22 DAYS so Far in Karachi ( and Still Counting)

(A mail written to my friends after 22 days of my return from UK)

Asalam-o-Aalaikum Warah- matuAllah-e- Wabarakatahu



Hope and pray that all of you will be doing well; by the blessing of Almighty God I am also doing very good, having and enjoying the best time with my family and friends



Well, it's almost three weeks now since my journey to Britain ended, and my feet are again on the same soil / ground which I left three years ago…. Well truly speaking, Returning to yours own homeland, itself is an unbelievable experience which words cannot describe, I believe that those who have never left their home can never ever have even a slight idea of this experience I m talking about. My friends, this is also an ultimate reality that departing yourself from your loved ones, from yours family, those streets, localities, and neighbourhood where you spend yours childhood and youth is not an easy thing to do, it demands loads of courage, audacity and patience, but as you all know that big dreams ask for bigger sacrifices, so same is the case for the people who leave their homeland for their dreams, goals, and objectives.



Comparing to UK, Life here in Karachi seems to me a little bit sluggish, the reason is, there are plenty of daily routine works which I have to skip here deliberately while in old days I was so vulnerable to perform those daily activities as 'MUST DO' there in Britain. Cooking, shopping, washing clothes, cleaning are to name few of them. I also do not indulge myself with anyone in the futile debate of "comparison" between UK and Pakistan, i.e. which is good and which is better, and I often escape in such situations by saying that 'one cannot compare his shoes with Taj Mahal in anyway' and frankly speaking, to me the comparison doesn't make any sense between those two worlds who are in stark contrast of each other in most of the aspects, where one country's issue is Hunger / Poverty ( Pakistan) and the other one's Obesity (UK)



The day I have arrived here I have been facing with these three burning questions from most people…. most prominent of them is 'why did you come back to Pakistan while millions of people are so desperate to go there ' my reply is 'I have my own reasons and circumstances' the other two prominent questions are 'how is the life of Muslims over there in Britain, are they facing troubles living there' I responds to them as ' they are enjoying a far more better life than the people in Pakistan' and the third one is too personal so I better quit it and should not discuss it here …actually one cannot explain his circumstances and reasons to every passer-by for leaving and coming back and same is with my case If I don't feel comfortable answering to their 'burning' questions, I don't answer them, that's all, and don't bother about their resentment too in their response.



Karachi is having, probably the worst Load-shading these days, one can witness my body with lots of kisses by mosquitoes when I wake up the other day, after struggling, crusading with the army of these stubborn and mulish flying creatures, in an electricity-absence night……. but I need not to worry about these tiny flying irritators whenever there is Coil, or Mat in my room …... The rise of consumer banking has a prominently affected on Karachiites' life. People can afford a car or at least a bike very easily, as there are plenty of domestic and imported brands available both for four wheels and two wheelers, now. Three years back, when I left Karachi, having a cellular phone was considered a luxury to some extent….. but now I often hear the ringing of my colony's sweeper's mobile when he comes and ring my door bell for Trash …hehehehehe



Well, my Job Searching is still going on, though I have no luck so far, but I hope I will get a good one soon and I need yours pray as well in this regard.





In most part of Karachi I find construction works, plenty of fly-over, Underpasses and other relevant development works are going on. The way the new Karachi city government built flyovers and underpasses especially at Lalu Khet and Liquatabad and reduced the traffic load miraculously ... there is non stop traffic from Civic Centre till Nazimabad. Law and order situation in Karachi is commendable and consequently the Pathan hotels, restaurants, shops and bazaar opens till late night. Char Pai, Takhat or Café Pyala type hotels are growing like mushrooms and now, they are not only confined to men only but families also enjoying, eating and spending their time there. I also enjoy my time with my buddies in such hotels having tea, cold drink and *&^% (you know what I mean…. hehehehe). Also our Mamoos I mean policewalas are also not a problem for Karachiites any more, because they are under surveillance of those people who are bigger crooks than these policewalas I mean MQM ( hehehehe)……..



Well, I still have plenty of things to share which I am avoiding due to fear of getting my mail More Lengthy and More Boring so I think I must stop here but don't worry I will continue to bore you with my mails in future too…hehehehe.



OK friends, I end this mail by sharing my thoughts (and especially addressing to my all those friends who are away from their homeland for any reason) that, to some people, success might mean wealth. To others, it is recognition, good health, good family, happiness, satisfaction, and peace of mind, hobby, higher education etc, success can mean different things to different people so just narrow down your priorities in order to declare yourself successful, my understanding is that, one should not measure his success his position, designation, salary, income, bank balance or social status in life but by the obstacles he overcame to get there…..therefore do not determine your Success in life by how you are doing compared with others in terms of salary, income etc , but by how you are doing compared with what you are capable of doing …I hope you get my point.



Any way time to leave. Keep remember me in yours prayers.



Was'Salaam and Regards



Rao Zeeshan Ali