Tazeen Akhtar
Nuri Funas is an international traveler who has visited 136 countries so far after he initiated his mission of Peace through Travel from the neighboring country Egypt in 1999. Since then he is travelling walking hiking meeting people of every color and culture and countries of east and west untiringly. Still he is enthusiastic and energetic when we met him at Embassy of Libya thanks to arrangement of H.E Nizar A Nabiha on his latest leg of journey of the world ,Pakistan in Islamabad on 02 Sep 2019.
Nuri was wearing a shirt on which we noticed signatures of ambassadors and consul generals of Libya and other countries along with flags of several nations. Nuri takes signatures from them on his shirt wherever he visits. His shirt was covered with signatures and flags at front back both sides. Nuri has 5 such shirts saved in his collection and 6th shirt is in making on which he has taken signatures of Ambassador Nizar A Nabiha who is his host in Pakistan and who is facilitating him in his travel. Mr. Nizar thanks Government of Pakistan for cooperation extended to the embassy for Nuri’s travel in Pakistan.
Nuri travels by road in motor cars or by foot that separates him from other routine travelers. This way he observes every inch of the land, every aspect of cultures, people, history, nature, weather and last but not the least the reactions and behaviors of the people . He reached Pakistan by air from Nepal to Karachi only because there were no means of travel by road or foot.
Nuri Funas says that people in Libya and other Arab countries know about Sindh. Arab world had connections with Sindh . We have read this in history. Therefore I felt like second home while travelling from Karachi into Sindh. He visited Haiderabad and Khairpur in particular. He describes Khairpur as the most beautiful experience. A stream flows in between the city. On the other side there are mountains. It is green and attractive. One can see the history of Sindh here. Sadiqabad was his first stop from Sindh into Punjab and he went to Multan the city of shrines and saints.
To a question, Nuri replied that he has faced no problem throughout his travel in Pakistan from Karachi to Islamabad that is almost length of Pakistan. He says I found myself safe and secure everywhere. In Sindh , Police and other law enforcing agencies personnel offered me to give security but I thanked them and said I see no danger here. Pakistan is just like my second home.
Nuri will be in Northern Pakistan at K-2 when this interview will be published. He was very excited about his visit to Gilgit Baltistan. His next ambitions were travel to China and Iran for which Embassy of Libya facilitated him in getting visa.
He was in Indian Occupied Kashmir last year when the situation was not worst like today. He talks about the beauty of the valley and hospitality of the Kashmir people. Nuri visited Jammu and Sri Nagar. He also had a tour to Dall Lake the jewel of the valley. He says “I feel very bad when I see the news of curfew and arrests in Kashmir. They are very good people. The dispute can be solved amicably through dialogue. Peace must be maintained for all.”
Islamabad is the most attractive place for Nuri as he was about to visit northern areas in a week after. He says Islamabad surprised me the most in all places I visited so far in Pakistan. Islamabad is a garden city. It has so much greenery and oxygen that is very healthy for the citizen.
He finds many common things in Pakistan and Libya. In food he likes Pakistani “Pulao” and many other dishes. He says same is the name in Libya as well.
Nuri is basically a youth activist. He was quite young when he thought about promotion of peace and for that he selected the way of travelling. He has been a boy scout as well.
To a question why he has embarked upon this mission of peace? Have you seen destruction of war or you are affected of that? Nury says that it is not about one’s self only. Great people do not live for their own self. They are for the others. He has also visited Naga Saki the city of Japan destroyed by nuclear attack in 1945. He carries an emblem of a bird that is the symbol and message of peace from the people of Naga Saki.
His message to the youth of Pakistan is you should not forget that youth of Islamic world is looking at Pakistan. They want you to see the Number One country in the Islamic World. Pakistan is a unique country. It has Arabian Sea at one end and Himalayas at the other. It is not easy to excel in the world. You need to work hard. You need education. Arab World is with Pakistan. Peace is necessary for our future. No one is a winner in any war.
