Since I will be moving to Peshawar next summer, I thought it would be nice to highlight the assignment a bit, and give a brief history on the city and our role there.

Peshawar is a city of 2.3 million people and the capital city of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is found in the Northwestern part of the country, near the border with Afghanistan and a 3 hour car ride from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad.

Peshawar is truly one of the ancient cities of the world. Recorded history of the city begins in the 6th century BCE, making it one of the oldest cities in Asia. Located along the Khyber pass, it formed an important stop along the Silk Road, connecting central Asia to the Indian Subcontinent. Below is a picture of the Khyber Gate, marking the entrance to the Pass.

Over the centuries, control of Peshawar and the greater Indian subcontinent traded hands several times, between the Greeks, Mughal Empire, Sikh Empire, and British Raj. At the ending of the British Raj, in 1947 the large Muslim minority of India fought for a homeland of their own, and thus Pakistan was born.

Peshawar is home to a large military complex where the Consulate General is located, and has served as a vital link to working with the Pakistani government on both economic and military matters/exchanges. One of the main goals of our overall mission in Pakistan are promoting ongoing economic cooperation, as the U.S. is Pakistan’s largest export market, promoting a democratic election process, and working together on regional security matters. Specific to Peshawar and the surrounding region, special attention is made to promoting women’s education.

Sadly, the Pakistani Taliban remains active in the region, and it was just outside Peshawar that Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai was shot. For that and other reasons, Peshawar is one of the highest hardship and danger posts in the world, carrying a 35% hardship differential AND 35% danger pay differential. It also is consider a special incentive post, granting further monetary and travel incentives. Although the Consulate General in Peshawar is well protected and located in a secure part of the city’s military district, the risk of danger is real. In just the past few years, the Pakistani Taliban have executed suicide bombings at various mosques around the city, most recently in January 2023, killing over 100 people. The consulate general itself has also been the focus of targeted attacks in the past, though unsuccessful due to the robust security, the risks are very real.

As a result of the heightened security situation, movement around the city is severely restricted, and I will spend most of my time living on consulate grounds, in a blast proof trailer, with my only real movements away from the compound for trips to the airport or Islamabad. This is really quite a shame as this city offers numerous cultural attractions and beautiful architecture of varying styles due to the different ruling factions that have claimed the city over the millennia.

Ultimately, I am really excited for this assignment as it will provide me with a lot of career growth and fast track me to being a mid-level provider a full year early. My time in Peshawar will mostly be spent reading, painting Warhammer models, and getting REALLY good at video games. Plus, with no outlet to spend all the extra money I will make over the year, I can just turn it all into pennies and swim around my room like I’m Scrooge McDuck (fun fact, in French, Scrooge McDuck is called Picsou).

It’s going to be a really interesting assignment. – Nick