| November 03, 2008 | Monday | Ziqa'ad 4, 1429 |
Lorry stand
No need for a new cantonment
Zafar Akbar’s office at PTV’s Karachi studios is sort of a Sajna da dera: you will always find there a couple of known and unknown people chatting on society, arts and other subjects. But even the unknown ones are not ordinary souls. This I realized during one of my recent visits.
As Zafar left the office for a while on a call, I tried to pick up a conversation with the elderly man sitting next to me whom Zafar had greeted as Khan Sahib. On my request for introduction, the reticent man said that his name was Lal Mohammad and he played flute. As the conversation progressed, he told me that he had also composed music for some films. When I asked him to name a few, he began with Jaag Utha Insan.
I was dumbfounded. The humble man was Lal Mohammad of the famous Lal Mohammad-Iqbal duo, the composers of Dunya kisi ke pyar main jannat say kam nahi, one of the most popular ghazals sung by Mehdi Hasan.
Jaag Utha Insan had another memorable song, Ay watan hum hain teri shama ke parwanon main, written by Josh Malihabadi. The movie tells the story of Qadir Bukhsh alias Qadoo Makrani, a bandit-turned-freedom fighter of the colonial era who left the Indian state of Gujarat for Karachi where he died. He was buried in Mewashah graveyard.
The conversation reminded me that these movies were made during the heydays of Pakistani cinema when Karachi, with its Eastern and Modern studios, was a major centre of film-making, besides Lahore. Some of these movies depicted Sindhi culture, such as Aag ka darya, based on the life of a bandit, whose hit song Man ja man ja balam man ja borrows its tune from Shah Abdul Latif’s Kohyari raga. Others portrayed the pain of migrants felt by those coming from India after the Partition.
The movies not only showed glimpses of life in the city by the seashore, such as scenes of donkey races or the lifestyle of the fishermen’s community, but also hinted at the transformation the metropolis was going through.
What can describe this metamorphosis more aptly than the fact that before the demise of the Karachi film industry, the last lease of life was provided to it by the production of Pushto movies.—Abbas Jalbani
‘Don’t abuse it’
On a recent journey from one end of the city to another (an arduous task) by public coach, as is my wont, I read all the signs and billboards the eye can catch and sure enough, I found some extremely interesting and amusing signs along the chosen route.
In this particular case I happened to be crossing the Sunset Boulevard, where all along the centre island dividing the road were signs cautioning drivers on the safety of driving. One sign read ‘Speed thrills but kills’ (as if the youth care), while another said ‘Fasten seat belts while driving’ (unheard of here), while yet another stated ‘Do not use mobiles while driving’ (unheeded advice). Then there are the newly-built bus shelters (kudos to the CDGK) all over the city with neat plastic and glass panelling which has a pleasant aesthetic appearance on the environs of the cit. But what caught my rapt attention was the sign on the shelters saying ‘Bus shelter: use it do not abuse it.’
The public service message is appreciated, but the question arises: as citizens of this metropolis, do we need to be reminded of our civic duty and manners? Sadly though, it is a well-known fact that we still are not educated enough to carry out our civic duties. As a result of which the telephone booths, public toilets and pedestrian bridges that we do have are seldom left intact.
It’s not only during violent protests that things go wrong, but it seems that we tend to damage public property even in normal days, regardless of the fact that the public property is there to serve us.
The only question remains: when will we ever learn?—Farhan Babar
A glance into the kitchen
Being a born-again bachelor, most of the time I have to fend for myself as far as my culinary needs are concerned, except for when I go to my siblings’ place or cousins’, where I can get home-cooked food.
It so happens that I consider myself a connoisseur of good food but given the exorbitant rise in living, it is not possible to lunch and dine at upscale restaurants or even fast food joints these days.
So I have no other choice but to frequent the average class restaurants and eateries in the neighbourhood to sate my pangs of hunger.
Mind you, I am not a snob nor consider it below my dignity to visit these roadside cafes or restaurants, which dish out spicy food of all varieties. But what gets my goat is the fare being prepared is done so under extremely unhygienic conditions.
Most recently, a friend and I went to one such restaurant where the food was reasonable. But upon finishing I went to wash my hands and happened to glance into the kitchen or rather the cleaning area, where a young man was rinsing the used plates with soap and instead of washing them in running water, he was dipping them in a bucket of extremely murky water full of grease stains and thick cooking oil.
I was completely appalled and disgusted with this sight and pointed it out to my friend.
In civilized countries of the world there are checks and balances in the hygiene standards right from that of a five-star restaurant to a delicatessen, where food inspectors are deputed to check cleanliness, hygiene and other important features in the best interest of the public.
