On Wednesday 10 November 2010 railway enthusiasts, members and friends of the Pakistan Society were given a treat by Nick Lera, an independent documentary producer and former award-winning BBC cameraman. Using unpublished historic photographs he explored the history of pushing rails through harsh mountain terrain in Baluchistan in the 19th century.
This was followed by clips from on the spot documentaries he made in the Bolan Pass, the Chappar Rift, Chaman, Waziristan and the Khyber in the 1990s, showing how some of the railways became economic lifelines while others are now mere scars in the hills. A DVD entitled "Rails To The North West Frontier" was also available to buy.
This presentation was to mark the upcoming 150th anniversary of the first railway in Pakistan, the so-called "Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway". Ostensibly to further trade its main purpose was to facilitate defence of the Frontier.
