The royal visit

As suffocating hopelessness permeated Pakistan over the last week there was a whiff of fresh air - and that was the visit of future king of Britain and his charming consort. The five-day visit of Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton cheered up many a face as it confirmed that Pakistan has much more to offer to the world to see than earning depressive op-eds and analytic conjectures about its future. They mingled with people, witnessed at close hand how they live, but also had an encounter with the forces of Nature: a fierce thunderstorm Thursday night that twice aborted their landing at Islamabad airport. Given the Pakistanis' nostalgia for Princess Dianna their visit was extensively reported by media, and all of it in positive light. The mum's son, Prince William, did show up where she had - be it a hospital or an SOS village.

Skipping official protocol as quickly as possible, the royal couple saw to it that they visit Chitral, meet with Kalasha people and observe the effects of climate change on the life of adversely affected people in the region. Prince William and Kate Middleton, known for raising worldwide awareness about climate change, flew over the Chiatibo Glacier, and saw how its retreat forms lakes that trigger devastating flash floods. They also visited a village in Baroghil Valley which houses a large number of glaciers. But it was their mingling with the Kalasha people that stole the light. The event was extensively reported by both national and international media. One of the royal couple's objectives was perhaps aimed at seeking an answer to a question how a few primitive cultures, which have survived the ravages of modernity and retained their pristine glory, should be protected and preserved. In Chitral, they received a warm welcome and a dance by traditionally-clad young boys and girls mesmerized the couple. To be part of them, the prince and princess were dressed in local costume with brightly-coloured plume Chitrali caps on their heads. In Lahore, they met orphan children in an SOS village, shared a birthday cake with them and wished 'happy birthday' in Urdu. They also visited the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital where they interacted with a young cancer patient. 'Our visit has made us nostalgic about our mother's visit to the hospital', the prince was quoted as saying. They played cricket at the National Cricket Academy and also joined an inter-faith discussion at the iconic Badshahi Masjid.

The five-day visit of the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge didn't have a government-to-government agenda; they visited as tourists who interacted with the generality, shared its aspirations and no less importantly brought under sharper focus the need to preserve special cultures, boost inter-faith harmony and join hands to fight emerging threats of global warming and climate change. They also put on display the elegance and charm that lend grace to how Pakistanis look like and what they wear. Princess Kate was in shalwar-kameez - just like Princess Diana when she came to Pakistan in 1996. If one visit can change the mood of man on the street, theirs was that visit - a perfect example of people-to-people contacts.