In contrast to rural Pakistan, urban Pakistan is quite different in many ways. Although in the cities Islam is still very important to many people and the prayer cycle dictates the daily schedule for many, the pulse of the city does a great deal in dictating the way of life.
For many urbanites the jobs are in the industrial or services sectors and most jobs have regular working hours, typically from about 8:00 or 9:00 am to about 4:00 or 5:00 pm. However, Friday afternoons tend to be off for prayer, but Pakistan recognizes the Saturday-Sunday weekend like much of the world.
School is also an important factor in Pakistan, but the importance to which school is viewed vastly differs. For some extremists only boys should attend schools and many people, particularly in rural areas, believe classrooms should be segregated by sex. None-the-less, school is important to most people and giving their children a good education is of utmost importance to many people. In Pakistan family is incredibly important and this often means setting your children up for success, both personal and financial success. To achieve this, many Pakistanis place great importance on education, especially in the cities where most jobs require an education.
In fact, family is considered the most important part of life to most Pakistanis, although what the path is to giving their children the best life varies greatly. Despite the differences in opinion, family and religion tend to be at the center of life in the country, not economic success or gaining a better job.