KARACHI: The city's landscape is dotted with jarring examples of commercialisation. Marketing paraphernalia can be seen covering buildings, bridges and mammoth billboards.
The latest example is Karachi's iconic Teen Talwar (Three Swords) monument in its upscale Clifton locality.
In pictures posted by residents on social media, the monument can be seen wrapped in advertisement banners announcing 'My Karachi' festival to be held in the city this week.
Advertisements for the 'Family Fun Festival' cover the three white marble swords, which are inscribed with the national motto of Unity, Faith and Discipline, in a disorderly manner.
The festival is organised by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). According to its website, "The vision of 'My Karachi-Oasis of Harmony' Exhibition is to rebuild the image of Karachi and to give positive signals to foreign entrepreneurs that the industrial and commercial activities are going on smoothly in Pakistan particularly in Karachi".
The emergence of the banners on Teen Talwar did not please Karachiites, with many calling for action to be taken against the placement of the ads on social media.
A Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) official, working with the hoardings department of the administrative body, told Dawn.com that the Teen Talwar monument was beyond the ambit of CBC, and that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is answerable for it.
When contacted, KMC's District Metropolitan Corporation advertisement director commented that he was not aware of such ads being placed on Teen Talwar, and added reluctantly that "they should have not been covered with ads entirely".
The official said he would look into the matter.
Update: The advertisement banners covering the monument were removed by the administration later in the day.
