EP 11-Buried Hate n Born love
A BIKE RIDE TILL KHUNJRAB PASS
‘Are
we going to ride on bikes till Khunjrab pass. This is the reason I love you,
dude,’ Li was super excited to see the bikes, loaded with necessary things in
the way.
‘I
have planned to start the bike ride from Gawadar from our CPEC
project, but due to shortage of time, we are starting it from Islamabad.
It's a gift for my Chinese dude. I knew you would love it,’ Nofil told him the
details while checking the bikes.
‘I’m
ready, dude. Just go on,’ Li checked his bike and sat on it.
ADVENTURES OF DAY 1
The bike slipped after heavy rain near Chilas
They
left for Manshera at 8AM. The warm and humid weather of Islamabad in the
month of July left behind as they moved forward to off shoots of great Himalaya
systems. They were enjoying the journey when suddenly it started raining
heavily when they were near Chilas. They both wore rain coats and decided to
continue their journey. In no time their clothes were badly wet, as rain coats
couldn’t resist against the heavy and consistent rainfall. The road was too
much slippery now.
They were driving carefully,
but suddenly Nofil’s bike hit the rolling stone on the road and slipped. He
couldn’t control it to fall down. This accident left him with the severe
scratches on his knees and arms.
‘Are
you OK?’ Li hold the Nofil and took the bike on one side of the
road.
‘Don’t
worry, I’m fine,’ Nofil checked his bleeding scratches.
‘Oh,
its clutch plates are broken and one handle turned bad,’ he got
up and reviewed his bike.
‘Yes,
I have seen this. We should see for any mechanic now,’ Li was also looking at
the bike.
They
hardly managed to reach Dasu before dark and booked a hotel there to stay at
night.
NIGHT AT DASU
‘We’ll
look for any mechanic in the morning,’ Nofil washed his wounds and applied
a tube on them from their first aid box.
‘I
think we should see a doctor too. My all joints are tired of riding a bike for
the whole day after a long time,’ Li looked Nofil serving his wounds.
‘After
taking some rest we’ll be fine,’ Nofil smiled, took a pain killer and went to
deep sleep.
ADVENTURES OF DAY 2
LI WAS MISSING, NOFIL GOT UPSET
It was about 7 am when
Nofil woke up. Li was not on his bed.
‘I
saw him talking to a boy on the road, and then he left with him,’ one man on
reception told Nofil.
‘What,
who was that boy? Was someone chasing us? Is Li kidnapped?’ Nofil’s mind got
stuck with horrible thoughts. He ran outside the hotel, but…..
‘Oh my
god, it is just my irresponsibility, I should report at the police station.
It'll disclose to media ... No, I should call the boss... He would do
something. No, I should search myself first,’ Nofil was looking at
his mobile in confusion and was searching here and there when he saw Li coming
from one side of the road with almost 13 years old boy, on the bike.
WE ARE NOT STRANGERS
‘Look,
dude, your bike is fit now, thanks to this boy. He…,’
‘Where
did you go, Li? Do you have any idea what happened, if anything bad happens to
you? We’re going back right now.’ Nofil couldn’t control his anger.
‘I got
up early and came outside to walk. I met this boy and he told him about his
uncle’s workshop after hearing about our accident. You know his uncle opened
his workshop just for me and repaired the bike. The people are very helping and
nice here. I’m sorry to bother you, but I didn’t want to disturb you because of
your injuries,’ Li tried to calm Nofil down by explaining him the situation.
‘Those
injuries were just minor rashes for me. You should get me up. One stranger
offered you the assistance and you went with him without thinking a
second,’ Nofil was still concerned about him.
‘He is
not a stranger,’ Li replied calmly.
‘What! Do you know this boy?’ Nofil pointed to that young boy amazingly.
‘No,
but I know you and other Pakistanis working with me. I know your love,
hospitality and concerns about us.’ Li’s tone was confident,
‘Li I know you…. but
Li doesn’t do this again please. Don’t go anywhere without letting me know,’
Nofil pressed his shoulder after a pause and looked in his eyes for assurance.
