FORGET the hullabaloo about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It may have its pros and cons, but the fact remains that China has had trade relations with our region from the time when not even the Mughals had thought of coming to this part of the world. This, by the way, is what archaeologists believe.

On May 31, 1965 a statement from an expedition led by the Archaeology Department was released to the media. It was about some precious objects which had been discovered while working at the historic site of Banbhore. According to the department, the specimen found during many excavations included finely printed stone bowls and large jars having Chinese letters inscribed on them. After getting an idea about the time periods the objects belonged to, the archaeologists inferred that China had trade ties with the Islamic world during the Abbasid period. So, the CPEC does have its roots in history.

Banbhore has always been a favourite place for history buffs. It attracts not just academics but people representing a cross-section of society. This must have been the reason that on May 28 a visitors’ pavilion built at a cost of Rs15,000 was inaugurated at the famous site. The idea was to facilitate visitors who came to see the museum and excavation spots. And who donated the money for the pavilion? The National Bank of Pakistan, after which the facility was named! Not a bad gesture. More is needed in this day and age, though.

On the topic of money, it is hard to imagine that the University of Karachi could ever be in such a financial spot of bother that it would entertain the thought of closing down some of its departments. Well, it happened 50 years back. On May 29, the vice chancellor of the institution, Dr Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi, while speaking at a seminar titled ‘Problems of teaching in English’ sponsored by the Karachi University English Teachers Association, disclosed that the university was in terrible financial distress and may have to close down some of its departments. To be honest, considering that education has always been at the lowest of rung of the state’s priority ladder, it should not surprise many of us.

The other subject that does not seem to find favour among those who call the shots is tourism. But in the ‘60s the situation was a trifle dissimilar. Not many of us would know that there used to be a Karachi divisional tourist advisory committee (don’t we desperately need one now?). On May 25, the committee had its first meeting at which various important items for promotion of tourism in Karachi and its suburbs were discussed. The meeting was presided over by the commissioner of the city.

The story does not end here. The railways, in both wings of the country, too, was very much part of such recreational schemes. On May 28, the Karachi city pages interestingly flashed a news item: ‘Travel as you like’ tickets. It said, the Pak Eastern Railways on recommendation of the department of tourism had decided to grant ‘travel as you like’ tickets to tourists domiciled in West Pakistan travelling to East Pakistan. Valid for 30 days, the ticket would cost an adult Rs112.60, whereas for children it was Rs56.44, entitling them to travel first class over the entire system of Pak Eastern Railways. Ah, if the past could be forgotten. And that dreaded word, domicile.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2015

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