Pakistan Lorries are a WOW

Oct 28, 2006

Today we drove 3 ½ hours from Hyderabad to another town and then another hour to village of a tribal group by the name of Bheel. As in India each ethnic group tends to follow one or several similar occupations. This is known as the caste system along with other aspects of this overarching social system. Pakistan also has this caste system.

The Jogi in the village near Karachi have the occupation as beggers, snake charmers and sell eggs and chickens. These people are farmers, farming sugar cane, cotton and rice.

Driving through much of the southern part of Pakistan is not visually inspirational but there are some interesting sights. Every truck and bus is its own work of art. I haven’t looked in Google Images but you might try searching for Pakistan Lorries, trucks or buses. I’m sure someone has taken photos. In this rather drab environment the transportation gives colour and inspiration.

For anyone who has been to India, Thailand or other SouthEast Asian countries, driving can be hair raising but not in Pakistan. People certainly drive mostly on the left but that’s a vague concept. There are busess, lorries, motorcycles, tuktus, private vehicles, motorcycles, donkey and camel carts, people walking and children playing. Yet, there is great consideration between drivers and pedestrians. They all watch out for each other in some sort of working relationship. Pakistan is not known for having a high auto accident rate as in many developing countries or even developed ones.

When I first visited New Zealand many years before I immigrated I was struck by how very nice New Zealand people are. But put them behind the wheel of their car and they turn into aggressive, rude folks. On the other hand, the rather brash and direct Aussie is an example of gracious driving. Thankfully NZ drivers are improving with a strong and consistent message on TV and radio. Pakistan drivers are polite and cautious (that’s the word they use for each other). Accidents are few although, of course, there are serious ones. No one wears seat belts but I felt comfortable and at ease.

The pollution however is a different matter. The streets are narrow and the dust and vehicle emission is extreme. Sometimes a car 40 feet in front of you is just a yellow, dusty image. I’ve been to some pretty polluted places but I think Pakistan stands out as the worst so far.

On our way to the village there was a wet spot from a leak in a pipe, a motorcycle slid and turned over with the two boys falling and sliding along the road. As with the father and children in the earlier problem, every car stopped and people rushed out to help.

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