Passing The Test And Surviving Midair Trauma

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: All in their teens, they were heading towards their school early Tuesday to know their Grade 9 results (all have passed). None had anticipated their lives would be hanging by a wire and the world would focus on their plight as one of the wires snapped and the carriage ‘doli’ was stuck halfway, midair.

This ‘doli’ happened to be their lifeline as it moved to and fro with a very nominal fare, taking people through their valley as one can hardly find a travel-worthy road in the area in this scenic part of Pakistan.

Walking to school is not a walk in the park for these children as this is only one group; the village has many others like them who take the same ride to school, work, hospitals, markets, etc.

The entire media’s attention on the students amid recusal had the world realising the resilience of Pakistanis, and how difficult and hard it is for them to acquire academic achievements.

The journey on the ‘doli’ can be a bone-chilling experience for anyone who dares to be audacious enough to try it but for the people dwelling on the hill, it is their lifeline and there is no choice.

The quest for touching the stars harboured by many sitting in the ‘doli’ could have ended but after hours of planning, the rescue finally ended in success.

It should be noted that the person operating the ‘doli’ has been arrested on the government’s directives but what about those who will be stuck high on the hills as this mode of transportation is now deemed life-threatening and dangerous?

The ‘dolis’ operate all over Pakistan and people living in inaccessible areas use this mode to travel to visit extended families and find work. The roads, like many with substandard materials, wash away, and these ‘dolis’ bridge the gap and connect.

These ‘dolis’ are blessings for thousands for sustenance but one directive from the government has put many lives now at stake as those who have to move wonder how they should carry on with their lives.

These ‘contraptions’ are there because people, finding no hope from the government, make these things to serve their needs and the government has no part in facilitating them.

The rescue operation, though appreciated and lauded by all, had locals stating that these accidents happen and people are well aware of the risks. Many have died in the past on these ‘dolis and many more will die as time goes on. People have developed their own ways of getting spares and repairs.

“If our lives really matter, these ‘dolis’ wouldn’t have existed in the first place,” said one local.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.

Photo Credit:  Sheraz Ahmed Sherazi