UPPER DIR: A 45-year old Ihsanullah, darner by profession and resident of Brawal in Upper Dir district serves the poor people by repairing their old and used vessels made from silver, steel and other metals and also earns livelihood for his family.
He said that he along with family had migrated from Karakar, Swat to Brawal, Upper Dir some 17 years ago in search to earn bread for his family. He said that he had adopted the profession of repairing used and damaged pots including thermoses, kettle, silver and steel pitchers, umbrellas, suitcases and others.
He said that a number of the people of tehsil Brawal were poor and they could not tolerate to buy new pots after damage of old and used vessels. Because, he added, it required lots of money to buy new things like that in especially in that dearness time. “People bring their worthy damaged pots which need a minor repair to my shop and I repair these pots for them”, said Ihsan.
And those vessels did able of use after repairing and thus they avoided from lots of losses. He said by that way he got happiness and satisfaction by serving the poor people which could not bear to buy new pots. He said that he earned a healthy income by repairing old pots because there, not lots of materials used in repairing in those vessels and he got almost all the money he earned. “I earn up to 1500 to 2000 rupees in normal day”, said Ihsan. He said that some people also brought antiques for repair and also for polishing to look new.
Ikramullah, resident of Brawal, said that he had brought a big kittle which had developed a hole and not remained to use. He said that he had asked the price of a new kittle of the same size in the market and the shopkeeper told a very high cast of it. “I become very happy to hear the repair price from the repairer”, he said. He said that he told me that he will repair it on 80 rupees which was a very reasonable rate.
Another person, Yasar Akmal, resident of Brawal, said that he had been serving the area people for almost 17 years and he protect people especially poor ones from lots of losses because in those dearness days poor people could not tolerate to buy new pots. And due to low quality of things usually those days lots of things got damage very soon and it became unusable if not repaired. “I think he are helping indeed of the poor people by repairing their pots and other daily use things”, said Yasar. Though he earned a livelihood for his family however, at the other end he protected lots of money of the poor people by repairing their damaged things.
His neighbor shopkeeper said that he is a very nice and humble person. He said that he also deal his customers in a very nice way and with good manners. “He did not do a single quarrel with the neighbor shopkeepers”, he said.
