The Story of Peshawar’s Ice-Cream Uncle
Fakhar-e-Alam
Peshawar: As the morning sun bathes Peshawar in golden light, 35-year-old Malyar Khan starts the engine of his brightly decorated ice-cream vehicle and sets off on another long day. With temperatures soaring across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he hopes the sweltering weather will bring more customers and better earnings.
Known affectionately among children as the “ice-cream uncle,” Malyar has become a familiar sight in Hayatabad. The distinctive tune from his vehicle often sends children rushing to their gates and doorsteps, eager to enjoy a cold treat amid the scorching summer heat.
But behind the cheerful smiles he brings to countless children lies a story of struggle, sacrifice and resilience.
“I lost my parents at a young age,” Malyar told APP. “My family had borrowed a large amount of money for their medical treatment, and after their deaths, I felt responsible for repaying those debts.”
His father, who died from pancreatic cancer, had dreamed of seeing his son become a doctor. Life, however, had other plans.
“My father wanted me to complete my education and pursue medicine,” Malyar recalled. “But after his death, I had to leave my studies unfinished and start working to support my family.”
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/how-beekeeping-changed-one-mans-life-in-kp/
What began as a necessity gradually became a lifelong profession. Every day, Malyar drives through the streets of Peshawar, enduring extreme temperatures while bringing moments of joy to children confined indoors during heatwaves.
“Many children cannot spend much time outside because of the intense heat,” he said. “I take ice cream directly to their neighbourhoods so they can enjoy something refreshing without having to travel.”
Milk-based ice creams, particularly mango and pista flavours, remain the most popular among his young customers.
Years of hard work have transformed Malyar’s fortunes. The income from his business enabled him to clear his family’s debts and support the education of his younger brothers.
Although he could not fulfill his father’s dream of becoming a doctor, he fulfilled another responsibility that mattered deeply, standing by his family in difficult times and helping secure a better future for his siblings.
Malyar’s daily routine unfolds against a broader backdrop of rising temperatures and recurring heatwaves across Pakistan. The same intense heat that boosts sales of ice cream, juices and cold beverages is also a visible reminder of a growing climate crisis.
Environmental experts warn that rising temperatures are accelerating the melting of glaciers in Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges, posing serious threats to the country’s long-term water security.
“Glaciers are a critical source of water for millions of people,” said Niaz Ali Khan, former Chief Conservator of Forests, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Their preservation is essential for drinking water, agriculture and irrigation systems across the country.”
He said glaciers in the Hindu Kush and Himalayan regions are retreating at an alarming pace due to climate change, rising temperatures and deforestation.
Citing international studies, he warned that up to 80 percent of glacier volume in the region could disappear by the end of the century if global greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/when-borders-close-mohmands-farmers-pay-the-price/
“Pakistan has more glaciers than any country outside the polar regions,” he noted. “These glaciers feed the Indus River system and support millions of livelihoods from the northern mountains to the southern plains.”
According to experts, continued glacier retreat could increase the risk of flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), droughts and severe water shortages.
Pakistan’s National Water Policy highlights the growing challenge, noting that per capita water availability has fallen from 5,260 cubic metres in 1951 to nearly 1,000 cubic metres today, placing the country on the brink of water scarcity.
Experts advocate large-scale afforestation, protection of existing forests and the timely completion of major water reservoirs, including Mohmand and Diamer-Bhasha dams, as key measures to address the crisis.
Despite contributing only a small share of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The devastating floods of 2022, which caused billions of dollars in losses, demonstrated the scale of the threat.
For Malyar Khan, however, climate change is not an abstract concept discussed in conferences or policy papers. It is something he experiences every day beneath the blazing sun as he travels through the streets of Peshawar.
As children gather around his vehicle in search of relief from the heat, Malyar’s journey reflects both the opportunities and hardships created by a warming world. His perseverance in the face of personal tragedy stands as a testament to the resilience of ordinary Pakistanis striving to build better lives despite immense challenges. The feature report was released by APP in Sunday edition.
