![without access to adult literacy programmes newspaper vendor harbouring dejection without access to adult literacy programmes newspaper vendor harbouring dejection](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/474267-paper-1354474297.jpg)
“I’ve made peace with the fact that I am poor and have little chances of getting anywhere in life. Since I was 10 years old, I’d made up my mind not to have delusions of studying at a good school as I could never afford an education,” he said, while talking to The Express Tribune.
Imran lives in a cramped one-room space with no electricity or gas ay Kacheri Chowk, with a monthly rent of Rs3,500. He shares the burden of running the household with his mother ever since his father died some seven years back. He wakes up each morning wondering how to make ends meet and perhaps provide more opportunities for his elder sister and younger brother.
“[My brother] says he wants to work at a mechanics shop. Being elder, I need to guide me as there was no one to guide me. To be honest, we cannot afford to educate him and that troubles me,” he said. Sensitive to the needs of his family, he tries to spend as little as possible, refusing to take a wagon at signal stops and instead walks from Rawalpindi to Islamabad and back home.
“I used to work at a marble factory but was made to leave when they started downsizing. I’ve been selling newspapers for a year now, initially I was clueless on how to deal with the business but have learnt the craft of salesmanship and made regular clientele at the signals,” he said. On a good day, he earns Rs120 by selling 200 newspapers.
“I have looked for an evening job but in vain. People want references especially for working at a house. I have none.”
It is not as if Imran is not willing to get his hands dirty, but his education, or lack of it, gets in his way. “I’ve cleaned gutters, worked as a rag picker and even applied for a sanitary worker at Pizza Hut. But no matter how hard you work, if you’re illiterate the odds will always be against you,” he lamented.
However, he fears it might be too late to pursue education now. “Who will put a 19-year-old in preschool?” he said with a laugh.
“I have tried looking up adult literacy programme but they seem to be mainly in rural areas, and that too for women. Everyone seems to have forgotten about the urban poor and young men like me,” he said, with a finality in his voice.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2012.
COMMENTS (11)
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@Asad
Thanks for the help :)
Very heart breaking article If i were living in Pak, i would help countless people like him, this is just another indicator that pakistan needs help, and help now. Rebuild the economy on the backbon of education, eradicate poverty, and close the gap
All those who are willing to help him shows good side of our society and Pakistani people but remember in this way our options are limited. This is only one guy, there are millions more on the streets of every city. We should think collectively, this can only be done by bringing good people in the government. We should be brutally honest even with our elders to support the clean candidates in elections otherwise trust me nothing gonna happen. We will support this one guy but hundred more will be in the same condition the very next day.
Meanwhile in other news... CM Punjab goes on a laptop distribution rampage..
@m: @Mehreen: I really appreciate your feelings from him, If you cant get the exact information from the author then you should check him near Hotel Blue Palace, as per the image this guy is standing near Hotel Blue Palace, it might help. http://www.localyte.com/attraction/50878--Hotel-Blue-Place-IJ-Principal-Road-Rawalpindi-Pakistan--Pakistan--Punjab--Rawalpindi
For those interested in helping imran. Please call 03335452021
We are ready to sponsor education of Imran or his bro, if he is willing. Is there any way we contact the guy?
He makes 120 rupees in a single day. That's just over one dollar. IN A SINGLE DAY! That too on 'good days'. And he has rent to pay and a family to support.
Try remembering this the next time you complain about something in your life.
ET, is there any way of contacting Mohammad Imran? I would like to try and help
This just broke my heart. The plight of the poor. I really wish I could do something for all these people who want to achieve so much in life but simply aren't given the opportunity. I really wish I could do something for them because my incompetent, corrupt, narcissistic and self indulging government will never.
This has to be one of the most profoundly moving things that I've ever read in my entire life. I go by everyday living in a first world country and thinking that I'm unlucky because I have no iphone or no friends or no money for weekend outings with my friends and it's just such an eye-opener to see people just scraping by every single day with different things on their minds, so much more urgent than my silly whinings. Kudos to the author for actually writing about something that makes us reflect!