Everyday Energy Transitions in Pakistan

Hamza Jilani interviews his maternal grandfather, Nisar A. Memon, about the energy transformations he has witnessed in Pakistan during his lifetime. Memon describes changes in transportation, including the decline of the colonial-era tram in Karachi and the family's car. He discusses the early arrival of electricity in the city, and the continued reliance on wood and coal by people unable to afford kerosene to cook with. He notes changing dietary practices around eating meat, the local nature of food production, and everyday practices of accessing water. He discusses animal-powered transportation and the colonial lineage of the port. Finally, Memon recalls his time working in Kuwait, when he was involved in the "Kuwaitization" of IBM and saw the rapid transformation of the country due to new oil wealth.