Pakistan fascinates Dutch activist

[Naveed Yaseen]

Islamabad
A Dutch female peace activist who arrived here as part of her endeavours to advocate peace and freedom in 18 countries across Europe, Central and South Asia was surprised to see hospitality of the Pakistani people as well as its captivating beauty.

“I felt good to walk to Pakistan...everyone was helping me and I didn’t have any fear at all,” Britt Das, told a press conference on Friday. She was joined by Pakistan’s renowned mountaineer, Nazir Sabir. Britt Das, who writes for a newspapers and currently walking for peace across the continents, said she would tell people back home how fascinating Pakistan and its people were.

Britt started her journey for peace on foot beginning in Netherlands walking across Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, part of Badakhshan in Afghanistan, India, Nepal and ending in Tibet with approximately 10,000 km. As she was not permitted to cross the border from Afghanistan into Chitral she flew from Kabul to Islamabad on July 7 and then to Chitral on July 8. After witnessing Shandur Polo tournament on July 8/9 she drove back to Chitral and started her peace walk from there across Bunni, Mastuj and on top of Shandur. Her walk then continued from Shandur to Phander, Gopis, Darkut down the valleys of Punial reaching Gilgit, Chilas while ascending and crossing over Babusar Pass (4175m) into Naran, Abbottabad, Manshera, Hassanabdal, Wah and finally reached Islamabad on July 31. During the peace walk through Pakistan she had covered a distance of approximately 1000 km through very hard train and heat but along the most picturesque valleys and towns of Chitral, Bunni, Mastuj, Ghizar, Shandur Pass, Gilgit, Chilas, Kaghan valley and Mansehra district enroute to Islamabad.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=127767