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  • SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police) Raja Umer Khattab, head of the anti-terrorism SIU (Special Investigation Unit) of the Karachi Police and one of Pakistan's most experienced terror experts, is portrayed in his office in the SIU headquarters in central Karachi, Pakistan. Mr Khattab was nearly killed by a suicide attack aimed at his assassination in 2008, returned to his job three months later and personally arrested the jihadist that had directed the attack.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, are taking part to a raid simulation exercise involving the freeing of a hostage. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits of the the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, are exercising at dawn. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnapping cases in the city of Karachi, are collecting their weapons from the AVCC armory in central Karachi in preparation of a night raid on the outskirts of the city searching for a kidnap suspect.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Two suspected kidnappers are being questioned on the spot inside a police car by members of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) and by the local police force in Thatta, on the outskirts of Karachi, while on his search for a hostage during a fake ransom meet up with the criminals. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Naveed Ahmed, 27, a young and ambitious member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A kidnap suspect (center) is being questioned by two members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnapping cases in the city of Karachi, is loading his Pakistani made G3 assault rifle in preparation of a night raid on the outskirts of the city searching for a kidnap suspect.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • High-rise buildings mainly housing expensive apartments and shopping malls have grown very rapidly in Pakistan's main economic and financial hub, Karachi, under the recent leadership of Syed Mustafa Kamal, its mayor. Mr Kamal, 36, who was short-listed for the 2010 World Mayor Prize, is courting foreign investment, encouraging international ties, and boosting the city's tourism.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Members of the Karachi Police are routinely patrolling the streets of the financial area of the city.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A recruit of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, is exercising on a high rope structure located on the premises. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Moinuddin Syed, 42, the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) second in command, is sitting at his desk in Karachi where he usually analyse information and prepare raids. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A kidnap suspect is being detained for questioning by a member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Armed members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, are riding their vehicles in the city on their way to a night raid.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits of the the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, are exercising and simulating extreme actions on a high tower located on the premises. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Moinuddin Syed, 42, the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) second in command, is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A boy offering rides on his horse for a fee is walking alone along Clifton Beach, a renowned costal area near the centre of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Students at a large Madrassa (Islamic school) in North-West Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub, are about to face end of the year examinations.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police) Abdullah Sheikh, 42, the director of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while overlooking documents in his office in the AVCC headquarters in central Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Naveed Ahmed, 27, (left) a young and ambitious member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while waiting to leave for a night raid on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub, in Sindh Province. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • An advertisement portraying Naseem Hamid, 100-metres gold medal at the recent South Asian Federation Games in Bangladesh, is presented on a billboard standing along a busy road in Karachi, Paksitan. Naseem has become Pakistan's first woman to sprint to gold in the championship's 26-year history.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Truck drivers belonging to a Karachi-based company are sitting in their office. The company has been contracted by NATO to transport containers arriving to Karachi by ship to Afghanistan and other bases of NATO bases in the region. Many drivers have been killed on Afghan territory by insurgent's bandit attacks aimed at disrupting NATO's supplies. Some travel as far as Bagram Airfield, near Kabul, the Afghan capital.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, are taking part to a raid simulation exercise. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Colonel Abdul Wahid Khan (center) is posing for a portrait inside the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A recruit of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, is exercising and simulating an extreme action on a high tower located on the premises. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Colonel Abdul Wahid Khan (right) is inciting young recruits during a boxing class at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, are exercising and simulating extreme actions on a high tower located on the premises. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Moinuddin Syed, 42, the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) second in command, is on his mobile phone giving instructions to his men during a night raid on the outskirts of the city of Karachi on their search for a kidnap suspect during a fake ransom meet up with the criminals. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Armed members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, are preparing to raid a cluster of houses on the outskirts of the city on their search for a kidnap suspect during a fake ransom meet up with the criminals.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Muslim children are studying the Koran, Islam's holy book, at a large Madrassa (Islamic school) in North-West Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Children of policemen living in houses near the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) headquarters in central Karachi are playing on the street after a sprout of rain fell on the city.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A symbol signifying 'Allah', (right) is seen at a roundabout in central Karachi near a McDonald's fast-food restaurant sign. (left)
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Young men are dancing on stage at a Coca Cola event organised at a McDonald's fast-food restaurant on Clifton Beach, a renowned costal area near the centre of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A kidnap suspect (left) is being detained for questioning by a member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A kidnap suspect (right) is being detained for questioning by a member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Naveed Ahmed, 27, (left) a young and ambitious member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while taking a short break after an unsuccessful rescue operation in the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub, in Sindh Province. During the raid the police detained kidnap suspects and recovered the phone and SIM card used by the criminals to contact the hostage's family. The man however was not found on this occasion. The suspects have been brought to the AVCC headquarters in Karachi to be questioned. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • An armed member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, is riding in a police van in the city on their way to a night raid aimed at freeing a hostage and arresting the offenders.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Karachi's habour, Asia's second largest, is NATO's main supply and logistical hub in South Asia. Here hundreds of ship containers are being reloaded onto trucks daily and then sent to Afghanistan and other bases of NATO bases in the region.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, are exercising at dawn. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits are taking part in a raid simulation exercise at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, is portrayed while sitting inside their headquarters in center of the city.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits are exercising at a long-range shooting ground at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A night view of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub and its largest city, counting for over 18 million inhabitants.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits of the the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, are being briefed on raids and security procedures. