What you need to know
- Saifullah Kashmiri is on a mission to clean major tourist spots in Pakistan.
- He is travelling the country on his decorated motorcycle cleaning several locations.
- He began the ‘Clean Pakistan, Green Pakistan’ tour to spread awareness around pollution in Pakistan and to focus on keeping the country clean.
- He chose to travel on a motorbike to keep his journey cost effi
Dubai: “I need to reach a safe spot, and I’ll send you a voice note,” Saifullah Kashmiri told Gulf News over a crackling connection.
The 42-year-old is a one-man cleaning army on a motorbike. And we had caught him in the middle of one his missions - to clean major tourist spots one city at a time as he bikes across Pakistan.
The country has a serious issue of garbage piling up around populated areas. People usually complain, shrug their shoulders, shake their heads, cover their noses and move on. Kashmiri would have none of it. He decided to take action.
He is travelling the country on his decorated motorcycle, adorned in Pakistani flags, cleaning several locations himself as he visits. Kashmiri began the ‘Clean Pakistan, Green Pakistan’ tour to spread awareness around pollution in Pakistan and to focus on keeping the country clean.
His journey started at Khunjerab Pass and he has already reached Rawalpindi. The aim of his journey is to inspire others and spread awareness about the public’s civic responsibility of keeping their country clean.
He chose to travel on a motorbike to keep his journey cost efficient. In terms of road trip supplies, he carries a foldable bed, clothes, gloves and bags fror the garbage collection process. The garbage is then disposed off in the allocated places.
Serious problems
Sanitation and garbage disposal are serious problems in Pakistan. Tourism is affected by pollution, a number of health and environmental issues are also linked to it.
The 42-year-old began his initiative after seeing littered tourist spots. “Whenever I went to the beautiful northern areas of Pakistan, I’d see garbage on the streets and trees getting cut down. It really hurt me to see my country this way,” he said.
He said that he is doing this for the future generations. “The upcoming generation needs to see a clean and green Pakistan. I knew I needed to start an awareness program,” he said.
So far on his journey, he has been to the Pakistan-China border, Deosai National Park, Babusar Top and Bab-e-Khyber, amongst several other tourist spots. “I chose to go to Pakistan’s top visited tourist spots because they need to be cleaned first,” he said.
He also travelled from the capital, Islamabad to Karachi which was followed by visits to Gwadar and Quetta. “All the places I came across between visiting these cities, I tried cleaning major locations within them as well as planted some trees.”
Speaking about when he plans to end his journey, he said: “I have spent my life in a beautiful country like Pakistan. I have allotted all my life to this, it’s my aim to make it clean and green.”
Support
He is a father of two and has a wife who he said is supportive of his decision. “I am doing this for my children and for other children who will grow up to see a better Pakistan.
“I would like to tell people that everyone needs to start cleaning their neighbourhoods and progress to other areas afterwards.”
He also believes that the country needs to focus on keeping tourist spots especially clean. “When you visit a popular spot, try cleaning the area around it and make sure you dispose the garbage, you produce, as well,” he said.
Kashmiri blamed the lack of awareness on poor implementation: “The government of Pakistan needs to implement fines against people who litter and keeping the country clean should be their priority.”
