Thot about doing a thread on growing up and living as a minority in PK since the 70s. Its been a mixed bag a lot of hate, some love and much indifference. Even a separate electorate till 2000s that many today dont know about. In the end its my home too & hard not to forget that.
Some funny moments : arrive in Multan only to be met by a worried intelligence officer who couldn't understand nor willing to accept why i had a CNIC & not a foreign passport
Arrived in Sukkur to be refused a ride to the hotel by the driver waiting with my name on his board because he was told he was to pick up a Gora "foreigner"
A room full of Govt officers who were there to attend a training led by me snickering away in Urdu about how young i was and how they knew more etc turning red in the faces when i proceeded to conduct the session in urdu using technical terms
Being rechristened multiple times by people as Noor Butt, Rabert, Not Rabert, Nobat, Al-MEDIA, al Maida
Being asked by FIA immigration to state my Original nationality
The shock of classmates when i topped Islamic Studies in College being the only non-muslim to have taken it as a subject in our batch
Of course the numerous neighbors thru the years knocking the door seeking Brandy to cure a cough and being shocked to find out ours was a house that didnt have alcohol
The random knock on the front door by strangers who saw the name and wanted to know if we could teach them the english language
The friends and acquaintances wondering if they'd be served the "special" fruitcake and not knowing what they meant till years later when i started making it and saw the recipe had an option for alcohol.
Hosting an annual iftar for school and college friends with arrangements for namaz at home
The funny moment when a person asked for the Qibla direction completed their namaz and was like oh man you sure you gave me the right direction and having to take them to the balcony and point to the setting sun.
Spotting giggling kids who'd never seen women wearing dresses in their area and saying haw they dont have pants on and trying to grab a peek under the dress
Being a part of the winning school team in a Naat competition held for Eid Milad
The mistaken assumption that being a Christian meant a visa for the west is guaranteed not releasing the embassies consider us a flight risk (asylum seekers) and put more restrictions on us (short duration, report back, more documentation)
Knowing the complete count in urdu and the difference in inuhnatar unnaasee athanway etc
Being offered something by a fellow passenger in a bus during iftari and when i refused because i cud see they had nothing more for themselves the person said oh abhi time hai ap kayliye sorry ( thot i was Shia)
Setting up a Sabeel outside my house during ramadan and leading the collection of money alongwith another neighbor to cook the haleem on 9th 10th Muharram and feeding the neighborhood.
Always getting new clothes from the parents for Eid as we celebrated it more than Christmas growing up in north nazimabad
We also did Christmas Caroling going around north nazimabad the week before Christmas to the few Christian homes that were there but always were surrounded by an amused crowd who would come to enjoy and experience something new
Learning a few sentences & counting in Pushtoo from the naan hotel wala and thereafterstruggling on a trip to Peshawar because the folk i was dealing with thot i knew pushto and was easier for them than to speak in broken urdu
The effort made by an office driver to find out the catholic church in Rahimyarkhan and the mass timings too because i had to spend a sunday there. But his worry that it was a service in punjabi and if i could manage then coming on his day off to take me there too.
Finally .. it was the 1st day of Eid and a 3pm funeral mass for my dad.
The church was packed 99% by Muslim friends colleagues acquaintances.
That is the Pakistan i grew up loving and wish for forever and ever.
The church was packed 99% by Muslim friends colleagues acquaintances.
That is the Pakistan i grew up loving and wish for forever and ever.
Thank you all for the kind words my personal belief is try and give back you never know who may benefit I learnt that lesson 15 years ago have a read ozy.com/true-story/the…