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A Muslim boy is waiting for breakfast at a large Madrassa (Islamic school) in North-West Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A night view of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub and its largest city, counting for over 18 million inhabitants.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • An armed member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, is sitting in a police van on the way to a night raid on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan's main economic hub.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Armed members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, are reciting prayers in their vehicle on the way to a raid on the outskirts of the city while searching for a kidnap suspect.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits are running during training exercise at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A member of the AVCC (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) is portrayed while at their headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan. The AVCC is a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city and its vicinity.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnapping cases in the city of Karachi, are gathering on the outskirts of a suspected criminal hiding position in order to discuss the approach on the ground and to retain a strategic advantage on all possible escape routes.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Armed members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, are sitting in their vehicle on the way to a raid on the outskirts of the city while searching for a kidnap suspect.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • An instructor of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi, is instructing recruits. On his t-shirt are printed the letters ATF, meaning Anti-Terrorism force, The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Two snipers in mimetic disguise are practising at a long-range shooting ground at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Recruits are exercising at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • An armed member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, is raiding a hut on the outskirts of the city on his search for a kidnap suspect during a fake ransom meet up with the criminals.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Two armed members of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, are raiding a cluster of houses on the outskirts of the city on their search for a kidnap suspect during a fake ransom meet up with the criminals.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • An armed member of the AVCC, (Anti-Violence Crime Cell) a special police unit mostly involved in anti-terrorism operations and kidnap cases in the city of Karachi, is preparing to raid a cluster of houses on the outskirts of the city on their search for a kidnap suspect during a fake ransom meet up with the criminals.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • A taxi cab is passing by 14 Manchester Square (Dabaiba HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_21.JPG
  • A taxi cab is passing by 14 Manchester Square (Dabaiba HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_22.JPG
  • A cyclist is pedalling by 14 Manchester Square (Dabaiba HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_20.JPG
  • A taxi cab is turning right next to 8 Chesterfield Hill, (Mercantile Group HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_17.JPG
  • A luxury car is parked in front of 14 Manchester Square (Dabaiba HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_15.JPG
  • A man is walking past  8 Chesterfield Hill, (Mercantile Group HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_13.JPG
  • A woman is looking at luxury homes on sale in the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_09.JPG
  • Two men dressed in suits are walking past the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_04.JPG
  • 8 Chesterfield Hill, (Mercantile Group HQ) is located in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_19.JPG
  • A couple is walking past  14 Manchester Square (Dabaiba HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_14.JPG
  • Two men and a woman are walking past  8 Chesterfield Hill, (Mercantile Group HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_12.JPG
  • A woman and a man smoking a cigarette are walking past  the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_06.JPG
  • A man is entering the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_05.JPG
  • Luxury homes are on sale inside the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_02.JPG
  • Londoners are walking past the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_01.JPG
  • A man is walking by 14 Manchester Square (Dabaiba HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_16.JPG
  • Two men are walking past the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_10.JPG
  • A woman is walking past the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_11.JPG
  • A man and a woman are walking past the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_08.JPG
  • A man is standing near the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_07.JPG
  • A woman is looking at luxury homes on sale in the office of Chesterton Humberts, 60 Sloane Ave, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_03.JPG
  • A man is walking opposite  8 Chesterfield Hill, (Mercantile Group HQ) in central London, United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Alex Masi for The Wall Street Journal<br />
CHESTERTON<br />
<br />
The name of London real-estate agency Chesterton Humberts exudes English affluence. But in early 2011, as Libya was engulfed in revolution, a substantial stake in the firm was quietly acquired by the wealthy family of a longtime lieutenant to Moammar Gadhafi, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investment.
    CHESTERTON_London_18.JPG
  • A boy and his father are transporting gas cylinders with the use of donkeys in a small town on the road from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, to the mountain village of Bamiyan, located on the Hindu Kush range. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi048.jpg
  • Professor Zemaryali Tarzi, (right) a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France and teacher in Strasbourg University, is portrayed discussing with one of his assistants on the excavation field where he is searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha. The statue should be located between the original two standing Buddhas, Afghanistan, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi014.JPG
  • A young boy is riding his donkey home after having collected water water from a small river in Bamyan, Afghanistan. In the town there is no electricity or running water. Power is only being provided by generators or solar panels. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi009.JPG
  • A young girl from Joana, pop. 1800, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, is standing in front of her house. The inhabitants of the village are affected by the wastewater originated from the nearby Jajmau Industrial Area, the largest leather producing hub in India, discharging directly into the holy Ganges River.
    Kanpur_Leather_Industry_40.JPG
  • An Afghan man is carrying a papaya on the streets of Bamiyan's new bazaar. The cliff where once stood the Western Buddha (55m - 'Male') is photographed after sunset in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, an area mostly populated by Hazaras. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi049.jpg
  • Afghans are building a small local Mosque in a rocky village located near Bamyian's archaeological site. The cliff where once stood the Western Buddha (55m - 'Male') is photographed after sunset in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, an area mostly populated by Hazaras. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi046.jpg
  • An Italian archaeologist is working on the maintenance and restoration of the Buddhas of Bamiyan's site in collaboration with a Japanese team of experts who has been visiting the town for various years to find a long-term solution to its slow but unceasing disappearance. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi045.jpg
  • A Japanese woman belonging to the maintenance and restoration team in Bamiyan is working on emergency fixtures on the walls of an ancient Buddhist cave on the premises of the archaeological site. The Japanese team of experts has been visiting the town for various years to find a long-term solution to its slow but unceasing disappearance. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi030.JPG
  • Old, unusable tanks left in Bamiyan after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan are being enveloped by growing weeds while sitting as relics in what has become a field for cultivating potatoes. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi026.JPG
  • A villager is harvesting wheat in one of the fields located next to the Buddhas of Bamiyan's archaeological site. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi027.JPG
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