Loud Thinking

Author Archive

Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900);
novelist, playwright

A must read letter published in the daily DAWN titled “Paris of East”: a US guidebook.

WE may gripe about things in Karachi and consider it a very crowded crime-plagued city. But that was not always the case. I recently chanced upon an information booklet about Karachi published for the benefit of American soldiers stationed here during World War II.

Entitled ‘A locally produced information booklet for US soldiers for Karachi’, published in 1942, it speaks of Karachi as the “Paris of the East” because it says it is “the cleanest city in the whole of India”.

After giving information about the city’s political status – capital of the Sindh government with a population of 400,000 – the guidebook says Karachi is called the ‘Gateway to India’ because as a port it serves not only Balochistan, Punjab and UP but also Afghanistan.

Very few of us know that Karachi used to produce grapes. While talking of the Gandhi Gardens, the guidebook says “grapes grown in the gardens are famous not only in Karachi but outside also”. Malir, now part of Karachi, is referred to in the booklet as being “12 miles from Karachi” and is “well-known for its fruits gardens”.

The Clifton beach “is considered by some as the best in the whole of India. It has a parade made of cement concrete and red stone. The beach extends about seven miles and is a very fine place for sea bathing and excursions in the moonlight”. It also dwells on Sands Pits and refers to Hawks Bay “as the best spot in Karachi”.

The museum the book refers to is still there where it was in 1942, but very few Karachiites know or it bother to visit it – at Burns Road. Called then Victoria Museum, it contained Moenjo Daro relics, a variety of fighting arms and tribal dresses for men and women.

Transport finds repeated mention in the guidebook and gives details of bus and tram routes and the fares. The newspapers then published were Sindh Observer and Daily Gazette, besides two evening papers — Karachi Daily and Sindh Observer’s evening edition.

Fascinating to read are advertisements. Some of the shops mentioned are still there, but many have disappeared. As for eating houses, old Karachiites will miss restaurants which have disappeared — Café Grand, Café Oxford and two Chinese restaurants — Chunking and Victory.

All that has happened to Karachi is not all negative. Karachi has flourished into a major industrial centre, it is a dynamic city, its educational institutions continue to increase, and it has an enviable philanthropic establishment. Let us work to restore Karachi to its glory and make it a crime-free city.

S. MOHAMMAD SIBTAIN Karachi

A must read for the PM and the planners of Pakistan.

A letter titled “micro-finance instead of alms” published by the daily DAWN.

THE natural calamities that struck Pakistan in the last decade, including the 2005 earthquake, the floods of the last few years and even displacement of people due to military action, led to the formation of many new NGOs, as well as to expansion of activities of existing NGOs and a massive influx of local and foreign aid that was provided in the form of cash and kind to the affected parties. These are all lofty developments which bring a sense of munificence in the general populace but at the same time this can result in the proliferation in our society of the debilitating characteristic of mendicancy.

There is no harm in providing aid to poverty-stricken people but constantly providing financial help can lead to the habit of living in a situation where they don’t have to work, yet they receive financial help. In the long run this may result in the deteriorating of quality of labour which will affect the country economically, as well as result in the development of a psyche of scrounging which can have negative implications for the social fabric of the nation.

Instead of doling out donations, NGOs and relevant government institutions can design micro-financing projects under which the affected people are provided with small businesses in the form of a long-term loan, such as a fruit pushcart or a small pa’an shop or a French fries kiosk, or a few cows to sell milk in case of a rural area.

This is proposed, of course, in addition to education and skill development. The beneficiaries can be provided with the technical know-how of running the business, as well as a plan to take this small loan capital back from them in the form of monthly tiny cash installments.

Once the beneficiary has returned the entire amount, he will feel a sense of ownership in the business venture, he will end up with a running business which can be expanded further based on his personal acumen, the benefactor will get the amount back which can be utilised somewhere else. The habit of being dependent on aid for livelihoods should not penetrate a society that is already fraught with many other evils. As a nation, we have been roaming around the world with a begging bowl at the official level. Let’s build our society with massive micro-financing across the country to make our people self-reliant and prevent mendicity from becoming a national attribute.

M. M. A. Hossain
Karachi

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson

Strength is the ability to withstand.

“A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.”

Unknown –

Impress Your Foreign Boss

If you think that it’s hard to impress your boss, try doing it in an unfamiliar culture – where the natural methods that work at home may fail you. In these circumstances you need to be more deliberate. Start by doing great work, showing loyalty to the organization, and helping your boss accomplish his or her professional goals. Of course, how you do those things will vary across cultures: In one culture, “doing great work” may mean listening carefully to what your boss tells you to do and then precisely performing a task. In another, it might mean taking initiative and volunteering for assignments. Work hard to learn the local context. And get to know your boss’s individual preferences. Don’t assume that because she’s British, for example, that she has the same expectations as the Brits you’ve worked with before. Consult with colleagues and find a cultural mentor.

Adapted by HBR from “Impress Your Foreign Boss,” by Andy Molinsky

A letter published on the topic “MFN Status to India” by the daily DAWN and my subsequent comments…!

My Comments:

The writer of this letter has nothing written wrong here.

However, just for his information, India has made this MFN and trade issue a one way traffic; wherein, only Indian goods can come to Pakistan and our exports to India is severely hampered by the Non Tariff Barriers, erected by India.

Plus, why should MFN status to India, not be a part of the composite dialogue?

Actually, Indian strategy is to deal all their weak points out of the composite dialogue.

Letter:

APROPOS Anwer Jalal’s letter (Aug 18). The contents of the letter reflect a very naive approach to a complex and pertinent issue. The writer presents a doomsday scenario without any knowledge of the dynamics of the trade regime.

— He is under the false impression that businessmen and industrialists are going to just look at the Indian market and end the tremendous gains they have made in making their presence felt in the US, Europe, etc. The Indian market is in addition to other global markets. No prudent businessman will put all his eggs in one basket.

— It is a pragmatic business policy to trade within the region as there are substantial savings in freight, delivery time and in costs. Moreover, the dwindling Pakistn rupee makes Pakistani products attractive for the Indian consumer. This advantage should be encashed as much as possible.

— Pakistan’s exports barely touch the $25 billion mark. Pakistan needs more employment opportunities, enhanced foreign exchange reserves, and sustainable and strong industrial base. Therefore, developing a strong foothold in the regional markets makes better business sense.

— It is true that trade and investment between the two neighbours would always be hostage to border tensions, the Kashmir imbroglio and other contentious issues like water, Siachen, Sir Creek and accusations of terrorism. But these should not derail the process of liberalisation of trade and investment.

The fact is that any trade and investment initiative is the source of survival, is critical for the country, and is an answer to economic prosperity.

MAJYD AZIZ
Karachi

Fruit poisoning..!

Calcium carbide in fruits

An eye opener for the sleeping health authorities.

A serious health issue raised in a letter published by the DAWN.

THIS is to draw the attention of the people to the practice of ripening fruits through application of calcium carbide — a white powdery substance found on most fruits, especially mangos and plums.

Calcium carbide reacts with water in fruits to produce acetylene which, in turn, ripens the fruit. Calcium carbide contains traces of arsenic and phosphorous, both of which are extremely toxic for human health. No health benefits can be expected from such chemically-treated fruits. Indeed chronic poisoning and cancer can affect those consuming such fruit.

The departments concerned are requested to get out of their slumber and check this hazardous practice.

CH KHALID SINDHU
Lahore