The Way I See It
Who cares? Not me

Who cares? Not me

The people in my country are so dissatisfied. I mean who cares if 100 people were killed in some godforsaken area?

Myra Azhar July 22, 2011

I am a Pakistani. Don’t confuse me for an illiterate, poverty-stricken person. Or a displaced one in that case. Not at all! I can assure you, I live quite comfortably. I did my schooling from one of the best institutes in the country. I speak English very well, and I only wear branded clothes. I buy them from the US or Europe during my annual visits abroad. It’s annoying how people assume I’m needy just because I’m from Pakistan.

Oh no! I’m a first-grade citizen, albeit of a third world country. Apparently the fact that our power generation is less than the total demand is true. I accidently tuned into a local news channel the other day, and they were showing videos of protests against power outages in the country. The heat probably gets to all those poor people. But I wish they wouldn’t whine so much. Their behaviour can get a little embarrassing, you know. Anyhow, I have generators at home so I’m just going to forget about all this.

It’s a pity my country is so poor. The roads are full of drug-addicts and beggars. But if you look closely, you’ll notice people like me also survive. In fact, I’ve almost never interacted with the millions of people who live below the poverty line in our country (apparently). Of course that doesn’t include the numerous servants in my house. Mind you, I’m not one of those people who sleep hungry at night; we have lots and lots of food at home, so much that a lot of it just goes bad and needs to be thrown … or I give it to the maid if she’s good.

It might surprise you, but my world is quite different from those of other Pakistanis affected by bomb blasts and floods. I mean I heard about the floods on TV, but that doesn’t mean I was affected by them. Not in the least.

The people in my country are so dissatisfied. Our poor interior minister has to keep telling them he’ll solve their problems some day. Why do they have to make a big deal out of everything, anyway? I mean who cares if some 100 people were killed in some godforsaken area of Karachi? Honestly, I think I’ll just move abroad.

WRITTEN BY:
Myra Azhar A sub-editor for The Express Tribune

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (48)

farasat | 12 years ago | Reply "hunger of the poor is only caused by the pleasure seeking of the rich , and Allah ,the exalted, will question them about this ." Hazrat Ali (a.s). i don't have any doubt that we as pakistanis have to sacrifice to make our country educated and better so that the rural folks and uneducated people can be tought and we as a nation develop not as individuals.

A Man of Hope | 12 years ago | Reply @SM.: Well penned, my friend! In response to all the negative remarks to this article, I remember a famous quote from a US president "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!" And in our country's scenario, theres a lot the rich and elite can do. For one, they can earn the respect and appreciation of large sums of people by doing just a little even!

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SM. | 12 years ago | Reply Justification. Bitterness. The responses to this article speak so much about the attitudes of people. The upper classes' pointless criticism. I mean the message is clear, why not accept it with grace instead? And others begrudging and distrustful. :). Firstly, its an article, it says nothing about the writer personally, so the question of show off doesn't arise. Secondly, yes , there are a hundred reasons and excuses, but honestly, theres no limit to charity. I would while reading the article, look within myself, and realise theres not enough that I've given. As long as people are crying of poverty, it is never enough. So the real question is what I have done? I shall have the modesty and humility to say NOTHING, but I wish to and I shall take the blame for as long as people here are hungry and miserable. What about you? If you dont feel an inkling of guilt, Shame on you.

A Man of Hope | 12 years ago | Reply if people understood sarcasm, it would have received more appreciation. perhaps a better platform for launching this idea would be on short tv commercials. i saw a few really nice ones about 'ye mera pakistan hai.'

Saad Javed | 12 years ago | Reply I'm sorry but I think a lot of what's been stated is rash and foolish. It's easy to say criticize such a lifestyle of english/foreign education, buying brands and even moving abroad, but this is how the world works. Firstly education is probably one of the most important things to which the Prophet even said seek education even if it leads you as far as China. Now I'm not saying you can't get a good education in Pakistan but what if you wanted to study a subject not taught here - say film then what else are you to do? If you can get an education from the best school in the world why should anyone deny you that right? Second. If you work hard at an honest job no one has the right to tell you how to spend you're money. If everyone worked hard and honest and splurged within their means then half our problems would be eradicated. It is a fact that career/goal oriented people are less likely to indulge in crime and other deviant activity because they have more invested in their lives and more to lose. Third. I think its perverse to say that moving abroad to escape the problems of Pakistan is simply put 'wrong'. Your first duty is to your family and to ensure their safety and if that means moving out of here then so be it. After all if people trying to escape persecution for a better life was wrong then Pakistan would never have been formed in the first place. Saying that leaving is wrong is the same as saying that we should have remained a unified India and worked towards a solution. That being said I do believe we should, all of us help out fellow man and our fellow countrymen (whether you are part of the 'elite' or the 'lowerclass' you are not exempt from being a decent human being). If there is a hungry man next to me I will share my food with him, but if for some reason it comes down to him or me living through that situation I'll choose me without a second thought. Now if you show me a 100 people who will sacrifice themselves for the person next to them, I'll show you 98 liars. Think about it this way, would you not (through fair means) provide the best life you can for you're children - including education, standard of living and security from harm?

