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The glory of the East - still a dream By Dr Hamida Khuhro Looking at the visions of a sadly vanishing Karachi, questions come to mind: has Karachi already seen its golden days in the first half of the 20th century, or can it recover from the shambles of its fin de siecle years to become a splendid 21st century city? Can it produce a leadership that has the vision and determination to turn this mega city into a citizen-friendly, environmentally healthy and aesthetically pleasing home for its people, or is it doomed to sink under the problems created by indifference and neglect? Karachi is the capital of Sindh and the very nerve centre of Pakistan's economy. It started its life as a small port of Sindh and achieved this status through the vision of its leaders and citizens. Karachi is the first seaport but the last in a long line of ports of Sindh. The earliest port recorded in historic times was Debal, where the Arabs landed in 711 AD under the command of Mohammad bin Qasim. Traditionally, the ports of Sindh had been built on the Indus River, each of which flourished until the Indus, a famously fickle river, changed its course. So there was Patala (of Alexander's fame), Debal, Shah Bandar, Aurang Bandar, and Lahri Bandar; until it occurred to the rulers that a seaport would provide a more permanent solution, and Karachi was chosen as a suitable site. The trade that passed through the ports of Sindh was made up of the produce of not only Sindh itself, but of countries as far as eastern Iran, Afghanistan, Punjab and Kashmir. From here, goods were sent to Gujarat, the Malabar Coast, Bengal, Southeast Asia and further. The produce of Hindustan and the countries beyond, as well as Arabia, Africa and Europe, came through the Sindh ports to be distributed to countries in the hinterland as far back as Central Asia. Karachi attracted trading families from neighbouring states, such as Cutch, from where the Jinnahbhai Poonja family and the family of Sir Abdoola Haroon, among others, arrived and settled. The Aga Khan, in exile from Iran, also came to Karachi, having made his original base in Jherruk, an important river port; a staging post as it were for merchants en route to Karachi. After the arrival of the British in 1843, Karachi rapidly grew in importance. The harbour was improved and the city grew from a small, walled town to a modern city, the third most important port in British India and the nearest to Europe. It kept its tradition of attracting business families from Gujarat and Maharashtra - Parsi entrepreneurs such as Dinshaw, Katrak and Godrej, Maharashtran Mohattas, Bohras and Memons from Bombay and other areas - who made the city their home. Traders from Iran, Afghanistan and even Central Asia owned shops and businesses and ran 'Irani' restaurants; Chinese immigrants lent their own flavour to the town. Bartle Frere set up a trade fair in Karachi where merchants from Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia could come and exchange goods with those from Bombay and further afield. The old walled town of Karachi, with its gates Kharadar (the salt water gate) and Mithadar (sweet water gate), was soon outgrown by the large numbers of people coming into the new British city of Karachi with railway stations, government offices, civil lines and business houses. The great artery, Bandar Road, bisected the town roughly between the old town and the new one. A tramline was built between the harbour and Soldier Bazaar and then again to the Cantonment Station. New 'colonies' were built to house middle-class communities, Parsi Colony, Amil Colony, Muslim Colony, etc., were among the most pleasant and well-planned. The jail marked the northern end of the city and the harbour its southern-most edge. Splendid buildings appeared, including Frere Hall, Empress Market, the Churches, the neo Gothic St. Joseph's Convent, Edulji Dinshaw Dispensary, Katrak Building, the Cowasji Building at Keamari, and Mere weather Tower, marking the top end of the new business centre of McLeod Road. The twentieth century would see the addition of the Municipal building on Bandar Road, the Chief Court Building, the Customs House and the Governor's Residence and, above all, the Kothari Parade at Clifton. In 1947, this small town of 400,000 people became the capital of the state of Pakistan, at the time of its creation "the biggest Muslim country in the world". There was a huge influx of population - the workforce of the new central government as well as large numbers of displaced people from the provinces of India. The infrastructure of city was unable to cope with the instant doubling and trebling of its population and it was only the resourceful and careful management of the Sindh administration that saved it from collapsing. Its status as capital attracted a continuous stream of immigrants, not only from the Indian subcontinent, but also people from all parts of Pakistan in search of a better life. The city kept its personality for over a decade after Partition, but relentless pressure took its toll. The exponential growth of Karachi after independence as a major economic centre brought additional problems. Slowly the smile grew forced and then vanished from its face. The graceful structures and monuments were obscured from view as jerry-built buildings took the city over. Crass commercialization became the accepted way of life and, although no longer the capital of Pakistan, Karachi was transformed into an uncontrolled monstrous city, bereft of what it once had - caring citizens and careful managers. At the start of the 21st century, however, it appears that there could be a turnaround. A new generation of Karachiites are conscious of their environment, of the need to improve it and the world is more ready than it has ever been to lend a helping hand. There is a need for the citizens of Karachi to respond to the requirements of their city - to own the city, to plan its regeneration and to turn it into what that old unregenerate colonialist Napier hoped it would become: 'The Glory of the East'. Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)
