It always pays to gain knowledge about the destinations before you begin your travel so that you are in a better position to make your plans, spend some quality time and make the most from your trip. The same thing applies when you want to plan a vacation to Pakistan. There are many places to visit and plenty of things to do here, whatever may be the purpose of your travel. The following books are a must read in case you are about to set your foot into this beautiful country called Pakistan:
‘About Muslims’ by Kathleen Jamie: This book contains the travel accounts of Kathleen Jamie when she made her trip to the northern region of Pakistan in 1990. This book narrates how the people in Pakistan perceive the freedom of western women. Apart from this Jamie also discusses aspects such as arranged marriage, divorce, travel, education and the attitudes of Pakistani People towards life.
‘The Dancing Girls of Lahore: Selling Love and Saving Dreams in Pakistan’s Ancient Pleasure District’ by Louise Brown: The author who happens to be a sociologist spent about four years in Pakistan and wrote this book to bring into light the true story of a dancing girl from Lahore. It delves into the forbidden world of Islam which is prostitution, while giving an account of the lifestyles of these dancing girls, the way they are treated by the world and how they get forced to take decisions that can disrupt their lives forever.
‘For a Pagan Song’ by Jonny Bealby: This book describes the intrepid search of Jonny Bealby for the pre-Islamic culture of the Hindukush. He gives an account of his travel through the remote places of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India in his pursuit to follow the footsteps of Kipling and Dravot, his heroes from the literature.
Magic Bus by Rory MacLean: The old hippy trail between Istanbul and Kabul and Kathmandu and Goa is what the author tries to retrace through this book. It takes into account the changes in these countries (including Pakistan) through times and how the spaced-out intrepid of those days have evolved into the modern backpackers.
‘Amritsar to Lahore’ by Stephen Alter: The author gives a deep insight into his journey alongside the border that divides the countries of India and Pakistan. It contains his interviews and conversations with many Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs who have witnessed the situations that led to the partition between the two countries.
‘To the Frontier’ by Geoffrey Moorhouse: You will enjoy this well-written and entertaining travel account of the author through the lands of Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh as well as NWFP. It gives you a deep insight into the oriental art, the lifestyle of the Frontier Tribesmen, the deep piety associated with Islam and the tortures that are tolerated by people there.
‘Where the Indus is Young’ by Dervla Murphy: This book will give you an insight into the travel accounts of the Irish author, along with her six-year-old daughter Rachel across the Karakoram mountains of the Western Himalayas and the dangerous Indus Gorge in the peak of Winter. With a touch of fiction, the subject of this book is quite hair-raising as you go about reading about the courage, endurance and ingenuity of the author as she made this journey with her gallant polo pony.