PESHAWAR — the ancient heart of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a city that has witnessed empires rise and fall at its doorstep.

Once a passage for Greek armies, a spiritual home for Buddhist monks, a resting point for Afghan warriors and a jewel along the Silk Route, Peshawar has always held history in its palms. It was lovingly called “the city of flowers,” its air fragrant with chrysanthemums, kahwa simmering in teahouses and the art of storytelling alive in bustling bazaars. Today, however, that Peshawar seems lost. The city that was once clean, orderly and full of life now shocks and saddens anyone who remembers its former charm. Bustling gatherings, fragrant evenings and cheerful streets have vanished, replaced by dust, noise, chaotic traffic, foul odours and piles of garbage—where even breathing feels like labour and the city’s historic vibrancy is all but gone.

Qissa Khwani Bazaar, once a haven for storytellers and tea houses, now mirrors the disorder consuming the city. Rickshaws, chingchis, motorcycles and carts collide for space, as if discipline has long departed. Open manholes lie scattered across the streets, broken pipelines spill filthy water and these scenes extend far beyond a single market. A brief spell of rain brings the city to its knees. Major roads transform into streams, potholes disappear beneath muddy water, accidents multiply and the city’s........

© Pakistan Observer