Citizens' liberty curtailed

There are many ways of feeling a stranger in your own city, or feeling trapped or suffocated. One of them is when you realize that the number of road closures is growing. Having said this, see what happened this week when, in addition to the prevailing closures, there were extra security measures and closed roads, when Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was on his first visit to the town after having taken the oath of his office.

There was a time, when road closures in other parts of the city were considered as being a source of public harassment, or agonizing inconvenience. Now it is the rather elitist District South, that gets noticed for this. This week, these closures were so frequent that the prime minister had to take notice of it, and told the host of a current affairs show on a private TV channel on Thursday night that he regretted this inconvenience that was caused to the citizens of Karachi during his visit.

He was quoted as having said that he had asked the Sindh police chief to ensure that the public was not made to suffer on account of VVIP movement in the city. He further said he had issued similar directives to traffic police in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other places also. As security measures are evidently a major cause of this, he hoped this would not happen again.

The prime minister, said the presenter, had told him that it appeared that there was a plan to tarnish his image, even though he had categorically said that the traffic should not be disrupted during his visit to the city. In particular, he regretted that even ambulances were seen trapped in the traffic jams, that had been created during his stay in Karachi, and he hoped that this would not happen again.

One may mention, and even wonder, whether Chaudhry Shujaat Husain would again come here in the same capacity, keeping in mind that there is a certain time frame for his stay in the PM office, as there is a prime minister 'in waiting,' (as Mr Shaukat Aziz is being called currently). In fact, one heard an interpretative comment that this time traffic jams were worse because both Prime Minister Shujaat and Senior Minister Shaukat Aziz were in town.!

It was disturbing to see in that TV programme, and earlier on Wednesday night, the visuals of traffic massive jams. Now keep in mind that the Fatima Jinnah Road, on which the residence of the US Consul General is located, remains closed for traffic most of the time. Then the Abdullah Haroon Road, on which the American Consulate General is located, is also closed, as and when security demands surface.

These two roads are dramatically significant enough to create a traffic chaos in and around the area, and the traffic load gets transferred to Dr Ziauddin Road, which has in the last few months turned into a sort of shame for the entire locality. It is also to be kept in mind that on this very road there major offices and head offices are located, besides two major hotels, the Sheraton and Pearl Continental.

That much for tourism promotion, and what Marriott Hotel undergoes would be interesting to hear, first hand. Little wonder that the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation has stopped making its presence felt in view of the state of our geo-political insecurity, and the resultant measures for security.

These measures have made life hell for the citizens, so to expect tourists to come is asking for the moon. I suppose the foreign exchange that tourists would bring comes now in other ways, which Islamabad economists keep stressing, claiming and publicizing. That is another tale!

Now this time, besides the roads mentioned above, there were also other closures. There came a report that the Khayaban in Defence Housing Authority that has the Saudi Consulate General was partially closed because of some security threats that had been received. One can imagine traffic congestion in that part of that posh locality.

In addition, Ewan-i-Saddar, on which the Governor's House is located, was also closed, and so was the road on which Artillery Maidan police station is located. Put together, there was a paralysis, and the fallout of all these closures, and the poor quality of the traffic police management made life hell for thousands and thousands of citizens, who work in these affected areas. Situation in Saddar and its adjoining areas was also pathetic, while Sharea Faisal was another sorry tale.

It is pertinent to mention in detail how the average citizens suffer when these roads are closed. The VIPs do not understand or even perceive this. They are piloted through while sirens wail for them. They do not know the resentment and the feeling that the people trapped in their vehicles, and in the heat of summer at this point in time, undergo.

Imagine the state of those who are unwell, or are in a hurry. This should not be taken for granted or condoned. It should be accepted, and there should be apologies to the people. We are in democratic times, after all!

In fact there is every indication that after current repair work on the Clifton Bridge is completed there will be a slower pace of vehicular movement, which will mean that the travelling time in and around the US Consulate General and adjoining areas will further go up.

There are all kinds of fears that the quality of the environment will further steadily deteriorate and the ambience of the once peaceful Dr Ziauddin Road will become just a memory.

This reminds me that perhaps the Book Bazaar that was being held at the Frere Hall has also become a memory, and its closure not even mourned. Perhaps the Book Bazaar is being missed by the crowds that used to visit it. But that is all. No real expression of concern and sadness on the government's part at the end of this important activity.

Now the first question that needs to be asked is why has that Book Bazaar been closed down. An APP story that appeared on these pages on July 5, said: "after a bomb blast outside the Pakistan American Cultural Centre on May 26, this year, the police once again closed all entry points to the Frere Hall." That is to say the Fatima Jinnah Road and the Abdullah Haroon Road portion opposite the US Consulate General and Marriott being closed have robbed the city of Karachi and its residents of their Sunday Book Bazaar.

That the city has also lost the American Centre and its library is a passing thought, as indeed are thoughts that book shops that Karachi once took pride in, have turned into commercial areas, and have lost the attraction that they had in the past.

