, there are many religious minorities that co-exist within the Pakistani society, pursuing their religion in peace.

One such community, the Kalash tribe, resides exclusively in a particular geographical area; the three valleys of Birir, Bumburet and Rumbur known locally as Kafiristan, which is situated in the Hindu Kush between the Afghan border and Chitral valley.

The origin of the Kalash tribe is one of the most fascinating aspects of the tribe. Since no proper record has been kept of Kalash history, all of the people’s beliefs are rooted in mythical tales passed down from generation to generation by the elders of the community. The Kalash firmly believe that they are the descendents of Alexander the Great’s brave general Shalak Shah of Tsiam, to whom Alexander gave the Chitral valley as a reward. Tsiam is a mythical place, and no one knows where it is located.

The Kalash have been ruled by the Mehtar of Chitral since the 1700s and have enjoyed a cordial relationship with the major ethnic group of Chitral, the Kho. The multi-ethnic and multi-religious State of Chitral ensured that the Kalash were able to live in peace and harmony and practice their culture and religion. The Nuristani, their neighbors in the region of former Kafiristan east of the border, were invaded in the 1890s and forced to convert to Islam by Amir Abdur-Rahman of Afghanistan and their land was renamed Nuristan.

The region where the Kalash are located is extremely fertile, covering the mountainside in rich oak forests and allowing for intensive agriculture, despite the fact that most of the work is done not by machinery, but by hand. The powerful and dangerous rivers that flow through the valleys have been harnessed to power grinding mills and to water the farm fields through the use of ingenious irrigation channels. Wheat, maize, grapes (generally used for wine), apples, and walnuts are among the many foodstuffs grown in the area, along with surplus fodder used for feeding the livestock.

Their unique culture and belief system differs drastically from the various ethnic groups surrounding them. The Kalash believe in various deities Mahadeo, and worship other deities that offer protection to different aspects of life (such as Jeshtak, who represents family and marriage).

It is suggested that they are based on the Indo-European religion, similar to the twelve Olympian gods of Ancient Greece. Nature plays a highly significant and spiritual role in their daily life. As part of their religious tradition, sacrifices are offered and festivals held to give thanks for the abundant resources of their three valleys. Presently, these self-sufficient farmers are moving towards a cash-based economy whereas previously wealth was measured in livestock and crops.

Tourism now makes up a large portion of the economic activities of the Kalash. To cater to these new visitors, small stores and guest houses have been erected, providing new luxury for visitors of the valleys. People attempting to enter the valleys have to pay a toll to the Pakistani government, which is used to preserve and care for the Kalash people and their culture. Travelers should refrain from interfering with or patronizing the locals. The villages are more heavily visited by tourists than ever before and the Holy festivals are very serious to them and joining in or gawking at their practices is considered very rude.

Kalash is famous for its festivals, and attracts a lot of tourists during these festivals.

1) JOSHIO CHILMJUSHT ( 14TH -15TH OF MAY)
Function is organized to pay thanks to Almighty. They celebrate the arrival of spring season with new hopes and aspiration.

2) UCHAO O UTCHAL (19th - 20th August)
Kalash celebrate Uchao to pay homage to Almighty because of grapes and other ripe fruit. They prepare wine, cheese, corns etc. and rejoice.

3) CHOIMUSK (7th to 22nd December)
Choimus is a winter festival celebrated to welcome the New Year. The entire population remains indoors. It is celebrated by feasting, drinking and merry making. It is thanksgiving function to Almighty for their bumper crops, fruits, animals and eatable stores for winter. Winter is full of snow, rain and cold wind. People sacrifice animals in the name of Almighty, rejoice with wine, fruit, assemble for dancing, singing and enjoy every event and moment.

For thousands of years, the Kalash have preserved their demographic and cultural heritage. Increased international awareness, a more tolerant government, and monetary assistance have allowed the Kalash to continue their way of life. Their numbers remain stable at around 3,000. Although many convert to Islam, the high birth rate replaces them, and with medical facilities they live longer.

