Somehow I have always been hesitant to come to Pakistan... not a rational thing... Angola, El Salvador or the US are as dangerous (for different reasons perhaps), but anyway... I’m in Karachi, and if it is an organization to come with here, it has to be the UN, they take care after their own... every night I have a call from the security officer to see if I’m OK!
Seems that the more “worrying” the country, the more hospitable the people... it happen to me in Iran already... as here amazingly hospitable people.
My host is he director of the Marine Fisheries Department, a former Navy Captain that retired years ago to do a Masters in Public Policy, and you can see that he is strait as a stick, very unusual in the fisheries world.... he took the job 5 months ago, and actually he is the 1st one to admit he does not know much about fisheries, but he knows how to run public organizations... needles to say liked the guy immediately.
So far I have been hanging around boats in the fishing harbour.... Perhaps the most chaotic, polluted, filthy but as well active, crazy, and vibrant port I ever been (and I have been in a few).
How to explain.... put equal parts of a circus, a food safety expert worst nightmare, a ant colony, a really busy shipyard, a tea house, a polio+amputee+psychiatric hospital, a constant traffic jam, a 60’s psychedelic art studio, an orphanage, a truck workshop, plus other many things I fail to express, garnish with a LOT of dust... shake for 50 years of non maintenance... and try to imagine the result...
Roaming around with a camera would be quite stupid and dangerous... so sorry... only phone camera pictures...
The security situation is really rough.... for first time in my life I have followed the advice of not going to the streets alone... I even broke my golden rule of not eating in big hotels...
Getting into the hotel (that had already a big suicide bombing) feels a bit like one of those Iraqi road-checks you see on TV.
I commented to my host that I was quite surprised to see a big jail in the middle of town, but even more about the fact that was well painted... only to be respond with a huge laughter by him and the driver... whom w/out stopping giggling explain to me that in fact was the US consulate!
I was taken for 3-hour tour of the outskirts and the Old city... it must have been an outstanding city.... but that was many years ago...
Reality today is VERY grim in many parts of Karachi, many places look like the images we see from Afghanistan, Gaza or Baghdad, except that there was no war here... dust, open sewage, overcrowding, serious violence, and so on...
The road to the Karangi (another town near) fishing harbour, meanders along mangroves/rubbish dumps covered with crows and small children and fisherman living in the some of the worst conditions I have seen in my life anywhere... i felt out of breath, as normally I'm an optimist... but I really struggle to find any hope the situation they are... most of us (all of you and me) are truly fortunate fortunate people... incredibly fortunate...
It makes me understand fundamentalism better... If what I see, is your everyday reality... Then anything is better that that... When your days are so unkind, you just have nothing to loose, hence any promise of a better place, anything that takes your head out of reality... is a good one...
Therefore the security is more present than ever before for me... the good thing about working at this organization is that we all have blackberrys and get messages like the one below from the local security guy, that helps when you moving around.
Sent: Fri 3/14/2008 5:12 AM
To: Blaha, Francisco
Subject: Advisory for 14th March 2008
Dear All
Security Update:
A shutter down strike call has been given by Sunni Tehreek today to force the Government to expel the Danish Ambassador from Pakistan. Jammat Islami has also called for protest after Jumma Prayer on the same issue. The business community may join. Protest Marches are expected outside major mosques and at Numaish, Shah Faisal Colony, Saddar. No Significant violence anticipated. Cautious movement advised. All to avoid areas.
the day before
Sent: Thu 3/13/2008 8:14 AM
To: Blaha, Francisco
Subject: Advisory for 13th March 208
Dear All
Several Motorcyclists have been run over by a Bus at PNS Karsaz Shahrah eFaisal. In reaction angry mobs burnt that bus which caused traffic Jam and panic in the area. Staff advised to avoid general area.
This incident later on degenerated in looting and the burning of 2 government cars (just like the one I go around with)... and I guess as everyone is in the verge... things get completely out of control VERY fast
Every one I talked along the society says that General/President Pervez Musharraf should go... they are feed up with him and with his closeness to the US...
Everyone love talking politics... a well off guy a the sauna (a perk of staying at big hotels) told me: ... “the common factor of terrorism is the USA, see all he countries where there is terrorist attacks... they all have American troops on them... if the USA wants to win the –war on terror- they just have to stay home and stop messing around into others peoples countries”... I could not agree more.
But then all this security stuff is so incongruent with some of the views I also have of families in parks, the better off in clubs or in my hotel... the (at least for me) beautiful call to pray for the mosques, the unfortunately not well know gentility of Islam, the honest amiability of the people I meet... it puzzles me big time...
The real aesthetic treat... is the art in the buses, trucks and some fishing boats ... is just incredible.... I would love to buy one just to expose it... or get my car here to customize it... the guys take so much care in the paintings and layers after layers of adornments on it... the attention to detail is magnificent... no part is spare... man...painting the rims... fantastic... See the pics
In any case... this place is so vibrant but at the same time so looming that I cannot stop being fascinated by it.
