Train to Pakistan 2004: La, Hore?

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I too always wondered about the karas that I have seen some Pakistanis wear...I observed that Pakistani mechanics seem to take obvious pride in their work. This was something novel for me because Indian mechanics, in my experience, try to take the customer for a ride. When I was in Lahore, the exhaust system of my good friend`s Honda Civic fell off due to the combination of rash driving and tall speed bumpers. So we picked up the parts and slowly drove to the nearest mechanic. The head mechanic dropped everything he was doing and soldered the part back in about 20 minutes. He chatted with us for a couple of minutes and we told him that we were studying abroad, and were home for holidays. He refused to take money from my friend inspite of repeated offering. All this, when he did not know that I am an Indian. It was genuine and sincere and was not the hospitality pressure that he might otherwise have felt. He seemed to relish the fact that he was able to help and in a non-Indian way, seemed to be proud of the success ( a Honda Civic is apparently a big thing in Pakistan) achieved by a complete stranger. It is one of my best memories of Pakistan.

regards

Kabuli

Veeresh

Post # 125

Quote:

`` and it tasted like something sold at Tikri Border on a busy night.``

LOL ....


Quote:

`` there is more Scotch whicky consumed in India than is made in all of Scotland. ``

A very minor thing ...:)

As I recall, it used to be said only about Black Label whisky/scotch in India and not all the Scotch produced in Scotland.

Quite possible that the version you gave might have been there, as well.

RSridhar

Post # 124

Quote:

`` Now a days, there are a lot of movies on police corruption, corruption of leaders etc but this is nothing new. Corruption has always existed in the Indian society.
So, what is new? ``

It is not about old or new but the fact that Indian/bollywood movies have been reflecting/presenting reality. As you say yourself that corruption has always existed in the Indian society but can you tell me any time when Indian/bollywood movies have shied away from presenting this very reality of Indian society? Actually, there hardly has been any socially relevant issue which has not been presented in Bollywood movies. Be it about feudals, their behaviour, ill treatment of woman in the family, in the society, bonded labour, hoarding of goods, blackmarket, price rise, tension in joint family, parivar niyojan, shortage of houses and so on, . You name it, and chances are Indian/Bollywood movies have shown reflected the reality of time. And the thing is, all this has been shown in the mainstream commercial movies and not just in art or off beat movies alone.

As to AIDS and other matters, it has to be realised that in the last 10 or so years, television has taken some space from Indian/Bollywood movies and tv also has created a huge space for itself too. The topics that are mentioned in your post I am sure, serials and other programmes do present them or have presented. Even though I myself may have not watched or watch programmes.

Here is my ``good mechanic-bad mechanic`` story: I had this rented car with hub cap coming off and bent a bit. Tried to push it back in place and didnt work. Took it to a body shop, the korean gentleman comes out, looks at it and tells me to leave the car with him now or later. Couldnt give me an estimate. So I went to the next body shop. Gora gentleman comes out, looks at it, fiddles a bit with it, gives it a solid whack - and the hub cap is in place. Charges me nothing and wishes me a good weekend. So, today (when I needed to get the outside rear view mirror fixed), I took it to the gora shop.

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Urstruly:
Just wanted to let you know that I went to the local library today and found the ``The Emergence of Pakistan`` there. This is not the book that I had read which contained the remark which I referred to. Sorry for giving that impression.

Your remarks re. trade show that you could gain a bit by reading some good book on international trade. Here are some of the points I would like to share with you:
-I am not a student of Pakistani economy so I cannot say which commodities would be able to compete in India. But when I go to the local desi convenience store I find that the products from Pakistan compete quite effectively, even the Indian videos copied in Pakistan. And when I go to the local department stores, I find that the textile and sports goods also are able to compete with Pakistan. If they can compete in third countries, I dont see why they cant compete in India.
-Today is no indicator what would happen when forced to compete. As someone pointed out, the Indian manufacturers too raised hue and cry when protection was removed from them; but when the warm blanket of protection was taken away, they quickly learnt to be more efficient.
-The points I had made were not in the context of free trade but normal trade. In normal trade, I was merely referring to what Pakistan was importing anyway from other countries, and sometimes from India through third countries/smuggling. In these situations, if Pakistan can purchase those things cheaper from India, it will be saving its own foreign exchange. And of the products illegally imported from India or through third countries, Pakistan can make some money by allowing their imports and taxing the difference between what is paid to the Indians and what the Pakistanis are willing to pay. In other words, the loss currently is entirely Pakistan`s.
-If it is true that there is nothing that Pakistanis can produce and sell cheaper, it is indicative of a deeper malaise. This means that because of the loans, grants, compensation for services to Americans and expats` remittances, the exchange rate in Pakistan is higher than it should be for the Pakistani manufacturers to compete effectively. In that case, policy makers should be dealing with the root cause rather than the symptom.
-If the above is not true, Indian manufacturers, if allowed, will no doubt prefer to locate in Pakistan for some of their activities. I believe that this is a distinct possibility given the better physical infrastructure in Pakistan in tems of roads and electricity, the two perennial problems in India.

If it is true that there is nothing that Pakistanis can produce and sell cheaper, it is indicative of a deeper malaise. This means that because of the loans, grants, compensation for services to Americans and expats` remittances, the exchange rate in Pakistan is higher than it should be for the Pakistani manufacturers to compete effectively. In that case, policy makers should be dealing with the root cause rather than the symptom.
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Root cause, indeed !
Have you not read countless books and articles by pakistani`s when they attempt to define their welt-anshaung ? They are the heirs of the mughals and Ghazis. Sordid commerce will only soil their hands!!
Watch, after 2005, what happens to their textile industry! The chinese and indians are going to wipe the floor with it. Unfortunately a lot of third world countries will also suffer.

Army rule cannot let another power centre emerge, and a flourishing business / middle class will be just that. Pakistani will have as much industry as the army allows it, and that will be just enough to keep the army comfortable.

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halur: Your ignorance of the fundamentals of economics is obvious from your post. Ever hear of comparitive advantage? Obviously not.

Go read up on some basic economics textboot before you talk this gibberish of pakistan not having anything to see to india. You can then pass that textbook to some of these other morons from india as well whose arrogance is matched only by their ignorance.