Travelling with Pakistan’s 72nd Animal Transport Battalion

The animal transport battalions of the Pakistan Army have a long, proud history. This is a mercy mission. And while it may be a physical challenge for a soft, city-living correspondent, to the men and mules of the 72nd Animal Transport Battalion of the Pakistan Army, it’s a day at the office. What really bothered me is that none of them even broke a sweat. And while I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, at the 5,000-ft. mark they broke into song … and kept climbing. There are areas in the earthquake zone that are simply inaccessible by any other means. High up in the mountains there are villages to which no roads lead — or if there were roads, those roads are gone.