I am told that there was a plan on the anvil by the city planners to introduce similar inspectors here, but it probably was shelved before being launched.
As far as Karachians are concerned, I guess they have become inured to the dust laden, fly buzzing, grease stained environment of Karachi eateries, for despite everything, the fare dished up is still a delight for the taste buds.—Syed Ali Anwer
The seventh festival
Last month was marked with a number of international film festivals, including Chicago International Film Festival, Pusan International Film Festival, Rome Film Festival and London Film Festival, which reminded me about the KaraFilm Festival that was scheduled for this November after a gap of almost two years.
The six festivals conducted so far in the city not only brought together film-makers from around the world but also opened new vistas of co-production for India and Pakistan. I remember around 170 films, including a number of Asian premieres, were screened during the ten-day event held last time in December 2006.
Since then many enthusiasts have been eagerly waiting for the seventh festival. But, events beyond control forced the organizers to postpone the festival thrice. This time they have rescheduled it to the first half of February 2009, citing certain unavoidable problems and security concerns.
Only a few Karachians still expect that the organizers will be able to stick to the new schedule, as many others fear that the lingering ‘unavoidable concerns’ might postpone the festival further. But then, there are a few odd art buffs who question the postponement of such an event, arguing that if Angelina Jolie can visit battered Afghanistan, what restrains film-makers from other parts of the world from visiting Karachi.—HA
Compiled by Syed Hassan Ali
karachian@dawn.com
Sir,
I wish to point out that a serious traffic snarl occurs every Tuesday and Thursday at the bazaar held on those days at University Road (commonly called Mausamiat).
The public has to park on the road as drivers who illegally park various lorries in the open place of the bazaar do not remove their lorries, which obstructs the flow of traffic and causes jams.
There is never any police presence to regulate traffic here. It is vital that the lorry stand be removed, especially on the two days of the bazaar.
M. ADIL WASTI
Karachi
Zebra crossings & subways
Sir,
If the city government is to be thanked for giving the citizens of Karachi wide roads and flyovers, then the leasing companies have to be thanked for inundating Karachi with motor cars.
This has made zebra crossings and subways indispensable in many busy areas of the metropolis. In Gulistan-i-Jauhar, there is always a mad rush of motorists in the morning and in the afternoon of the office and school vans.
The main road from Jauhar Mor to the Darul Sehat Hospital and onwards – named after the great poet Abul Asr Abdul Hafeez Jalundhri (of which all signboards have disappeared) – is so busy that it is sometimes very difficult for the pedestrians to cross the road.
It is, therefore, suggested that the CDGK may kindly provide zebra crossings and subways – where it can – at strategic points to facilitate the pedestrians.
The city nazim is requested to kindly give his personal attention to this problem, which is becoming more serious every passing day. Other parts of the city also need zebra crossings and subways for the safety of pedestrians.
A PEDESTRIAN
Karachi
PTCL & BP
Sir,
I have never defaulted on my PTCL payments, but it pains me to say that for the last three months, the PTCL is increasing my blood pressure. My phone number (462-3423) is not working properly. For this I have made a number of complaints via the proper channel.
Thrice I approached the DE phones, Gulistanexchange, but to no good. I did the same on 1118and 2108. Then I submitted a written complaint to the Corporate Customer Services on 2508. The DE and Corporate Customer Services Clifton took immediate action and sent their man to do the needful, but every time the phone remained in order for a day or two — at times even for an hour or two — then went dead again.
The field staff (lineman) is a regular visitor to our plaza, but he does not help us.
He wants my ‘cooperation,’ rather full ‘cooperation,’ for the constant restoration of my phone.
At the age of 70, I am unable to move here and there for help.
MOHAMMAD FAKHIRUDDIN KHAN
Gulistan-i-Jauhar
Tree plantation in DHA
Sir,
Trees planted on road dividers in the Defence Housing Authority, especially on Khayaban-i-Bahria, have engulfed the overhead electric wires at some places.
Due to the constant sea breeze in the area, the branches keep shaking the wires, which causes power fluctuations in the nearby houses.
On complaints received from the affected residents, the horticulture department of the Clifton Cantonment Board has carried out pruning of these trees.
It is therefore suggested that if these tall trees grown on road dividers are replaced with plants which do not grow taller than a few feet, it will be a better solution.
PARVEZ RAHIM
Karachi
Bus routes
Sir,
Perhaps the buses of routes ‘6’ and ‘5C’ may be directed to travel only on M.A. Jinnah Road so that traffic jams in Saddar could be avoided.
