Pianist Kabala says “Pakistan is one of the most peaceful places in the world.”

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

Trekking alone across the Karakoram Range, Christopher Kabala learned about a new culture, largely unaffected by the world events unfolding just hours away.

“This is not the Pakistan that you read about in the papers,” he said, “It is one of the most peaceful places in the world.”

Kabala, 61, a pianist, and music director at the Round Hill Community Church, traveled to the country last August to go trekking.

“I went because I am a bit of a mountain freak,” he said.

Ever since he was a young child, Kabala had an interest in climbing and the outdoors. His father was a climber. But then Kabala became involved in his studies and his love of music. He didn’t have time to climb.

That is until 1994, when he was playing in a musical festival in Austria and decided to climb Grossglockner — one of the highest mountains in the country.

“Then I was hooked,” he said, “I like the excitement and the adventure of it.”

He decided to go to climbing school in Switzerland, where he trekked through the Swiss Alps.

He has since traveled through Nepal, Egypt, Tibet, Turkey and throughout Europe.

“I have really enjoyed it,” he said.

But this trip to Pakistan was unique.

“I had never been in a culture so removed from our culture in the West,” he said, “The people are so content with their lives and that intrigued me.”

Kabala, a resident of the Upper West Side in Manhattan, was struck by the hospitality of the people in the north of the country. Families would invite him to stay overnight in their homes and he would eat meals of rice and chicken with them. They were very open, inviting him to participate in many activities, including a dance around a bonfire.

“It’s a very simple culture É It was fun,” he said.

Before leaving for Pakistan, Kabala researched the region and knew he would not be in any danger.

“I had been in contact with people who were already there É in the areas I was going to and I came to the conclusion the risk was small. Pakistan is not Kansas. There is tremendous instability in the country, but not in the northern region where I was,” he said.

Kabala took hundreds of photos ranging from images of people to vistas overlooking the mountain range.

“I think the trip is sensational,” said Richard Bergstresser, former first selectmen and a trustee at the Round Hill Community Church.

Bergstresser sat through a slideshow and talk given by Kabala at the church and was struck by how fascinating the story was, he said.

“This was so unique. He had so many great pictures É and emphasized the people he met,” he said.

Kabala said that although this trip was strenuous, he plans to go back, possibly this summer.

“It was a tremendous experience,” he said.

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16th Ski Championship to be played at Naltar

Thursday, February 21st, 2008

Gilgit Guide report: The 16th Ski championship will be played at Naltar from 23rd February to 28th february. The Ski championship is organised annually at the height of 7000 feet above sea leven in Naltar. There will be 60 skiiers from over 12 Ski associations in Pakistan. The best performing skiirs will be sent for trainingand will also be asked to participte in winter olympics in 2010.

The president of Pakistan Ski federation Air marshal Shahid Latif said that there have been trainers from Sweden and Austria invited to train the skiirs.

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Olympic torch to run through Pakistan

Sunday, February 3rd, 2008

ISLAMABAD: A high level meeting of Beijing Organising Committee for Olympic Games (BOCOG) has included Pakistan among the countries where Beijing Olympic Torch will visit for one day.

China’s ambassador in Pakistan Luo Zhau Hui annouced this after his return from Beijing where he attended the BOCOG meeting.

He disclosed that the torch will reach Islamabad on April 16 next year and Pakistan’s star sportsmen would carry it on the roads of the Federal Capital one after other. A large delegation of the BOCOG will visit Islamabad in the third week of this month to finalise the programme of the torch visit.

The Olympics will begin on August 8, 2009 in Beijing at 8pm. The ambassador said since the Chinese believe eight as a lucky number and so, 8th month and 8 pm has been fixed for the commencement of the games. The delegation will also finalise participation of Pakistan in the historic games. The ambassador said that the relay, with the theme ‘Journey of Harmony’, will last 130 days, carrying the torch 137,000 km - the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay. The relay will begin on March 25, 2008, in Greek city Olympia. From there, it will travel across Greece to Panathinaiko Stadium of Athens and then to Beijing, arriving on March 31. From Beijing, the torch will follow a route passing through every continent except Antarctica, Ambassador Luo said. - Internews

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