I had a very interesting conversation with the cab driver who drove me to my office today. I’m still thinking about some things he said.
He was an old gentleman, a Pathan originating from Malakand, tanned to the core, signifying that he had worked hard in life. He had worked in 33 countries and was now driving a cab in Karachi. Has two sons and one daughter living in Karachi. He was using some difficult english words in his conversation too, and his Urdu had only a very slight trace of Pashtoon accent, yet he spoke perfect Pashto.
Since I don’t usually talk to cab drivers, I was lost in my own thoughts when he suddenly asked me where I was going. I told him I was going to my office. He said, oh, a person should always work in life and I agreed with him. He said though that in Pakistan the day had still not come when women can be equal to men. I objected and said, babaji aisi baat nai hae boht see jaghon pe aurtein aur mard barabri se kaam kartay haen, thinking about my own workplace. He said the problem with Pakistani women is that they are not hardworking. I said again babaji we Pakistani women are so hardworking. We work in the fields in the villages and in the cities it is the women who are topping the academic boards in Matric, FA, BA, BSc, MBBS. He said yes maybe but Pakistani women are not used to tough physical work such as operating machines. I said maybe. He was old so didn’t want to debate his opinions too much, wanted more to hear his views and learn from his vast experience in life.
Then we stopped at a traffic light. Some political personality was visiting. He said, in America even for Bush they don’t stop the traffic, and in Pakistan even for a maamuli wazeer we block the roads.
Then he said my daughter is very intelligent but we did not let her study after matric [grade 10th]. He had given permission but he was abroad and his father did not allow her to study further. Even though she scored 80% A-1 division in Science.
In their village near Malakand, when women wanted to go beyond primary schooling, a tribal jirga was convened to decide if they should be allowed. I said babaji in Islam women and men are supposed to gain education, its required for them. He said, yes, but who cares about Islam when it comes to GHAIRAT? Nobody cares about Islam. However, he said, the biggest beghairti is not to believe in your own izzat, not trust your own daughters. I said haanji babaji you are right. He said Pakistan cannot progress until the Maulvis exist. All molvis should be shot. I remained silent.
Papa had settled with him when I was getting on the cab that I would pay him Rs. 80. When we got near the office, we missed the curb he had to take to get me into the office building. I guess being a pathan he got emotional and too absorbed in his talk. So he said, koi baat nai hamara kaam manzil tak ponhchana hae, and he had to drive extra. In the end his taxi meter showed Rs. 91.5. When I gave him a 100 rupee note, he said he would keep only Rs. 80, because baat zabaan ki hae.
