Re: An Indian-American Visits Pakistan…
i have never been to india..so can’t reflect upon the comparison aspect.
Apart from that, I do agree with some of the assessments..that both lahore and karachi have experienced some major infrastructure updates at least in some portion of the cities. Every other year when i go back to lahore, i get impressed by the incremental development especially around the aiprort, gulberg, lahore cannt, ferozpur road, defense housing society. Roads are very well carpeted, relatively spacious, generally clean, separated by well maintained green belts, branded cars everywhere, newer glass buildings, tons of restaurants, many flyover bridges etc… it is very modern looking…
but let me also add that most of this structural modernism is to some extent cosmetic. Municipal sewer system is absolutely rubbish even in modern parts of Lahore and Karachi..one rain and everything will be flooded. Water availability is poor and almost every home has a pump. Major power shortages are common.
As soon as you cross wahdat road and start moving towards ichra and then to mazang, things are a bit more random, congested and dirtier. Once you cross Government college, anarkali bazar and kachari court, you are officially in old lahore in data darbar vicinity and it is pretty average up there and not much to romanticize … unless you were born and raised in those mysterious streets!
From social standpoint, the writer is overstating…maybe because he was exposed to rich Pakistanis only… There is no booz type activity anywhere except among very few families or in lahore gymkhana where waiters still serve wine and beer in a hidden format when you are busy playing cards! yes we have some malls, theaters, cinema houses and bowling centers, but they are still very few and not part of normal social fabric.
For an average lahorite/katachite, the overall social circle is still very suffocated … very few music shows. No more junoon/awaz type musical events at open air theater. People are afraid of bomb blasts when they go to these modern social events unless they are at a protected place. Eating outside remains the biggest social activity in Lahore.
Karachi has been torn by the violence but modern parts of the city remain immune to most of this violence for most part. You go to Defense housing society to meet your friends in karachi and you will find rich class busy with their lives. but Karachi definitely has a much more active social life than lahore despite violence. So many literature events, mena bazar, urdu conferences, musical events, fashion shows etc. Lahore will have all of them but not frequently.