It’s My Day

Prior to going to Pakistan, several of my friends and colleagues asked me to write them travel letters. Therefore, I figured, why don’t I just blog a travel letter. After all I would like to share it with all of you.

Day of Arrival, Monday March 31^st
After the inaugural problems in the first operating days of Heathrow’s terminal 5, I wasn’t sure whether I ever would see my bag again. I had just arrived in a country that I only months ago knew very little about and which I only was familiar with through brief newsflashes on the nine o’clock news. Anyway, no long lines were waiting for me at immigrations and my bag surprisingly turned up among the first ones on the conveyor. Even finding the pool car driver who had come to pick me up and take me to Islamabad was easy. Was the beginning too good? After a short break at the place that is to be my home for the next six months I headed off for a quick introduction to two of Telenor’s offices in Islamabad and some of the key people there.

First day at office, Tuesday April 1^st
Arriving at the Telenor Pakistan’s Central Head Quarter this Tuesday morning, the first thing I got to know was that I would immediately leave with some of my new colleagues and bosses to go to a conference by Pakistan Telecom Authority at the other side of the city. I think it’s really good to be quickly brought into the topics of what I will be working with here. This far I have only been working at TPs central head quarter, but my new boss has ensured me that there will also be quite a bit of travelling with this outplacement. Not only is travelling to new places interesting in itself, it’s also good to know that I will have material for new blog postings in the future.

Squaring up with Islamabad
Looking out at the city from the top of the TP central headquarter, I hardly can tell that there’s a city out there, as most of the buildings are lower than the trees in the city.

Islamabad is quite a strange city. Similar to Brasilia, Canberra, Dodoma and Astana, the city was built up with a sole purpose, to become the new capital in its country. Constructed during the sixties, the city was adapted to the use of the personal automobile, mass transportation is almost non-existent. Therefore the city seems rather artificial; all streets are very wide and every corner and turn is ninety degrees. I almost start wondering if other shapes are forbidden or not, reminding me of Carl Barks’ classic “Lost in the Andes!”

Tuesday morning view of Islamabad

Google Earth providing a bird’s perspective over Islamabad

Just a minor difference
Although a part of Telenor, the Pakistani branch differs significantly from Telenor Nordic where I spent my first six months of the trainee program. And I am not talking about obvious cultural differences. While Telenor in Norway traces its roots more than 150 years back, Telenor Pakistan only looks back at three years of operation; launching its services in March 2005. Anyhow, the Norwegian legacy incumbent has got approx 2.8 million mobile subscribers; Telenor Pakistan has reason to boast having some 17 million subscribers.

Perfect welcome
Having already stayed for five days the big welcoming event was still to be experienced. And what way to get welcomed. Almost all of Telenor Pakistan’s 2500 employees had gathered in Lahore for a surprise welcome party for me. Well, my arrival might have coincided with Telenor Pakistan’s third anniversary, but for me it really was a surprise and it could hardly have been a better welcoming anyway, it was MyDay.

MyDay March 5^th
Lahore - by population Pakistan’s second largest city; by cultural heritage – the heart of Pakistan. Although TP’s largest offices are found in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, TP employees came pouring in from all corners of the country, finally gathering for dinner at the Palm Resort just outside Lahore. I have probably never seen so much food in my whole life, and I must admit that I had to limit myself, otherwise MyDay could soon have turned into a personal mayday, that’s how tasty it was. And still the best was yet to come. After the dinner all 2500 walked over to the nearby tent which had been prepared for the preceding event. The concert, or rather concerts, - and not to forget the sketches and the award show, yes – “show” that might be the most describing word, was to make for an unforgettable evening. After readings from the Holy Quran, Pakistan’s National- and the Telenor anthems were played, followed by a video broadcasted greeting from Group CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaas, emphasising Telenor Pakistan’s spectacular growth during its young life. Next there was a ballot where two lucky Telenor Pakistan employees got to realize every Muslim’s dream; walking off with pilgrim flight tickets to Mecca. After the local stand-up version of the Foreman show, the musical acts started, Pakistani folk artist Arif Lohar entering the stage first.

Arif Lohar and his local folk musicians

As the catchy drum rhythms blended with the audience, people jumped off their chairs, instead dancing on top of them, in the aisles, between the chairs and wherever there may have been room to stand up. And if I thought that dancing on the chairs was special, it didn’t get less worse as Lollywood movie star Sana with Wahab Shah Chorus were staged next. Looking at the silhouette of the dancing crowd I could see people being thrown up in the air by their surrounding and dancing Telenor Pakistan employees.

Dancing on the chairs

Lollywood star Sana with Wahab Shah Chorus

After Stereo Nation, Ali Zafar had the honour of winding off the musical acts with the song “Stand up Telenor” before the entire evening was winded up outside the tent with fireworks mixing with the stars above.