Working for a textile concern that caters to export orders, has allowed me to interact with a number of foreign clients. But last month, I had the opportunity to discuss and compare, with one of our foreign clients, Pakistan’s civil society to that of the Western world.
Our foreign client was a lady, had arrived in Karachi a day earlier. Thanks to our airport authorities, and the airline she had traveled by, one of her bags had been misplaced. I was assigned as her guide, to help her understand the red-tapism and bureaucratic wranglings of Pakistan. However, this opportunity, gave me a rare chance of listening to a Westener’s views.
Her misconceptions about the country took a blow when the first thing she saw after emerging from the airport was McDonalds. To her amazement, she noticed that the people here weren’t aggressive towards an American franchise, especially in the follow-up of 9/11 events. Her impression about an anti-American Pakistani society lay in tatters when she saw that the people were very busy and involved in their daily lives.
This was her second visit to Pakistan. She had previously been to the country some five years ago. However, in the intervening years, she had noticed that not much had changed in Pakistan. She asked what the government was doing for the poor?
I tried to explain the various steps the government had taken, like the devolution of power at the lower level that would, hopefully, help in improving the common man’s quality of life. She remarked in response that there weren’t any smiles on people’s faces which meant that they were not happy or content she concluded. Her question, more than a personal comment, underlined the problems faced by our society. It highlighted the fact that this country’s people are still struggling for life’s basic facilities. Their problems however had increased to such a level that they could no longer hide their suffering which could easily be noted when you met them. As we made our way through various localities, she inquired about the cost of living, accommodation in a good locality and about how volatile was the property market. She was shocked when I told her the extravagant property prices. She noted that property was very expensive in Karachi and said that in her country, a person can own a house, near the beach side for about Rs3 million. Our discussion immediately turned towards our society’s social values and she inquired whether people prefered to own a house/apartment or rent it? I replied that many people who own a house, do so because they live in a joint family system, where married children live with their parents. This way, the burden and the cost of building a house is divided amongst different people.
She was also curious about why there were so many children, out on the streets in the morning. I was forced to admit, that while there were two school timings in place, there were still people who did not care about sending their childern to school. Maybe it was because of the rising school fees, but it was also because of a lack of awareness on the part of the general population. We need to initiate a social awareness program which highlights the importance of education. But then people ask what returns they will get after investing so much for 10 to 14 years in their child’s education. “Will they get a job?” or will they do the same work as an illiterate person ? Our car-ride seemed endless as we discussed the rate of unemployment and its impact on society especially security concerns.
However, what infuriated her the most was why people stared at her. She wondered if it was because she was wearing western clothes or because she was a foreigner? She further asked do Pakistani men also stare at other Pakistani women? She wondered about the use of the scarf by ladies. She asked if it was because their husbands wanted them to wear a scarf?
Now this was a typically Western question, one that I was waiting for. I explained that if a lady wears a scarf, it does not signify that she is an extremist. She may wear it because of religious obligations, so that she may keep a low profile or maybe just to avoid the awkward stares of other people. During our journey, she sat in the front seat and I along with a colleague of mine, was seated at the back of car. I cited this seating arrangement and explained to her that it was our cultural practice. This rule applied to the public transport as well. One thing that really puzzled her was the reluctance of men to shake hands with her. Again my answer was cultural difference. Her observations and questions were endless. The rough traffic, the restless drivers and the rainbow colored trucks and buses. She also inquired about the state and condition of the Christian community in Pakistan. I tried to address all her worries in one go. I explained that all she sees or hears in her country about Pakistan, especially in the media, was mostly propaganda and incorrect.
But my words could reach only this lady. If we are to make an international impact we have to take steps to counter the propoganda against our country. We should try remove the misconceptions held against us by the West to allow people to visit Pakistan without hesitation. Such an effort would improve the country’s business climate helping the poor of the land to improve their lives. I hope the next time this lady visits Karachi she will notice a smile on the faces of our people.
