A 52 years old man named Saleem Abdul Wahab sells newspapers, magazines and calendars everyday near I.I Chundrigar Road. He has done his matriculation from Chand Bagh School, Lahore. The school is a boys-only independence boarding school, formerly known as the Doon School, and is based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. However, Saleem shifted to Karachi after the partition of subcontinent. Since the condition of newly born country was not favorable, Saleem faced many problems in finding some work to do. As he was not much familiar with the common business proceedings in the country and it was hard to land a relevant job at that time, he started selling print media. That was the only profession he felt convenient with. It not only fulfills his requirements, but also fits him.

According to him, it has been almost 40 years since he’s in this business. He comes to his shop every morning at around 8 am and works till 8 pm from Monday to Saturday. He takes off on Sunday only. While interviewing him, I found him very well-behaved and kind-hearted. Besides, he’s quite dedicated to his job and believes in the worth and significance of his work. He clearly expressed that he is glad in selling those items that help people gain knowledge and get aware of the current affairs worldwide.

Being active in this business since many years, Saleem is on very good terms with people living and working nearby. Plus, they also know Saleem extremely well and are used to purchase newspapers from him every day. He says: “People know me very well and it’s really good to see them passionate about reading newspapers and risalah in this era when internet has changed everything. I am satisfied with my work and enjoy being a member of a learned society. I kept telling people that education will never go wasted”

His words are very inspiring and touched me a lot. It was quite wonderful to meet such a person who possesses good thoughts and kind heart.

Frequent buyers greatly admire Mr. Saleem, his work, dedication and honesty. He is now a popular person in the respective area. It is really interesting to note that the act of a particular person can represent the entire society. Thus, the way Saleem responded our queries and treated us with his hospitable behavior, we can judge that Karachi is a friendly city, where citizens pay respect and attention to others. Every person here holds some inspiration and value, adding to the overall worth of the country.

Mr. Saleem has set up his shop by his own hands. He takes good care of his shop, while maintaining and keeping it clean and organized every day. He works hard for his family, but lives a content and happy life in his small house. No matter how small contribution he gives in educating his children, it is valuable and truly makes him happy. He kept saying “Allah Ka Shukar” (Alhamdulillah), while talking to me.