‘OK boss, can we
start now, I’m dying to see the gateway to my home through mighty Himalayas,’
Li sat on the bike.
DASU TO GILGIT
After
a breakfast they were again on the road to Gilgit from
Dasu. Nofil was calm now, but he decided to be more vigilant for next
time. High mountains, beautiful sceneries and waterfalls, making their way from
the road to flow down mesmerized them. The temperature was falling rapidly with
the increasing heights. They stayed by one waterfall to wear their jackets and
to get some pictures. Nofil sat at one side and Li took out his
selfie stick to take his pictures when he saw Nofil sat at one corner playing
with water and looking at him.
'CPEC' BIND THE TWO NATIONS
‘Do
you remember the time when we finally launched CPEC few years back,’ Li sat
beside him and threw the stone in water.
‘There
were frequent bomb blasts at every corner of your country. Chinese engineers
were under severe threats from terrorists. I myself came across a terrorist
attack when you saved my life after a long encounter. No any foreigner was
ready to come and invest here, but we stayed here. We continued our work. We
started new projects, all over your country. You know why? We saw belief and
struggle in the eyes of your people. You were trying hard to get rid of
nightmare of terrorism and look, you have done this. A misdeed of a very
small minority can’t change the positive aspect of the whole nation. Our
all weather long friendship is based on mutual respect and accordance for each
other. We believe you and always stand by you. Now when the conditions are
going favorable, why are you worried?’ Li was very serious.
A JOURNEY TO DAWN
‘I remember each and every moment of your confidence and buoyancy upon us. You
started the road and we started our journey to dawn of peace and prosperity.
Each and every person of my nation is united to keep your confidence upon us
and to complete this project, but we’re anxious about the evil eyes around us,
which are trying hard to spoil our ride to a glorious future. We don’t
want to take any risk that’s why we are more careful and vigilant,’ Nofil got
up and walked to his bike.
‘We
should leave now,’ he called Li.
But
Li was trying to cross the waterfall through small rocks which were immersed in
water. ‘Li doesn’t get your clothes wet. It’s getting cold now,
come back and lets go,’ Nofil called him.
‘Oh yes, look I crossed it,’ Li cried in joy
and walked towards his bike and checked his mobile.
AT LAST, YOU FIND HEAVEN IN THE WORLD BUT…..
‘I
think, mobile signals are weak in this area. No one called me since yesterday,’
he looked at Nofil.
‘Then,
you should be happy that finally you find a heaven in this world
where Chen can’t disturb you,’ Nofil smiled.
‘I’m
talking about mom not Chen,’ Li replied annoyed.
‘You know,
mom already talked very to the point after my attitude on dragon
festival,’ Li explained. ‘Don’t worry, mothers are like this. They
get hurt very soon. She’ll be OK,’ Nofil consoled him.
‘I
shouldn’t be too rude. This Chen has overwhelmed my parents’ thoughts, but
you’re right, she is the only source of comfort for my parents in my
absence.
Look,
she has gone to Shanghai to attend a seminar. They both were upset,’ Li told
him.
‘Oh, Chen is out of
the city,’ Nofil nodded his head and started the bike. They again
left for Gilgit. It was evening when they stayed and freshen up at one of the
restaurants at Gilgit. Nofil called his mother and told her about his
health.
‘Dude, why don’t you call yourself
instead of waiting the call from your home?’ Nofil again looked him
gazing at his mobile’s screen.
‘Yes,… No,… I’ll call later on,’ Li answered in
confusion.
‘Why don’t you admit that you’re waiting for Chen’s
call for last two days,’ Nofil asked seriously.
‘She is out of the city, she might be busy with her work, but I’m not going to call her at any cost. This is what she always wanted. She’ll addict me of her attention and then will play with my sentiments,’ at last Li disclosed his feelings without admitting that he was actually looking for Chen’s call to share his expedition and thrill via bike.
NEGATIVITY OF NATURE
‘I
don’t believe, this negativity is a part of my friend, who is a big fan of
understanding psychology and respecting the emotions of anyone. I think, you
should change your immature behavior towards her,’ Nofil advised him.
