So, how can the state capitalize on this fabulous fabric of socio-economic relations? Even more to the point, how can we utilize this “samaji” character based on our ancient traditional, cultural capital to develop our national potential? I will Insha-Allah be posting a few articles related to the possible use that various levels of government [local, municipal, tehsil, district, province and federation] may make of this essential feature of the Pakistani Samaj construct. Here and today, my concern is with our [that is yours and mine] interface with the “daily wage” & “self-employed” artisan class to promote the Pakistani Samaj Tehreek.
When I was living in Harley Street, close to CMH Rawalpindi, there were seven different types of Bazars within a mile from my home. Closest was the 22No. octroi [baais nambar chungi], but let’s not count that. Next was Tench Bhata, followed by Bakra Mandi, Tali Moori, Dheri Hasanabad, Lal Kurti, R. A Bazar, and of course Saddar. Recovering from an illness, I would go to each of these either as part of my walk in the cool of the evening, or in the morning on my cycle. Gradually I began noticing that each had a different cliental, a distinct mood, pattern of behavior and a pace of its own in the conduct of business. The quantity and quality of goods, and the number and variety of residential areas in the vicinity made the difference.
However, irrespective of the nature of the market, the business practices were quite similar in terms of the dealings of the shopkeepers with one another and their clients. Distinction between the rude and the polite, the neat and the cluttered notwithstanding, communal ties superseded all claims of economy, society, state and government because the community was the support system of the individual. In Bakra Mandi, shops studded the ends of residential streets, while in Tench Bhata, the shops lined the streets within the main bazar area and the residences were behind the bazar area except occasionally when a wide road fed the main housing lanes. This difference was visible in the equation that the shopkeepers had with regular clients; particularly considering that many ladies came to the end of the street for groceries in Bakra Mandi.
The variety of markets that I have listed above is only a sample of the kinds of “samaj” that are to be found in our urban localities. Each of us, who wish to mobilize the samaj in our vicinity for any civic initiative to improve our urban life, can assess the activities that our community is willing to invest in. The bazar with hardly any remaining domestic population, like Saddar is unlikely to need domestic facilities but electric supply, load shedding, sewerage, clean streets and zoning laws may be of interest to them. Tali Moori or Bakra Mandi may be more interested in housing needs, while Tench Bhata may need a balanced plan.
Just like the mobile phone companies who bank on bagging a single client in the hope that their “optimum benefit” package [long hours of communication] will win them an entire community, if we can develop a rapport with a single workmen’s network in our neighboring bazar, we can set a samaji trend of any kind that works for the community in question.
Say, you are building or repairing a house, like I was a couple of years ago; and you happen to find a very good mason. That is a starting point. If, like me, you ask the mason to help you find an electrician or plumber, so he does, and you are satisfied with both as workmen and as people; now you are in business. If then, you wish to involve them in community service, you can link your local friends in a civic enterprise like a hospital, park, mosque, water purification plant or just a supply chain for providing food and cool drinking water for maintenance work. Soon you will have a community enterprise; you provide goods and they bring the craftsmen needed. You might even find that the workmen want to bring the material inputs for their work because they can get them at a rebate, in addition to their investment in terms of labor and expertise.
What is more important is the communal link that you will have added to Pakistan’s samaji fabric and template you will provide for others to follow your lead. Pakistanis are extremely adept at learning by example and following what they think is a “good practice”.
