A headline in today's Bangkok Post reminded me of the one and only time that I attended an official US State Department "July 4 Bash".
It was July of 1977 and we had just driven through the Khyber Pass from Kabul to Peshawar. It was a relief to get out of the desert heat, but the monsoon humidity of Pakistan wasn't much better. At least there were mangos.
After one night in Peshawar we drove on to Lahore on the 4th. That evening a few of us attended the US Consulate's Independence Day party. This was back when such events were still held on embassy/consulate premises and were open to anyone with a US passport or a friend with a US passport. They served hot dogs and ice cold Schlitz beer. Almost heaven after months of abstinence (booze and pork) in the world of Islam.
On July 5 General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq staged his "Operation Fair Play" coup against the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Although it was a bloodless coup, tensions were high. It seemed wise to exit Pakistan as soon as possible. We left Lahore and arrived in India on July 7th. That night we camped somewhere around Jammu, India.
On the road out of Lahore.
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