BACK
TO RIDE ADVENTURE TO HUNZA VALLEY
Then they refueled their bikes and
left to the Hunza Valley, as they decided to spend that night
Hunza Valley.
After
two hours they reached beautiful fairy meadows of Hunza. It was full with local
and foreign tourists. Li and Nofil bought camps and settled in the
green lawns of fairy meadow.
ADVENTURES
OF DAY 3
CAMPING AT FAIRY MEADOWS,
HUNZA
Cool,
calm and beautiful horizon showed its face on lush green grass of fairy
meadows. Nofil came out from his camp after offering Fajr prayer. He
listened to Li talking in Chinese with children staying there in another camp.
Those children were taking Chinese classes in their school. Li was getting
excited talking to them.
Ni hao ma ? ( how are
you?)
Wo
hen hao . ( I’m fine.)
Ni
jiao shenme mingzi? ( What is your name?)
Wo
de mingzi shi ai ha mai de (My name is Ahmed.)
One of the kids told his name excitedly.
Pak Cheen dosti Wang woye, Wang woye,
Wang woye, Zindabad Zindabad.
They
all were singing loudly. Nofil also joined them. The
families around were taking pictures with Li. After breakfast, they left
for Attabad Lake but Li’s bike got punctured after a short distance. They left
Li’s bike on the local workshop and decided to move on a single bike. In no
time they reached the blue mirror like Attabad Lake. There were boats and giant
rafts to carry the passengers along with their vehicles. They transported their
bike first and then joined other people on another boat. It was a thrilling
experience. Some of them were scared, but most of them were shouting with
thrill.
It
took almost 1 hour to cross the lake and they reached Sost. They visited the
Sost bazaar and bought gifts for their families. They also visited the
immigration point there and planned to visit china via road using this border,
some other time. Again, they stayed that night in a camp in Sost.
DISAPPOINTING INFORMATION ABOUT Bilal MALIK
It
was about 8 pm when they were setting their beds in the camps when Nofil got an
email. There was some information about Bilal Malik from his sources, but it
was not confirmed.
‘It
is very disappointing. Anza will definitely get hurt after knowing the fate of
her friend. I should verify this information before telling to her.
It may affect her work,’ he thought of his spy friend after reading that mail.
He replied the email and went to sleep as they both were excited for the
adventures of day 4 when they finally had to meet their destination.
CURSED MOUNTAIN
‘Let her go, doctor. She is a mad woman.
Shama Jan will manage her. That part of the mountain is cursed. Many
people killed there during the Afghan war. If someone goes there he got
a poisonous snake bite or slipped to death in deep cracks under
those rocks. Gul Jan lost her husband and two sons who went to
Afghanistan and never came back. She always ran here in search of her family as
this part of the mountain is close to the border.
‘What
are you saying? If there would be snakes then they would bite her or Shama?
Stop the jeep at once.’ Anza came out the jeep and ran towards Gul Jan to hold
her.
ADVENTURES OF DAY 4 TILL KHUJRAB PASS
Magnificent view of Khunjrab pass
At
last, next morning they were again on one of the wonders of the world, the
highest Karakoram highway connecting Pakistan to Kashgar in China. They were
wrapped in muffler, gloves and jackets tightly. The temperature dropped to -3.
They stopped at Khunjrab national park and then continued to their destination
again. Oxygen level was getting very low because of high altitude. They were
almost 4000 meters above the sea level. It was difficult to move up the bikes
and other vehicles because of low oxygen. There excitement was at a hype
when suddenly heavy clouds covered the area. It was impossible to see anything
around. All vehicles had to stop there in wait of weather to be clear. After
waiting for two hours they all were asked to move back because of expected bad
weather ahead....
It
disappointed them badly. They turned their bike and started to move back slowly
and reluctantly. All people screamed with joy when the clouds disappeared
suddenly and the view was clear
Li
got emotional to see the way to his home. he was about to pass that
pass, when security officers stopped him.
'Next
time we'll visit China through this pass, if we had enough holidays we could
have our visas from Sost,' major Nofil understood his emotions.... TO BE
CONTINUED