It is an era of competition: Albeena Qazi

Interview : Faiza Otho
 
Albeena Qazi is an economist and Assistant Professor in Department of Economics, University of Sindh, Jamshoro. She did her matriculation from St. Mary’s School,  B.A and M.A, Economics from University of Sindh. Mrs. Qazi was the gold medalist in the faculty. She also served as the incharge of Department of Economics.

Q: When did your interest start in economics?
A: After passing intermediate, as you know, everyone wants to be a doctor or an engineer but I was not selected for Liaquat University. So I chose this field. The environment here was good and gradually, my interest increased in this field.

Q: When we compare Pakistan’s economic status with other developed countries, where do we stand?
A: As a matter of fact, we are backward. Here in Pakistan, due to imposition of martial law, our economy suffered a lot. We have to work very hard and we need space for it.

Q: What hurdles Pakistan’s economy is facing?
A: Terrorism is one of the basic hurdles. Others have been international monetary loans and political instability. Access of goods for international market for competition because the imports are less and exports are more. It affects the balance of payments.

Q: What are the key ingredients if we want to improve our country’s economy?
A: Main thing is political stability, reduce poverty and increase employment rate.

Q: What qualities a person must have if he wants to join this field?
A: Interest, knowledge and honesty. At the start I didn’t have interest in it but the environment which I got here drew my interest in this field.

Q: As Prime Minister said that “2014 would be better for Pakistan’s economy than preceding years”, what is your opinion about that?
A: As an economist and observer, previously his economic policies were good but due to martial law we couldn’t continue these policies. Verily, he is going well as he developed new policies like youth loan scheme etc.

Q: You are motivation for females. What message do you want to give them?
A: Be honest, your conscience should be clear and you should be sincere with your duty. We should keep in mind always try to earn rizq-e-halal. Moreover, personal and professional lives should be balanced equally.

Q: What message do you want to give to young generation?
A: Work hard because it’s an era of competition where you must prove yourself.

[The writer is student of  (MC-2k12)Mass Comm Department University of Sindh. Faiza wrote this feature in 2014 as part of practical work done under supervision of renowned journalist Sir Sohail Sangi] . Later this was also published in http://www.thesindhtimes.com/blogs/it-is-an-era-of-competition-albeena-qazi/

Cloth market Hyderabad ! By: Faiza Otho

By: Faiza Otho
Cloth Market is one of the ancient markets of Hyderabad which is on the busiest road near City College.
It has been since years when Mohammad Jabbar opened his fancy dress shop in this market. “I have worked in this market since 13 years. Firstly, I rented this shop but later when my business flourished than I owned this shop.” said Jabbar.
Jabbar settled with his family in a house near the market. His family consisted of wife and 5 children for whom he worked day and night.
The road of the market is one of the busiest roads in the city. It is almost blocked by donkey carts and vehicles. The main reasons of road blockage in this area are the choked sewerage system which causes accumulation of dirty water on the road and other is the market stalls which occupied most of the road. People broken the traffic laws and drove their vehicles on the one way route and also the law college is situated at that road which resulted increase in hectic traffic jam during the college off timing. These problems need the attention of concerned authorities.
“People avoid coming in this market because it lacks the basic facilities like improper structure of market and road blockage.” said Jabbar
The shops and stalls run parallel along the market facing each other and a straight path for customers to walk in it.
In front of jabbar’s shop there is a stall of 27 years old young man Tariq who sell different accessories ranging from Rs.20 to Rs.80.
“I have opened my stall two years ago; this market is much cheaper for stall opening than other markets like Resham bazaar or Latifabad market.” Tariq explained.
People from all the different classes of society come to visit cloth market to buy things according to their income and necessity. It is the most popular haunt for bargain hunters. There is always a huge crowd of women busy in shopping. The cut piece shops are famous there. Many of the high quality fabrics which having little defect in it are sold here as cut piece in low prices. Bargaining is the key to getting a good price; insist on some percent discount but if your skills are sharp you could find a 50 percent knock down is within reach.
“I come to visit this market with my daughters to buy cloth because here the good quality cloth is present at much cheaper rates than in resham bazaar.” said Parveen bibi, one of the customers in market.
No matter how ancient market it is, still popular for fabrics among the citizens of Hyderabad.

