The “deep-seated inequality across class lines” visible in what used to be the City Beautiful is largely due to the fact that the formation of a municipal corporation has led to political patronage for the slums (read vote-banks) that have sprung up. It is in the politicians’ interest to let the slum-dwellers live in squalor, so that they can promise development each time and get voted back to power.

Meanwhile, wouldn’t ‘a Sardarji’ or ‘the Sardarji’ be better referred to as ‘a Sikh’ or ‘the Sikh’? Actually, even the latter is not entirely free of derogatory reference as the driver would probably not have been referred to by his religious identity, had he not been a practising Sikh. I would expect a fellow-Punjabi to be aware of that, even as it’s true that others aren’t or don’t care or even are deliberately offensive.

As for folk traditions and culture, I suspect those have been somewhat better preserved in West Punjab than on this side of the international border, which is perhaps a positive aspect of what may otherwise be seen as a lack of material progress.

Here is an alternate point of view that you may like to compare with your recent visit:
http://express.com.pk/epaper/PoPupwindow.aspx?newsID=1100834239&Issue=NP_LHE&Date=20100123&sms_ss=google