By Rana Rais Khan

I am left dumbstruck when I hear comments such as: “Have you been to -------? Isn’t it immaculate? Their roads, buildings and parks… Their overall concern for cleanliness! But here (referring to Pakistan), God save us! People are so filthy.”

Alhumdulillah, I have had the privilege of globe trotting to at least four of the major continents across the world, and each time I travel, I am faced with such a predicament. I wonder that if this is such a clean country and so are its people, why do I have to carry my own utensils (for a makeshift Lota) to their washrooms? I can almost imagine the toilet paper available there grinning at me out of mockery.

Being a far less pious Muslim, I cannot even bear the thought of not washing up after the call of nature. So can anyone please explain to me the point of overlooking such an important act of personal hygiene and making it up with polished floors, well-swept roads and imposing fine for littering around? (Not that those initiatives are not appreciated.)

To me, both outlooks are extreme. One considers cleaning up only themselves personally and ignoring the surroundings around them to the extent of throwing garbage and spitting right outside their own dwellings. The other bothers a lot about removing their pet’s poo from the pavement, without being concerned about washing up themselves after using the toilet, themselves.

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