Loud Thinking

Posts Tagged ‘karachi’

A must read letter published in the daily DAWN titled “Paris of East”: a US guidebook.

WE may gripe about things in Karachi and consider it a very crowded crime-plagued city. But that was not always the case. I recently chanced upon an information booklet about Karachi published for the benefit of American soldiers stationed here during World War II.

Entitled ‘A locally produced information booklet for US soldiers for Karachi’, published in 1942, it speaks of Karachi as the “Paris of the East” because it says it is “the cleanest city in the whole of India”.

After giving information about the city’s political status – capital of the Sindh government with a population of 400,000 – the guidebook says Karachi is called the ‘Gateway to India’ because as a port it serves not only Balochistan, Punjab and UP but also Afghanistan.

Very few of us know that Karachi used to produce grapes. While talking of the Gandhi Gardens, the guidebook says “grapes grown in the gardens are famous not only in Karachi but outside also”. Malir, now part of Karachi, is referred to in the booklet as being “12 miles from Karachi” and is “well-known for its fruits gardens”.

The Clifton beach “is considered by some as the best in the whole of India. It has a parade made of cement concrete and red stone. The beach extends about seven miles and is a very fine place for sea bathing and excursions in the moonlight”. It also dwells on Sands Pits and refers to Hawks Bay “as the best spot in Karachi”.

The museum the book refers to is still there where it was in 1942, but very few Karachiites know or it bother to visit it – at Burns Road. Called then Victoria Museum, it contained Moenjo Daro relics, a variety of fighting arms and tribal dresses for men and women.

Transport finds repeated mention in the guidebook and gives details of bus and tram routes and the fares. The newspapers then published were Sindh Observer and Daily Gazette, besides two evening papers — Karachi Daily and Sindh Observer’s evening edition.

Fascinating to read are advertisements. Some of the shops mentioned are still there, but many have disappeared. As for eating houses, old Karachiites will miss restaurants which have disappeared — Café Grand, Café Oxford and two Chinese restaurants — Chunking and Victory.

All that has happened to Karachi is not all negative. Karachi has flourished into a major industrial centre, it is a dynamic city, its educational institutions continue to increase, and it has an enviable philanthropic establishment. Let us work to restore Karachi to its glory and make it a crime-free city.

S. MOHAMMAD SIBTAIN Karachi

Pakistan is calling for its Anna Hazare not for anti-corruption bill but for saving the innocent humanity in Karachi carnage.

Come on just one person from the huge crowd of President, Prime Minister, Ministers, Chief Ministers, Governors, Speakers & Deputy speakers, MNA’s & MPA’s.

Is there  not even one person in this nation of 18 crore people, to just stand up and protest like Anna Hazare, against the unabated killings of innocent perons in Karachi?

The silence of the entire nation and all the organs of the state on Karachi Killings is deafning, but all of us must remember, that if today we fail to move individually & collectively, to stop the daily carnage of humanity in Karachi, then be ready to face the situation, where even our names will be scratched from the annuls of the history.

Na Samjho Gay Tou Mit Jago Gay Aay Pakistan Walo

Tumahari Dastan Tak Bhi Na Ho Gi Dastanon Mein.

The deadly terrorism violence in Karachi has reached the stage where even to think that any civilian government can control the situation will be a folly. Now restoration of permanent peace will not be an easy task even if civilian government calls the armed forces to help Karachi back to normalcy.

However, Karachi can not and must not be left at the mercy of warmongers & terrorists  who are hell bent in their nefarious designs to make this part of Pakistan another case for the world community to interfere with an excuse they made in the case of Libya.

The situation in Karachi is not grave rather it is ultra grave. The solidarity of the country is not just threatened, it is under a direct attack.

As such, the government is urgently advised to immediately order a full fledged military operation or impose limited martial law, whichever is allowed under the constitutation (without wasting a moment) in the selected areas of Karachi, which are badly affected in the ongoing lawlessness. In this regard, the military authorities may be given a fixed time frame to achieve peace, like they did in Swat, by getting rid of all such criminals, responsible for the current lawlessness and also to make the city an arms free area.

Jinnah… and Ruttie – Interesting History !  Did you know ???

 After his return to India Jinnah chose Bombay for his residence since he no longer had any interest in Karachi after the demise of his mother. His father joined him there.

 She will be 92 very soon.