BC Business
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I moved to Karachi because my wife and I felt we could make a positive contribution towards improving the quality of education and health care in the developing world.
I first heard of the May violence when the head of university security informed us to stay at home on Saturday, May 12, as unrest was expected in Karachi upon arrival of the chief justice of Pakistan. The violence of this month has been the worst display of violence since we moved to Karachi almost five years ago. The worst part about it is the loss of innocent life, injury to many innocent people and the corresponding grief to families. The local economy has been crippled. People are dealing with the violence by staying indoors. Pakistanis are resilient and adapt to their environment. The mood in the city is tense. Since moving here, the biggest shock was the traffic and pollution. Karachi has approximately 17 million people. The city is always bustling. The first thing I did was drive. Driving in Karachi can be intimidating, so I had to tackle that issue right away. The best thing about being here is exposure to the way the majority of the people in the world live. What we have in North America is an exception. The biggest challenge has been calibrating my mental model on how to achieve results. In North America, we operate under certain assumptions that are not valid in the developing world. The biggest misconception I had was about safety. Karachi is a much safer place than is perceived. The recent turmoil is an exception and not the norm. The people are entrepreneurial. People work hard because they have to. Their biggest concern is making a better life for their families and themselves. The cycle of poverty is cruel. The standard of living is good. Infrastructure in Karachi has improved over the years. The food is delicious. Pakistan is famous for its barbeque. What they do better here is being innovative. They must to survive and get ahead.