Since August 2019, I have made various trips to Balochistan. There is one point here that I would like to share that traveling to Balochistan is NOT Quetta but it’s the entire coastline of approximately 770 kilometers. The starting point of this is HUB and ends at the most beautiful point on Jiwani Beach, just 40 kilometers away from the Iran border.
Surprisingly I had never imagined that the road trip to Gwadar will seem like being on the planet Mars.
However, the beautiful coastline still keeps the feet the on ground. The clay and limestone Mountains on one side and on the other side the shimmering sea traveling hand in hand reminded me of my childhood painting that I am sure we all have made.
The reason for my travel is not because I am a real estate investor, but simply because I invest in humans and the return of interest is the simple trust I get back. The indigenous people of the coastline live and love everything around them. As a guest, they treat you with respect and great hospitality.
Usually, my stay on the coastline areas is more than a week, but in September 2022 my visit, I felt that this is where I want to live and be with these people to understand that basic is what we need.
Unfortunately the basic is also not here and yet there is so much peace and love around and surprisingly people constantly smile. So I assumed that the smile is the basic, which we miss out in the concrete jungle we live in!
During my stay, I visited 14 towns and 5 beaches and places which we often see in movies like Lost Island, Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, and Jumanji. However, the reality is better than the reel and the feel is a nostalgic experience altogether.
My human profiling to understand people who neither speak nor understand my language undoubtedly cleared that the connection between humans is in eye contact and the message is conveyed instantly.
Having fish on the seafront and the variety of fish you can choose from was even better than the seafood that is offered at the overpriced restaurants where you pay for the ambiance and the company rather than the taste of the food.
The focus group discussions and the community engagement with the fishermen and local teachers and medical officers was not a survey but a heart-to-heart conversation with my people who have not been heard and ignored for many years and probably for much more to come, sad but true.
The literacy rate in most of the towns was 80% and in some areas, it was 90% till the middle classes. The people are self-motivated and probably that is the only thing to survive onto. I am not sure that is it the education we need or if it’s the basic health facilities or what? I am in a state of confusion and environmental depression since I have returned as I simply cannot understand that BASIC and to live what else do we require?
The social enterprise concept which I teach at our incubation PINE Global is something our startups have indulged in their businesses to sustain their future works and to enable them to reach out to the global market.
Our religions just display how we pray or where we pray on the social front. But someone said your religion is your attitude and how you treat other human beings is the art of being the human you are!
Yet again I seem to be lost between the two, religious and the non–religious. My complete understanding of the human race is that the only thing in life that is certain to change is time and we all remain the same. So ending my note here what is it in the coastline that has changed? Is it the time or people?
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Erum Masood
Freelance _ Writer (Commonwealth Journalists Association)
Entrepreneur & Social Enterprise Influencer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eram-masood-630277a1
Erum Masood believes in the power of clear, straightforward writing. Her blog posts tackle everyday topics with relatable insights and easy-to-follow advice. With a conversational style, she makes complex subjects feel understandable. She’s dedicated to sharing knowledge and empowering readers to take action. Find his latest posts on trending in social.
