Yakub's story

This is Yakub. He makes some of the tastiest tandoori rotis in a small shop near Darsait in Oman. He sells these rotis for 200 baizas per piece. 200 baizas in Oman is equivalent to 20 rupees in India.

(We buy these rotis as a supplement to the very famous Pakistani dish called the Nalli Nihari. A delicious mix of spices and mutton in curry, its a local favourite among Indians and Omanis)

Yakub came to Muscat to try his 'luck' in the big cities. Farming and random jobs were hard to come by and he applied for a visa to Oman.When asked why the Gulf, he is hesitant to admit that his hometown of Pakistan is not enough to keep his family comfortable. He has one son and three daughters. He lives in Karachi and works in Oman. His small tandoor store doesnt have a fan. Simply because if they keep one, the tandoor will not fire up quickly(The temperatures in Oman range between 45-50 degrees Celsius in summers). The profit margin is very low. Plus the rent to be paid to the sponsor is high. So at times he drives trucks to make ends meet. I ask him what his dreams are. He replies as though the question is ridiculous ' What ever Allah wills. Daughters should be married and son should be strong. Then he can come here and do business.' I ask him if they go to school. And he says that his village doesn't have schools. Only elders teach kids. But his children are smart. He hopes his son will be like his Pakistani friend who owns many trucks.

The only family vacations he has are those which his sponsor allows(To work in Oman you need a sponsor who is a local guy to file your application with the Ministry).Even though he has valid papers and a visa, his passport is with his sponsor. I ask him if Pakistan will ever be a better place. He doesn't worry too much. And then he startles me with this ' Patriotism is for people with connections and money. We people are killed and murdered when there is war and when there is prosperity.'