Welcome To Pakistan

[Windjammer]

Celebrating 10 amazing years in Pakistan

Paul Keijzer
An innovative business leader and an HR professional, Paul firmly believes that outstanding results can only be achieved through engaging people, teams, and building commitment. He tweets as @paul_keijzer

It has been ten awesome years since I started working and living in Karachi, Pakistan. It’s a strange realisation that I have never lived longer in any other place my whole life.

I arrived in March of 2003.

It was the start of the Iraq war and one can only imagine the concern my parents felt when I told them I was moving to Pakistan. Their apprehension has not faded (they get daily reminders of the horrors that Pakistan is exposed to) but they have now accepted that this is my home.

Obviously I was also quite uneasy at first, and to make matters worse in June 2003 Time Magazine ran a front cover story with the headline:

“Karachi: The world’s most dangerous city.”

The interview inside quoted one of Karachi’s most infamous hit-men. Surprisingly, it was not the interview or the murder statistics that blew me away, it was the fact that even Karachi’s most notorious hit-man had a number of body guards for his own protection.

When I first moved here, driving on MT Khan Road was a short and excruciating version of the Paris – Dakar race. The city would get completely swamped and immobile for days following a refreshing summer rainstorms, and there was just McDonalds at Park Towers for entertainment.

Ten years is a long time and Karachi is a different city now.

Despite all our complaints, the infrastructure of the city has completely transformed and life in Karachi has moved on. It remains a city of extremes, with the newest and most expensive imported cars trading places with camel carts. With high-flying socialites enjoying coffee at the newest hot spot in town and millions of people living from day to day, if not hour to hour, fighting for survival.

However, as a Dutch man I strongly believe in an equitable society where people have similar opportunities and chances, and where success is based on merit.

We live in a country where 100 million people are under the age of 25, all who dream to acquire a branded life style. Sadly, only a small percentage of them have the abilities to do so (50% of the population under 25 can’t read or write). It is a wonder that this social time bomb has not gone off yet.

Ten years living here and I have learned to love this country.

Pakistan is an absolutely amazing place with amazing people. No other country in the world would be able to get back on its feet after the numerous mortal blows it has received.

An example that will always stay in my heart was the reaction to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. In a time of great need, it was humbling to witness the compassion and commitment to help fellow citizens.

I am very optimistic about our future. With our resources, our resourcefulness, the desire to build a better life for our families, our compassion and our love for the country, we will get it right and prosper. We will elect the right leaders that will sort out our governance issues.

We will come together unite, showing the world how magical Pakistan can be, the place that I so dearly call home.

Happy Pakistan Day – Pakistan Zindabad!

Celebrating 10 amazing years in Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog

 

[Windjammer]

An earlier article by the same author.

I will soon be celebrating my 10th year here in Pakistan. It has been an incredible experience so far having travelled all four corners of the country, from Hunza to Jiwani and from Darra Adam Khel to Nagarparkar.

I have enjoyed all the highs and lows possible and Pakistan would not be Pakistan if these highs were not unscalable, 25,000 feet mountains, and lows of ocean grade depths.

Yesterday, specifically, has special significance to me as it was three years ago that I cemented my relation with Pakistan by marrying one of its most beautiful and smartest women. I still remember the photographer at our wedding who was waiting even after all guests had left for the rukhsati (bidding farewell to the bride by her family). His face dropped when we told him there would be no such ceremony as I had decided to embrace my extended family by living in their home.

I left my parental home eagerly at the age of 18 to go to university. I must admit that it took me some time to get used to the fact that your life becomes an open book to all family members and servants alike and that your father-in-law would still worryingly ask you not come home too late at night.

Growing and running your own company is no sinecure and I must admit that having been a professional ‘rat-racer’ for 18 years, I do sometimes long to the life of the company-senior-executive life style. The need to chase, harass and blackmail your customers to pay for you even after the completion of an assignment continues to surprise me. Despite all the zillion of hours in planes to visit clients with my family taking the brunt of it, I still love my work. Helping companies to engage their employees to grow their business has been immensely rewarding. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it again in a jiffy.

Over the last several years, many people have asked me why I have chosen to stay on. My answer to that has always been that Pakistan is my home. I have my family here, my business here and my life here. The simple thing is, I would never have been able to achieve what I have achieved here any where else in the world. Here, everything is possible; and with that I truly mean everything is possible. There are no boundaries; just your passion, your ideas, your hard work and, of course, a little bit of luck. As the saying goes, “meri kismat, mere haath mein” (if it is to be, it is up to me)

I love this country I so proudly call home. I love its landscapes and its culture. Above all, I love its people; heart wrenching, emotional, utterly impulsive, ‘minimise effort and maximise reward’ seekers, conspiracy theorists, intensely optimistic, kick-us-down-and-we-come-out-on-top resilient, ever hospitable, fun- and food-loving Pakistanis.

I guess nobody has been able to articulate my status better then the driver who picked me up from Islamabad airport. After interrogating me in “Urdu-English” he came to his conclusion,

“Haan, ab mein samjha, you are a desi gora.”

(Yes, now I understand, you are a Pakistani white man)

I have been wearing this title with pride ever since!

Pakistan zindabad!

Happy independence day.

I may be a ‘gora’ but Pakistan is my home – The Express Tribune Blog

 

[SHAMK9]

No other country in the world would be able to get back on its feet after the numerous mortal blows it has received.

I love this

 

[Windjammer]

I love this

That my friend is an indisputable fact, we have had out fair share of natural calamities and man made disasters, but any emergency gels this great nation even more and we prove our resilience with even more vigour and strength. !!

 

[Kompromat]

There is a reason why we call ourselves a 'khabis qom jisy kuch nhi hota'.

 

[xTra]

Jammer, what are you doing in Scotland.

 

[Windjammer]

Jammer, what are you doing in Scotland.

Well, i didn't exactly arrive here last week however most of my investment is in Pakistan where i hope to return.....soon. !!

 

[American Pakistani]

Welcome to this brother in his country.

A masterpiece find & posted by Windy.

 

[Hindustani]

There are many misconceptions of pakistan. However the only places I've been, to were mainly in and around Peshawar, stayed for about three days after visiting J&K. People there are pretty laid back and modernized, wish I had more time to actually go sight seeing.

 

[Kompromat]

There are many misconceptions of pakistan. However the only places I've been, to were mainly in and around Peshawar, stayed for about three days after visiting J&K. People there are pretty laid back and modernized, wish I had more time to actually go sight seeing.

Did you smoke crack,when you were there?

 

[Thorough Pro]

You mean "resilient" or "Dheet"

There is a reason why we call ourselves a 'khabis qom jisy kuch nhi hota'.

 

[Kompromat]

You mean "resilient" or "Dheet"

Infact there is no word for the type of dheetness we have

 

[Hindustani]

Did you smoke crack,when you were there?

Meant before visiting Jammu

 

[Windjammer]

Infact there is no word for the type of dheetness we have

@Aeronaut

My dear, without the chest thumping, let me tell you a little personal story....some ten years earlier, i invested around $150,000 in property in Pakistan, now a developer is constantly bugging me with offers around $500.000......family are pushing me to sell up and transfer the cash.....but i'm being very Dheet.........but i wonder if the developer is pagal, resilient or very hopeful .

 

[A.Rafay]

Beautiful articles! Simply amazing! Long live Pakistan!