You can't expect loyalty from a pigeon. You may love them all your life, but one day they will fly away and leave you

Pigeon-fancying as a sport dates back to the times of the Mughals, but today it has taken a very different form.

In this short film by Omer Nafees, Eva zu Beck visits Jawwad Samad, who has been pigeon-fancying for over three decades. His rooftop is one the largest in Lahore, with over 500 pigeons.

Titled #PakistanIsFlying, the film explores the complex relationship between a pigeon-fancier and his muse. A pigeon is not a loyal bird, and yet these people in old Lahore rear them with care and affection, "just like our own children," Jawwad says. This hobby also forms a bond of brotherhood between other fanciers in the city.

This film was produced under the #PakistanIs project, an initiative of Dawn.com and German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) to highlight and showcase stories that define the real meaning of Pakistan.

The project comprises of eight different films, and one film will be released every week on our social channels.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more details, photos and behind-the-scenes action from these films.