umar | 12 years ago | Reply so you are following the rule of 'love pak or leave pak' in case you chose the later one but where ever we'll go or live we'll remain pakistani representing our country

M.REHAN BEHLEEM | 12 years ago | Reply This is what I wanted to say but you shared it nice thought its like a taunt to all those who are living in this society because they only care just for themselves, they don't have time for those who are needy...

yousaf | 12 years ago | Reply classic concise satire!!!!!!!!!!

No | 12 years ago | Reply The article is show-off cum satire. Its pointless.

sab | 12 years ago | Reply y r u bragging abut ur wealthy lifestyle..just keep it to urself and u shudn't be so proud of urself by writing dis article..u shud be ashamed of urself to be called a pakistanii!!

Confused | 12 years ago | Reply you gots guts, I tell you that.

Ammar Aziz | 12 years ago | Reply Pseudo sarcasm. You have attempted to make it sound like a 'oh-so-humanistic creation' but the matter of the fact is that you actually ARE what you have written. There's no observation at all (of the 'other' class) to give it a contrasting flavour. Sarcasm in literature / arts can ONLY be meaningful if its has a strong dialectical approach. In your case people are finding it hard to get the ''real'' cause behind this petty piece of writing.

Now I know my ABCs, Next time won't you sing with me? | 12 years ago | Reply When we heard something similar to this in childhood, our words were, "Showwiyaan maar rahi hai! Ignore Karo".

Abhi | 12 years ago | Reply I support Zahid Qureshi. I think by putting responsibility to elites the common people of Pakistan try to get away from their own responsibility. Why should elite really be alone responsible for whatever is happening in Pakistan anyway. Why common people have to play in the hands of these elite and then blame them.

Haider.h | 12 years ago | Reply yes the upper class might not care but one day the flood gates are bound to open if the present apathy persists. and then as hassan nisar says the guillotine will replace generators in upper class' backyard and there wont be any time off for lunch for the one's running them.

Salman Orangiwala | 12 years ago | Reply Kudos ! Par excellence ! Trying to bring out the opaque truth from the silhouette 'bout some of THOSE who do breathe the same air as we . They do exist . Some mother's do have'em .

MallBaby | 12 years ago | Reply Well written; though bits and pieces of Moni Mohsin's "social butterfly" have been blatantly copied.

tanam | 12 years ago | Reply You are right, you dont have to face all these things, about the situation for lower class, you can only imagine flood, bombing, terrorism, hunger and injustice in your imagination like in your article, bibi reality is very hard to face, Pray to God, for what you dont have to face and what you have, be happy live long.

Muhammad Bilal Iftikhar Khan | 12 years ago | Reply Beautiful All Pakistan is a jungle Every Pakistani is for sale Elite Rape the country And we all act like a fool Some sell religion, some sell dreams Nation is dieing hungry and they are eating cream Inter Elite conflicts, democracy and rule of law, all are their fraud Government of elite for the elite by the elite is a big fraud. They live in AC and we don’t even get fan They travel in luxury cars which we never can Their children study at Harvard when our children have no school Tears and tears only for NATION OF 170 MILLION FOOL

Noman Ansari | 12 years ago | Reply @Azam Sultan Ahmed: You may need to change the batteries on your 'satire detector'.

Azam Sultan Ahmed | 12 years ago | Reply Shame on the indifference, one day it could be you or me, we have to wake up to the tidings of the day. Complacency is a silent killer.