Thus they would go through Tibet Centre and M.A. Jinnah Road and back. Other buses can also be diverted through this route. The passengers for Saddar can get dropped off at Tibet Centre. This will bring good results and traffic jams at Saddar could be stopped.
SYED WASIM AHMAD
Karachi
city@dawn.com
WITH the decision to suspend construction of the new GHQ at the foothills of the Margallas, can we hope that we will not be hearing anything more about the establishment of a new cantonment in Islamabad proper?
Just as deplorable as the idea of a Great Wall to cordon off the Red Zone in Islamabad is the plan to establish a new sprawling cantonment in the capital city to house the GHQ.
The previously unheard of plan to shift GHQ from Rawalpindi to Islamabad proper was unveiled during the era of the former President Gen Musharraf (retired), who got the land acquired for the purpose, inaugurated the project and started construction work on it – amid opposition within parliament and outside.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Air Force and the Pakistan Navy had earlier already constructed and shifted into their respective complexes comprising offices, residences, educational institutions and hospitals at the Margalla foothills site – without any apparent noise from the public.
Was GHQ really supposed to shift?
The first elected government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto may have decided in 1972-73, as widely alleged, on locating the administrative headquarters of the three armed services together in the new capital for better communication between them. But did this decision actually involve a plan to shift the GHQ from Rawalpindi to Islamabad proper, only a stone’s throw away?
What needed to be shifted to the capital were the administrative headquarters of the Pakistan Navy, which was in Karachi, and the administrative headquarters of the Pakistan Air Force, which was in Peshawar. The administrative headquarters of the army or GHQ was already here in Rawalpindi.
All the more there wasn’t a need to shift the GHQ when, according to the original Islamabad Master Plan, Rawalpindi, which was the interim capital of Pakistan from 1959 to 1969 when Islamabad was under construction, was to be part of the new capital of Pakistan.
In a booklet entitled ‘Islamabad’, published by CDA in the mid-1990s, section 6 entitled “Master Plan” states: Islamabad is located on the Potohar Plateau, the total area of the plan is spread over 1,165sq.km and is further sub-divided into four different parts: (1) Rawalpindi, 259 sq.km; (2) Islamabad Proper inclusive of institutional and industrial areas, 220.15 sq.km; (3) Islamabad Park, 220.15 sq.km; (4) Islamabad Rural Area, 446.20 sq km.
Some unofficial maps of the Master Plan of Islamabad show the Islamabad-Rawalpindi area neatly divided into marked square sectors. The sectors named after the alphabets A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I fall in Islamabad proper, while the sectors named after the alphabets J, K, L, M, N and O lie in Rawalpindi.
IJ Principal Road divides Islamabad proper and Rawalpindi, this road being apparently named after the two adjoining sectors I and J.
According to these maps, Rawalpindi Cantonment is spread over sectors K to O in Rawalpindi, with the existing GHQ in Rawalpindi located in L-11 and M-11 sectors. Other prominent places are the District Courts in M-10 sector, the High Court in O-10 sector, and Satellite Town in J-9 and K-9 sectors.
As Rawalpindi is supposed to be part of the new capital, and GHQ is in Rawalpindi, it thus made no sense to indulge in a wastefully expensive exercise – financial crunch or no financial crunch – of shifting the GHQ from one locality of the capital to another. Any upgrading of the GHQ could be done and has been done with much less expenses where it is already located.
The question that arises is whether it was an issue or whether it was in contravention of the original master plan for the new naval and air headquarters, shifted from Karachi and Peshawar respectively, to relocate in Islamabad proper instead of in Rawalpindi.
According to a recent report in Dawn, a review of the Islamabad Master Plan in 1987 had apparently taken exception to the establishment of military complexes in Islamabad proper. The review reportedly reminded that the original master plan had “assigned” “all army uses” to Rawalpindi and that it had defined a special zone in Rawalpindi “along the proposed Soan Highway” for army purposes “where the army has an access to the free area southwest of the city for further expansion”.
It is not clear, however, whether “army” here refers specifically to the army alone or to all three armed services.
As to whether or when Rawalpindi with its cantonment and GHQ will be incorporated into the capital of Pakistan as originally envisioned in the Islamabad Master Plan, it is anybody’s guess. The problem has been in implementation.
That this scenario is not forgotten and may not be as far fetched, as it may seem is perhaps indicated by the unprecedented remarks made in 2006 by the then railways minister who is a former MNA from Rawalpindi. He had claimed that effort was afoot at the political level for the inclusion of Rawalpindi Tehsil in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
