Daily Diary (DD) - Day 253 of 2018

1846hrs:

This latest break from blogging has been for an unusual reason. The monthly net package on my device finished on the last day that I blogged (Day 248). I still haven't been able to buy a new package, for reasons that should be obvious to all those people that are familiar with my work.

These are very challenging and interesting times.

Despite the difficulties involved, I am relishing the challenge as it is enabling me further examine the relationship between me and the public of AJK, most specifically the public of Rawalakot. It is also making me gradually more disciplined and of course more determined.

The few local people who are helping me survive here are from the relatively disadvantaged economic class...though I'm always reluctant to use the term 'class' when discussing or analysing society. It's a much over-used term in my opinion. Some of the rich people I've met pretend to be poor and one even shed a bucket of tears for me. He felt that Pakistan's roving agencies would kill me imminently. He didn't want to see another precious soul die. I understand that he's quite well off but he didn't spare as much as 10 rupees for the work I do.

Is it fear, is it selfishness, is it insecurity or is it a lack of grasping the mechanics of public interest?