[The writer is student of  (MC-2k12)Mass Comm Department University of Sindh. Faiza wrote this feature in 2014 as part of practical work done under supervision of renowned journalist Sir Sohail Sangi] . Later this was also published in http://www.thesindhtimes.com/blogs/cloth-market-hyderabad/

Life sketch of Straw Binders in Hyderabad

By:  Faiza Otho

It has been since years when a straw binder Parkash Lal 60, started working near road side with his other family members. This straw binding work is just enough to make ends meet for his family. These straws are generally known as Sarghanda or wheat sticks which are used for making crafts work.
“I have been working in Hyderabad since many years. My ancestors originally belong to Badin and Thar Parker site. To earn better from this straw binding work, I moved with my family to Hyderabad” said Prakash Lal.
“I learned these Sarghanda crafts from my father and grandfather. We are carrying out this work from generation to generation and we feel proud in doing straw work” he told.
Prakash settled with his family on footpath near Radio Pakistan Road Hyderabad. The glimpse of Sarghanda works attracts every passer-by with its beauty. They created their huts on the footpath with the same straws, because they have not enough money to buy or rent a home.
“When I moved to Hyderabad, besides me other families of my community also came along to earn better. Now I am the person in command of this work and they all are working according to my guidelines” narrated Parkash.
It is an extremely difficult work; they start working from dawn to dusk near a busy road, hectic environment and become habitual to bear all these hardships and worse working conditions. When the weather seems cloudy and it starts raining then their difficulties also increase. They have to stop their work which is the only source of their livelihood. The seasonal change or environment is one of the great hurdles for them. They get the Sarghanda straws from their village for making crafts. Each bundle of Sarghanda cost Rs 100 which contains approximately 70 to 80 straws. These straws are then hand sewed with white or colorful threads by men and women artisans. They probably earn 6 to 7 thousands per month which is quite less in today’s era.
Their crafts includes different items like windows chic, stools of various sizes, Mirror work wall hanging, decorative wall hanging and mats of different designs and sizes. Each decorative item costs differently from Rs 300 to 2000.
Their females as well share their duties equally, whether its difficult time, straw binder females go through the same critical situations as that of the males. They have to wake up early in the morning as the sun rises and have to do their work till the sun set as they have no any electricity facilities. Although its quite difficult job for females to work and survive in such an environment. A 20 years old girl named Sona help her mother in sewing the window chics. “I am happy with this work as I am helping my mother and taking some share of straw binding with my family” narrated Sona.
Straw binders working process is very attention grabbing. First they combine and straighten the threads by tying its one end with the support. After straightening the thread, they fix them in a metal frame made up of iron and step by step placed the Sarghanda sticks or straws in a sequence. Then the female artisans sewed it with other colorful threads. When the mat is sewed, they remove it from the metal frame and in the last, cover it up with the newly designed cloth and then put ready to sell.
They are working for their own sake and have no supply business to the other decorative shops. It’s of greatest cultural value in Sindh. This vanishing skill is only seen in few cities of Pakistan, not every where we can see this precious work. It takes the attention of foreign visitors and also the visitors who came from Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtun Khuwa. They appreciated this straw binding work. The quantity of products they made in a single day depends on the speediness of the person.
“Probably we make 3 to 4 items per day but Sona’s brothers are very swift and they make about 4 to 5 items per day” explained Prakash.
Next standing to Prakash Lal was Sona’s brother; he is 24 years young boy who started making this straw binding work when he was just 12 years. “In the beginning I took a lot of time and only made children chairs but gradually I become skilled and trained. Then I start making window chics and other decorative items quickly” Sona’s brother narrated.
There are about 30 to 35 persons including females who work daily from dawn till sunset in a busy and messy environment. They occupy footpath of both sides, as government did not provide them houses, shops, loan schemes or need funds. Their work is not too much easy it’s quite tough. The Sarghanda works needs to be revived. This straw binding work should be supplied to different parts of Pakistan. Because, its help to make our culture from generation to generation.
They have no any particular association under which they are working. Straw binding work is the only source of their earning. This profession will vanish forever, if not supported.

[The writer is student of  (MC-2k12)Mass Comm Department University of Sindh. Faiza wrote this feature in 2014 as part of practical work done under supervision of renowned journalist Sir Sohail Sangi] . Later this was also published in http://www.thesindhtimes.com/blogs/life-sketch-of-straw-binders-in-hyderabad/