By Aziz Ali Dad    - Originally Published on DAWN. The famous Silk Route has witnessed many vicissitudes for more than two millennia. This route was disrupted many times because of political events engulfing the regions spanning from Ch’ang-an, modern day Sian to the Mediterranean region and Europe. However trade on the Silk Route continued to flourish because its multiple arteries enabled traders to dodge political upheavals and geographic hurdles. During the 20th century, areas along the Silk Route witnessed redrawing of boundaries on the basis of modern nation-states. As a result, mobility between areas around the Silk Route became difficult. At the same time, new road and railway network further reduced the significance of this route. Despite restrictions on mobility, a small amount of barter trade between Pakistan and China continued informally on the borders. This helped maintain a symbolic continuum of the Silk Route in the mountainous regions of China, Wakhan and