Karachi cooler than Mumbai

Rohan Cornelio

In November 2004, I had the opportunity to visit our neighbours across the border in Karachi. My perceptions of the city were constructed by the images from the media. When I landed there, however, I was in for a big surprise.

Karachi, for one, is more modern than what we're made to believe. The facilities at the airport are decent. Immigration was a dream; it took barely five minutes. All immigration counters were manned (a pleasant surprise for me since I'm not used to seeing government officials working behind counters), with two officials at each counter.

The counters were equipped with cameras to photograph incoming passengers. All this in a seemingly underdeveloped country. Our baggage was checked and cleared with minimal fuss.

Unlike in India, the airport wasn't being used as a hangout. No retinue of relatives came to harass newly-arrived passengers. The area around the airport was devoid of slums, garbage and anything that would be an eyesore.

Most of Karachi has six lane roads which are so clean, you'd wonder where you are. Of course, there are some areas that aren't as developed. The people there don't look at Indians strangely. In fact, they love to meet Indians.

If you go shopping in Karachi, tell the shopkeeper that your Indian; it might fetch you some good discounts (though you might have to listen to his narrations about his relatives in India). Old-time Karachiites go on about their extended families in India.

Many of them refer to Mumbai as a sister city. Kashmir doesn't even figure in their conversations. They blame it all on politicians who use the poor for religious fundamentalism. But that's the story everywhere.

The beaches in Karachi were cleaner compared to our 'wannabe world class' Juhu and Chowpatty beaches. And the people of the posh Defence and Clifton areas could put our 'Page 3' people to shame.

All this is in stark contrast to Mumbai. Where else can you see slums right next to the airport? On landing, you go to the immigration counter and see a line longer than the queues at the railway ticket counters.

There are hardly any officials behind the counters. When one poor guy finally gets to the counter and is about to get his passport stamped, the immigration officer just gets up and walks away.

The helpless guy is left wondering what the hell is going on. As you leave the airport, it looks like the whole world wants to come and 'help me pick my bags'. Clearly, Karachi rates better than amchi Mumbai.

It's time we took lessons from the other side of the border. Maybe a couple of years of martial law will do the trick and teach our politicians a thing or two.