Uniqueness - Awe!

Greetings!!

Recently, during my early morning visits to the university by public transport, I witnessed people’s “Uniqueness-Awe” as I have coined it. A little elaboration about the scenario is in demand so here it goes.

One morning, I stepped onto the bus that is supposed to get me till Korangi Crossing (the pickup point of our university’s free transport about 5kms from the university. NOTE: Korangi Crossing is a great distance from my home – takes me 1hour to get there!), and was extremely thankful to the Almighty that I was granted with an empty seat on board. Early morning Karachi buses are often overloaded and bursting with passengers, it is no less than a miracle that one is able to get space to sit till the long ordeal of the journey ends.

Sitting in the not-so-comfortable seat right behind the driver’s seat, wiping sweat off face despite the coolness of the morning (thanks to the suffocating crowd onboard), I witnessed a 100% stares turn towards the door when a woman stepped on. Though she was just another woman in her late 20s or early 30s, young, attractive, sophisticated, availing the public transport to reach her office place, there was something about her that was absolutely uncommon and unheard of in the traditional conservative Pakistani culture.

Stretching my neck to get a better view of the lady, I quickly diverted my stare when I spotted a “Come On! Grow Up!!” sort of an expression on her face. I could still see people, especially women still ogling at her. Dressed in a narrow-ended jeans, a grayish Kurta (Classically men’s styled) and an Ajrak (A typical Sindhi Culture cloth that is worn by men around the shoulders - picture below)

 set magnificently and quite handsomely around her shoulders, the lady looked like she could break anyone’s bones who dared to mess with her. A fashionable black thin framed spectacle sat on her nose, further giving a don’t-you-dare-mess-with-me professional attitude. Her hairs were also cut short in what Pakistanis would label “a boy cut!” The full-fledged impact of the answer hit me hard when I realized I was looking at a woman, not a man!

That lady was not short on mannerisms or sophistication; she did not intimidate the bus-conductor when he approached for the service fee, nor did she fight for a lower fee. Her conduct was nothing but absolutely normal. It was only her appearance that put her so different from others onboard.

I am a staunch believer that uniqueness is not a sin. That lady did not violate any person’s rights, nor did she interfere with anyone. All she did was be comfortable with what she likes. But others’ stares definitely spoke the contrary. It was then when it struck me why Pakistan as a nation is not improving. People simply do not like change! They like the customary man-dominating societal values, despite vocally contradicting them. That lady was decently covered – immodesty was certainly not the reason for the attention. The reason was dishearteningly her uniqueness. I wish there comes a day when uniqueness is giving the status of encourage able action, not a crime!

Peace.