These days, when a large-scale political activity (for example, general elections or a jalsa) is about to take place, it sends a shiver down the spine of those who organise cultural shows. They either postpone their events (if the dates have already been announced) or plan them in a way that politics and culture do not coincide. This was not the case in the ‘60s.

As has been previously mentioned in this column, in the last week of October 1964, the people were preparing themselves to elect their favourite candidates to the Electoral College. On Oct 29 it was announced that voters in 163 units would go to poll on the first day of the 10-day polling process in Karachi district on Oct 31. About 560 candidates were in the run on the inaugural day.

The announcement didn’t make anyone have cold feet because on Oct 27, the Karachi Press Club in collaboration with Radio Pakistan arranged an evening of classical music. The highly rated duo of brothers Nazakat Ali and Salamat, according to published reports, spellbound the audience. They presented quite a few compositions but the khayal in aboghi kangra was very well received. The brothers were the favourites of classical music organisers at the time which was why their concerts happened on a regular basis in the ‘60s.

A day earlier, on Oct 26, to celebrate the birthday of Shahanshah of Iran (yes, there used to be one) the then Iranian ambassador and Mrs Djafar Kafai gave a reception at their Clifton residence. It was attended by a large number of guests, including heads of diplomatic missions in Pakistan.

If Iran in those days had a somewhat western outlook on life but did not admit it openly, Turkey had no qualms in doing so. On Oct 29, a Turkish scholar named Metin Ant delivered a lecture on the culture of his country at Karachi University. The occasion was the 41st anniversary of the Proclamation of Turkish Republic. He argued that Turkey had to ‘imitate’ Western culture because the salvation of the nation lay in equipping itself with western knowledge. Of course, now things have changed a bit, but there is still no harm in equipping yourself with knowledge of any kind taken from any culture.

Zarif Jabalpuri was a fine Urdu poet. He died in March (1964). On Oct 30 his admirers got to know through the newspapers that the poet’s friends and colleagues

had formed an organisation Bazmi-i-Zarif in his memory. It happened earlier that week at a meeting presided over by K. B. Naqi Mohammad Khan. Renowned verse-wielder Ustad Qamar Jalalvi was elected the permanent president of the bazm while Maulana Mahirul Qadri and Nasir Kasganjvi were elected vice-president and secretary, respectively.

On Oct 31, Begum Liaquat Ali Khan, president of All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA), addressed a gathering comprising girl students and teachers at APWA College Karimabad. She put emphasis in her speech on the importance of mass education for the progress and development of the nation. It was widely reported in the national newspapers. Sadly, mass education is still a dream in this country.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2014