Anonymous | 12 years ago | Reply Nothing is changing, nothing will change. I don't even know why I brought myself to read this piece. I've read a thousand like this before and to be honest they all go UNNOTICED. No action taken whatsoever. No change in the elite class's attitude. Peace.

parvez | 12 years ago | Reply It's not easy writing satire and you just proved it. All the same it was a bold attempt.

Abhi | 12 years ago | Reply I think expecting well off citizen to sacrifice their life style for the sake of good is not going to work. More or less everyone is responsible for their own. so if a farmer instead of educating his kids spends the money some where else he is responsible for his misfortune. Similarly if rural folks instead of controlling thier family, keep on producing children they are responsible for the misery anyway.

AMQ | 12 years ago | Reply Good job!

Saqib | 12 years ago | Reply At least you have a sympathetic heart and thinking mind .. i think that is enough. i think lot of people misunderstand this article

Tariq | 12 years ago | Reply Nice Idea, But not so good execution. There is a lot more that could have been said here, but wasn't. it sort of looked like a half-hearted attempt.

Great Jaat | 12 years ago | Reply @sana: The real question is what are you doing to improve your country

Nazi | 12 years ago | Reply Pathetic ! just the comparison of Upper and lower class !

Javeri Mahmood | 12 years ago | Reply Very good way to highlight the problems of our country....... Appreciated

Kashif | 12 years ago | Reply This article is just another rant.

imtiaz | 12 years ago | Reply i think its totally one sided.it would have been better if u had shown us the other side as clear as this.

Furqan | 12 years ago | Reply de ja vu

Fahad Raza | 12 years ago | Reply That pretty much sums up the elite .. well written satire.!!

sana | 12 years ago | Reply If this makes you feel a little uneasy and stirs your sleeping conscience, this article has made its point :).

farasat | 12 years ago | Reply And when will we think . when will we change and get to the problems our brothers are facing .generators not a good option. the lifestyle leaves many hungry so not fair ...... who cares ? i do as a Pakistani.

Noman Ansari | 12 years ago | Reply Good piece of satire. Very bold. I wouldn't have had the fortitude to write something like that in Pakistan. Thumbs up.

MAZEN | 12 years ago | Reply Sarcastic-ism is the theme of this well-written article. the only reason why this so-called elite is in apathy just because the silence of poor people. One day, this is my conviction that these poor peoples will stand against this callous elite.

Mastishhk | 12 years ago | Reply And the point of this article is ???????

Zahid Qureshi | 12 years ago | Reply Thats perfectly fine with the rest of the pakistan and world as long as you and people of your class pay tax

Tribune Reader | 12 years ago | Reply sarcastic writing?

Bangash | 12 years ago | Reply So you are the upper or middle class of this country which comprises perhaps 10% of the population but controls everything.

Ali | 12 years ago | Reply What?

Great Jaat | 12 years ago | Reply Sad but true.

Farhan Aleem | 12 years ago | Reply Nice think indeed, as you mention you have royal living standard so why you should not focus on promoting luxurious item such as Fashion & style thing, it will be entertain the people instead of declaring outage of power, protest, killing bodies, bomb blast caused embarrassed our people more…! In this way you will highlight the positive issue which contains a little percentage but more powerful than majority in our society because “there’s always sleep a crystal in every stone, you should have an eyes to recognize it” then it will be helpful to accommodate us in fool’s paradise & willing to say “Sab Achaa Hai”. Please don’t waste your energy in such silly thing because we & our government body have created this situation ourselves. Best of luck for your next blog Myra…..!

Paras Vikmani | 12 years ago | Reply Very well written sarcastic article!

Farhan Aleem | 12 years ago | Reply Nice think indeed, as you mention you have royal living standard so why you should not focus on promoting luxurious item such as Fashion & style thing, it will be entertain the people instead of declaring outage of power, protest, killing bodies, bomb blast caused embarrassed our people more…! In this way you will highlight the positive issue which contains a little percentage but more powerful than majority in our society because “there’s always sleep a crystal in every stone, you should have an eye to recognize it” then it will be helpful to accommodate us in fool’s paradise & willing to say “Sab Achaa Hai”. Please don’t waste your energy in such silly thing because we & our government body have created this situation ourselves. Best of luck for your next blog Myra…..!

khan | 12 years ago | Reply A satirical look at a certain strata of Pakistani society, but is it sufficient to jolt them out of their apathy? I rather think that it won't be enough, and a more radical solution maybe the only way out of the current imbroglio..................

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