Written By: Umair Mehmood

Pakistan emerged on the map of the world on 14^th August 1947, as a hallmark result of the partition of Indian sub-continent into two sovereign states namely Pakistan and India. The total area of Pakistan is 796,096 square km and sharing its borders with China, Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran and with India.

From strategic and economic point of view, Pakistan enjoys a key position in South Asia. Its coastline on the Arabian Sea serves as a central position, not only for trading with South Asian countries but also with Far East and beyond areas. Pakistan being strategically located, therefore the air route between west and east passes through the country; hence Pakistan could earn huge transit revenues by providing services and facilities to these transit flights. Moreover, it is also discovered that in Pakistan there are various untapped power resources such as minerals and natural gas, which can easily be exploited and transported to other countries, to generate higher revenues. In return this will bring enormous economic and financial benefits to Pakistan.

Pakistan can be divided into six major natural topographical areas, including Northern Mountain, Western Mountain, The Balochistan Plateau, Potwar Plateau, Indus Plain and Desert Areas. Each of these areas is vital for Pakistan, as some either help to attract tourism or some have their own economic and physical importance. Furthermore, Pakistan's most popular hill station includes Muree, Nathia Gali and Gora Gali, which lies on Himalayas and is of special interest for tourists.

Pakistan's climate can be divided into four seasons, winter, summer, late monsoon and post monsoon. This, results in seasonal variation in climate of Pakistan and in return, all sorts of fruits, vegetables and other agricultural crops can be harvested in Pakistan.

Moreover, Pakistan has three major ports which include Keamari, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port. However, now there is great importance given to Gwadar port, as this is a deep water port and big ships can directly come to the harbor, hence saving a lot of cost and time. In addition, Gwadar can serve as a Centerport for Asia and currently it provides thousands of jobs and billions of rupees are circulated every year.

The fascinating valleys of Gilgit Baltistan symbolize a heaven on the earth. Five out of fourteen world’s highest peaks above 8000 meters including the second highest K-2 and some of the largest glaciers outside Polar region are located in this area. These glaciers and mountain ranges greatly contribute to the eternal beauty of whole Pakistan and making it fortunate enough to attract tourism, whole year round.

There is no doubt about the fortune and resources, that nature as blessed us with. However, it is just a matter of effectively using these resources to gain maximum benefits for our country. We as young adults should utilize our skills, talent and work with full honesty for the betterment of this country and make it a better place to live in.

Despite the rugged topography and the relatively scarce resources in Hunza, the literacy rate is around 80%. The first primary school came into being in 1913 by the British and then later in 1946 more schools were built which included community schools that placed more emphasis on the quality of education. Later Karakoram University was also established which created jobs for the local population. These schools created many success stories as there are many individuals from Hunza who have successfully received education from top universities such as Harvard, Oxford, and many others.

The development and transition of the educational sector occurred due to the collaborative efforts of the Aga Khan organizations, the local community and foreign funding agencies.

Advancements have also been made in Information Technology. The first computer institute named Mountain Institute for Computer Science (MICS) was established in 2003 in order to provide computer knowledge and skills to students and professionals with the assistance of Allign Technologies Inc. USA. Based on the success of the institution, e-shopping was also introduced for the handicrafts products through mail order system.

To deal with the problem of solid waste disposal and create awareness regarding the environmental issues in Hunza and its adjoining areas, an environmental committee was established. In addition, special campaigns are also carried out against wall-chalking, drugs and other issues. This is implemented by the close coordination of the private sector, local administration/government, local NGOs and local voluntarism.

It is because of the collaborative approach that Hunza has been successful in its endeavors. Its success story is a lesson for the other cities of Pakistan and the example of Hunza illustrates that if there is political will and people are involved in the planning and implementation, then the difficulties and challenges can be overcome.