Live report from Pakistan - by Zafirah
Hey all,
things here in Pakistan are going OK i guess. A lot of things have happened and changed in the past few days.
When Benazir was shot, I had just got back ffrom work. And housemates just barged into the door, asking if I was alright. Confused I asked why, and they said Benazir was dead.
We switched on the tv and it's been the news channels since then. It was anxious moments as we waited for the rest of the housemates to come home. A Kenyan trainee was right in the midsts of the confusion that first night, he was in a rickshaw, and up ahead of him people were burning tyres and he heard gunshots fired. Reactively, he jumped out of the rickshaw and ran out of there and reached home on foot. Shaken, but safe. First thing he did was pour himself some rum, and then told us the story of what happened, as I have told u. [He was sorry for not having paid the rickshaw driver, of all things!]
There were mobs outside of our apartment that night. A few people sought refuge from the mob who were smashing cars and shops of the windows. A woman and her child abandoned cars, and a friend of ours led them to our apartment to hide for awhile.
Things calmed down on the 2nd day, and I walked outside in the streets at 10 pm last night. It was deserted, totally dark as lights were off, there were broken glass all over the roads, crackling under our feet as we walked. usually at 10 pm in Zamzama, traffic would be heavy in this posh part of town as young people would frequent the coffee houses here)
There are 7 of us here in the house now, and we have been hunkered down, stayed at home, watched the news, movies, reading, sleeping and on the internet here. Benazir was buried yesterday, and a few people risked travelling to get food supplies. We have a Pakistani living with us, and he's been a saviour, braving stone throwing at shops to get us biscuits and bread. Friends who were living in karachi have been kind to get us food items from the store, And now, our place has not seen so much food. EVER. :)
So things have calmed down, some shops have opened up. Thanks to the special police deployed, patrolling the streets. Young fellas are outside now playing cricket! And we were just outside, in the cleaned streets. No more broken glass. We're now just waiting for restaurants to open up properly so we can order chicken tikka! For me, Ive been cooking for all of us, and man... a break will be much welcomed.
On a serious note, we really don't know what's going to happen here now. Financial markets will open tomorrow hopefully and it should be back to work, but in the long run, we don't know. A Pakistani friend mentions that worst case scenario, it would be a civil war, and I guess the UN security council has come together to discuss that possibility too!
For myself personally, we're taking precautions, and if the worst case scenario really did unfold, then you would be seeing me back in singapore. But till now, I would be staying. I'll be back in sipo 16th Jan for my bro's wedding, and after that, we'll see how the security situation is like.
Till then, we're keeping alive, staying safe here. :)
Zafirah
things here in Pakistan are going OK i guess. A lot of things have happened and changed in the past few days.
When Benazir was shot, I had just got back ffrom work. And housemates just barged into the door, asking if I was alright. Confused I asked why, and they said Benazir was dead.
We switched on the tv and it's been the news channels since then. It was anxious moments as we waited for the rest of the housemates to come home. A Kenyan trainee was right in the midsts of the confusion that first night, he was in a rickshaw, and up ahead of him people were burning tyres and he heard gunshots fired. Reactively, he jumped out of the rickshaw and ran out of there and reached home on foot. Shaken, but safe. First thing he did was pour himself some rum, and then told us the story of what happened, as I have told u. [He was sorry for not having paid the rickshaw driver, of all things!]
There were mobs outside of our apartment that night. A few people sought refuge from the mob who were smashing cars and shops of the windows. A woman and her child abandoned cars, and a friend of ours led them to our apartment to hide for awhile.
Things calmed down on the 2nd day, and I walked outside in the streets at 10 pm last night. It was deserted, totally dark as lights were off, there were broken glass all over the roads, crackling under our feet as we walked. usually at 10 pm in Zamzama, traffic would be heavy in this posh part of town as young people would frequent the coffee houses here)
There are 7 of us here in the house now, and we have been hunkered down, stayed at home, watched the news, movies, reading, sleeping and on the internet here. Benazir was buried yesterday, and a few people risked travelling to get food supplies. We have a Pakistani living with us, and he's been a saviour, braving stone throwing at shops to get us biscuits and bread. Friends who were living in karachi have been kind to get us food items from the store, And now, our place has not seen so much food. EVER. :)
So things have calmed down, some shops have opened up. Thanks to the special police deployed, patrolling the streets. Young fellas are outside now playing cricket! And we were just outside, in the cleaned streets. No more broken glass. We're now just waiting for restaurants to open up properly so we can order chicken tikka! For me, Ive been cooking for all of us, and man... a break will be much welcomed.
On a serious note, we really don't know what's going to happen here now. Financial markets will open tomorrow hopefully and it should be back to work, but in the long run, we don't know. A Pakistani friend mentions that worst case scenario, it would be a civil war, and I guess the UN security council has come together to discuss that possibility too!
For myself personally, we're taking precautions, and if the worst case scenario really did unfold, then you would be seeing me back in singapore. But till now, I would be staying. I'll be back in sipo 16th Jan for my bro's wedding, and after that, we'll see how the security situation is like.
Till then, we're keeping alive, staying safe here. :)
Zafirah
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posted by AIESEC NTU Local Committee at 9:21 PM
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