Tale of two cities

World's most powerful leader Barack Obama arrived in Mumbai, the business hub and financial centre of India that drives the engine of growth, development and prosperity of the largest functional democracy of the world. Agreements worth USD 10 billion have been signed between the representatives of visiting US and Indian business houses to promote bilateral investment, business and trade opportunities between the two countries.
As a result of these agreements, thousands of jobs will be created in the US and India on reciprocal basis. The citizens, traders and shopkeepers of Mumbai opened their arms and doors to welcome the visitors and domestic clientele alike.
The adjoining area of Taj Hotel, where the US President was staying, in parts, has been cordoned off for security reasons. Traffic remained normal and movement of common commuters has not been disrupted due to President Obama's visit to the city. For the citizens of the city, it was business as usual.
The visit of the US presidential delegation to India coincides with the festival of light and as the citizens celebrates Diwali in this profusely illuminated and well-lit city. Karachi: Body of a slain regional politician, who had been in exile for almost two decades, arrives into this once thriving, vibrant, ,joyous city, that was the business hub, financial centre of Pakistan and which drove the engine of growth, development and prosperity of this now a dysfunctional, neither Islamic, nor a democratic republic of Pakistan.
On the occasion, the entire city was brought to a complete standstill to observe a day of mourning. All major thoroughfares were cordoned off and barricaded as helicopters hovered over the city and thousands of security personnel were deployed for security reasons, all expenses borne by the taxpayers. Shops, business houses, schools and colleges remained closed, scheduled examinations postponed and traffic suspended.
Public transport and civic facilities were given a day off as residents of this city stayed homebound. Thousands of daily-wagers and poor labourers remained idle while billions of rupees of revenue, generated daily by this city, rendered dormant for the day. For the citizens of the city, it was business as usual! As usual, parts of this once city of lights remained in pitch darkness due to frequent and prolonged power outages.