God in his infinite mercy, created the universe with a singular word, ‘Be (Kun)’, unleashing His very essence, His creative power onto a vast, boundless canvas stretching across the infinite expanse of existence.

God, the eternal artist, paints not with mere colours but with the sacred command of ‘Kun’. With the power of divine word, the mountains stand firm in their majesty, the rivers carve their paths with intention, nourishing everything in their wake. Each leaf, flower and tree boast symmetrical perfection, testifying God’s supreme intelligence.

God, in his immanence, is ever present. From the minute insect to most complex human, to the perfect formation of waves, the divine whisper of His existence is within us all. God, in his transcendence, is beyond time and space.  He is the Light beyond lights, the Source from which all things flow. He is the ultimate mystery, the divine enigma that invites us to truly surrender in awe and worship.

Nature: the creation that is truly God’s poetry of existence.

Pakistan:

The display of brilliance and beauty of Pakistan has no bounds; it is truly a divine tapestry, woven with threads of magnificence, colour, history and heritage. It is truly an archetype of a continuing story of divine creation and human connection.

My love for Pakistan is limitless, every corner I turn, from the highest peaks of the Karakoram, to the fertile lands of the Punjab, I truly witness God in all his Divine forms. His love for us is beyond measure, he truly is the Giver of gifts and a true mercy to all of mankind.

Hunza:

The trees of Hunza flaunt their symphony of colours of golden yellow, fiery reds and deep oranges, against the majestic backdrop of snow capped peaks; their leaves fluttering like gold coins in the gentle breeze. The apricot trees in season, supply sweet nectar and oil to the villages hiding in the shadows of the mountains. The scent of freshly harvested apples fill the air and sound of children echo through the valleys.

It is truly is a living testament of Him, and I am forever grateful for having the honour to witness Him in this form.

Hunza lies on the famous silk roads connecting the far east to the west and is on one of the most dangerously beautiful roads in the world: the Karakoram Highway (KKH). The KKH connects the capital, Islamabad to China and it is the most distinguished route for trade.

The first time I travelled on this road was in 2016, and my God, it was the most terrifying, yet exhilarating experience. The sheer fear mingled with awe was overwhelming. The cortisol surges when you find yourself face to face with a colourful truck on a narrow, cliffside path or the heart-stopping moment when a landslide unfolds before your very eyes. Yet, amidst this chaos, the land’s untouched beauty held my heart and soul in awe. I was intoxicated; it was truly the highest virtue, witnessing God’s magnificent creation.

1) Geology

My sister, a geologist, on our drive talked about the geo-scientific brilliance of  Pakistan. A  mountain belt comprising the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush formed due to the Indian Plate moving northward at a rate of several centimeters per year, colliding with the Eurasian Plate.

Himalayas:

As the Indian plate subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate, massive folding, thrusting and uplifting occurred creating the highest mountain ranges in the world. The rocks in the Himalayas have undergone significant metamorphism due to immense pressure and heat associated with collision. Thrust faults transport older rocks over younger sediments forming stacked rock layers visible today, and are distinct in the Himalayas,

Karakoram:

The Karakoram Range is geologically younger than the Himalayas and is part of the continuation of the same tectonic collision. It is home to large granite batholith (huge intrusions of molten rock that solidified underground).  Similar to the Himalayas, the Karakoram contains massive thrust sheets. These fault zones are responsible for the uplift of the Karakoram, including peaks such as K2.

Hindu Kush:

The Hindu Kush region is characterised by active tectonics, including both subduction and collission processes. The Hindu Kush is one of the most seismically active regions in the world, due to the subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate.