Times photographer Jack Hill in Pakistan.

Peshawar

We headed up to Peshawar from Islamabad to see General Tariq Khan, the head of the Frontier Corps (FC), crossing the Indus and Kabul rivers on the way. Peshawar is about two hours north of the capital and is one of the oldest cities in Asia. Its success and desirability, for occupying powers, is no doubt due to its position at the gateway to the Khyber Pass, one of history’s great trading routes and strategic military positions.

The M1 from Islamabad to Peshawar with Khyber in the distance.

General Tariq Khan is the head of the Frontier Corps (FC), a paramilitary force, created by the British at the beginning of the last century. Many of the traditions remain and the FC is currently heavily involved in the operations against ‘militants’ in the tribal belt of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan. The General was pretty emphatic in his view that the Pakistani Taleban (TTP) are on the ropes.

 
Major General Tariq Khan, in his office.

Peshawar itself has seen its fair share of violence in the past few years and it is estimated that over 370 civilians and police were killed in ‘militant’ attacks in Peshawar in 2009.

A billboard in the city centre with pictures of policemen killed in the recent violence.

It is not easy being a foreigner in Peshawar, for a start there aren’t many and the local suspicion is that all foreigners these days are Americans. Having been to Peshawar before, I was keen to get a look around again and donned my shalwar kameez, traditional Pakistani dress. The disguise isn’t perfect but it helps and my guide cautioned me about some of my attire, suggesting I looked too much like a Taleb, probably an Uzbek.

A man in traditional shalwar kameez reading a newspaper.

Peshawar is great for pictures, full of colour and atmosphere. It is crowded and chaotic and has a real buzz.

Riding a bus through the city centre.

 
The romantically named Kissa Kahani Bazaar (Story-Teller’s Market). A place where merchants would exchange tales, from the far away cities from where they had travelled, buying and selling their exotic merchandise.

 
Britain’s colonial past is still evident, notably through some of the architecture in the city. Here, St John’s Cathedral, looks like it could be somewhere in rural Britain.

Unfortunately, a sign of the times, Friday prayers behind razor wire.

Despite the recent bloodshed, the atmosphere in the city is generally positive and the Peshawaris are as friendly and hospitable as ever. I say generally, as I met a zoology master in the bazaar who explained in perfect English that Peshawar was host city to the ‘World Cup of War’, the violent equivalent to the football world cup. It’s an idea with unfortunately a few too many contenders…