With reference to the Book Bazaar closure (and I hope this does not serve to be a simple obituary?), it needs to be recalled that it was launched in February 2001. But its growing popularity was not strong enough a reason for it to continue in the face of the security measures that have been introduced after the June 2002 bomb blast outside the US Consulate General. This reminds me of the repeated news reports and letters to the editor, suggesting that the US consul general's residence and the consulate be shifted, sooner than later, to places where these were not to affect and hamper the traffic flow.

A thought also goes out to the Japanese Consulate General's new premises, coming up opposite the Marriott Hotel, and it makes one wonder about the extent to which this new consulate general will contribute to the slowing down of traffic on this part of the Abdullah Haroon Road. No one seems to perceive what lies ahead for this city and no one seems to care.

But let me return to the subject of the Frere Hall Book Bazaar, which has become presently a question mark and challenge for the city government in a way. It is also a reflection on the people who live in the city; that there is nothing they have to say when a book bazaar is denied to them in a city where shopping plazas thrive.

Where super markets stock popular glossy showbiz magazines, which mirror amply and poorly the reading preferences of the affluent men and women. I would have imagined that at least some of the non-governmental organizations that pride themselves when it comes to speaking on matters political or highbrow, would at least express their opinion on why the Book Bazaar should not be allowed to die.

Books are badly needed in this society, and this is so obvious. That as a people we have not shown the passion for books, is something that is a statement that will not even raise eyebrows. See the way in which young people, especially students, avoid books, and you will understand why the only book fairs that are held now are those that some individual book sellers and publishers have as part of their commercial strategies.

Book fairs as a collective concept; a kind of community activity, a platform for literary pursuits? Obsolete concepts really, in a city where terrorism and crime are bigger challenges, and turning bigger and bloodier with time.

Zamir Niazi remembered

The recent death of the press freedom-fighter, Zamir Niazi, was widely mourned all over the country. Newspapers carried lengthy articles about him and all that he struggled for during his lifetime. The success that his efforts brought to those pursuing the profession of journalism is there for everyone to see. There is no denying that whatever freedom the press enjoys today is due to the relentless efforts made by him and those like him.

In Lahore the Pakistan Academy of Letters arranged a reference in its local office which was presided over by veteran journalist Hameed Akhtar. Speakers on the occasion who included Afzal Tauseef, Zaman Khan, Kazy Javed and Kanwal Feroz, paid glowing tributes to Zamir Niazi for his long and hard struggle.

Although I had roamed the corridors of Dawn during the early days of Pakistan as I was thinking of starting an English evening daily from Karachi, somehow I never came across Zamir Niazi. However, he discovered me during the last years of his life and kept sending me all the books that he wrote. He even sent me those in which there was mention of him vis-a-vis press freedom.

I also treasure Hikayat-i-Khunchakan which was compiled by Rahat Saeed and dedicated to Razia Bhatti. He sent it to me duly autographed. I also read his famous, Press in Chains, which was published in 1986 besides Press Under Siege (1992) and The Web of Censorship (1994).

I have always admired his dauntless courage and have had great respect for him, yet he rose even higher in my estimation after I read an incident about him in an article by the late Altaf Gauhar. He wrote that Zamir Niazi was given the Pride of Performance award on March 23, 1995, together with a cheque for Rs50,000, but when in July the same year, the government suddenly banned six evening papers of Karachi, Zamir Niazi returned the award together with the cheque. He had not cashed it despite his modest means.

A few years ago, Zamir Niazi compiled a book about nuclear disarmament. Titled Zamin ka Nauha, the lead article was written by him while the remaining 340 pages were consumed by different writers, poets and intellectuals of the country. Niazi Sahib was kind enough to send me a copy with a touching verse in his own handwriting:

Kaho key aaj bhi ham sab agar khamosh rahey

To is damakety huey khakdan ki khair nahin

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Nisar Akbarabadi is a poet of high merit with three published collections of creative work to his credit. In addition, he has written a book of prosody for the guidance of those eager to step into the field of poetry. This particular book was launched quite some time back at a function presided over by Mirza Shamsul Hasan who, in addition to being a poet, also happens to be a deputy inspector-general of police. He was all praise for Nisar's deep knowledge of the essentials of good poetry and was glad that he was passing on his knowledge to the younger lot.

There was a time when Nisar Akbarabadi used to recite his verses with a lilting tarannum with the result that he was one of the most sought after poets of the city at every mushaira. Now that he is lying seriously ill, no one bothers about him. It was only a God-fearing retired professor who immediately sent me a substantial amount for onward delivery to the ailing poet. That amount has long since been exhausted and Nisar Akbarabadi is all by himself in his Sabzazar house. Doesn't it fall upon the Pakistan Academy of Letters to look after ailing men of letters?

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The monthly Shadaab has been making its regular appearance now for over three decades. Although primarily a journal of special interest to the Christian minority, yet its editor, Dar Kanwal Feroz, knows how to cover its pages with material which appeals to the vast majority of people in the country. I am specially impressed with the cooperation he receives from topnotchers in the realm of poetry like Dr Khayal Amrohvi and Abdul Aziz Khalid. In addition, the verses of Karamat Bukhari and Prof Hasan Askari Kazmi are also seen in the magazine quite often.