Made in the 1960s as part of the “New Horizons” series of promotional films, this Pan Am color travel film promotes visits to the “new” South Asian Republic of Pakistan. (The film was made prior to the separation of East Pakistan into the nation of Bangladesh in the early 1970s, but primarily concentrates on West Pakistan). The films opens with a contrasting view of a “pokey ol’ camel” lumbering through the heart of a modern city, Karachi, which is the main seaport and financial center of Pakistan. (Pakistan was created in 1947 as an independent nation for Muslims.) The film shows its viewer many beautiful sites around the city as well as the lines of ships docked at the harbor, which we are told bolsters the nation’s economy. Airlines are also aid the economy, as mark 02:20 shows the viewer a PanAm jet with debarking tourists and cargo. Moments later, the film shows tourists frolicking in its warm waters. “Most visitors of the fragile sex avoid a camel ride, but some folks must try everything once,” the narrator says as young women mount a beast of burden. “They’ll remember this ride. It will be a sore subject with them for a long time.” Others prefer boating or deep-sea fishing on the Arabian Sea, or visits to the Khyber Pass or Himalayas. The bustling city of Peshawar is seen at mark 04:30, which the narrator describes as “one huge shopping center … with a variated mixture of sounds of smells,” as men and women are shown creating and selling their wares. Other sites shown include the Tomb of Jahangir (mark 07:30), a mausoleum built for Jahangir, who ruled the Mughal Empire from 1605 to 1627, Sheesh Mahal (“The Palace of Mirrors”) constructed in the early 1630s, and Badshahi Mosque in the city of Lahore. With its rich history, the narrator concludes that Pakistan is a country that close at hand, thanks to air travel.
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example like: “01:00:12:00 — President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.”
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
