KARACHI: There are too many people on the Clifton and Seaview beaches, and despite a ban on bathing in the water and all cyclone and storm warnings because that’s the best way seen by all for beating the heat.

There is a ban on going into the water with Section 144 imposed but no one pays much heed to it. “And we’ll see about the storm when the storm gets here,” says one happy family of beach-goers sitting on the rocky wall against which the tides crash.

The storm they were referring to was of course cyclone Vayu, which thankfully stayed far away from Karachi.

“The weather steadily improves as you get closer to the tides. Once there, you won’t even feel the sun,” says Ghulam Mohiuddin to his family of one brother, their wives and seven little ones who were complaining about it being too hot and the hot sand burning their feet.

“We arrived in Karachi from Shikarpur. And once here how can we not visit the beach?” he says.

On his attention being diverted from the water to the huge banners put up all over the beach with warnings about bathing in the water, the man only shrugs. “We won’t go too far or deep into the water. We just want to wet our feet and feel the cool spray and sea breeze on our faces,” he says before turning to his family and telling them to go ahead.

There are several corn on the cob sellers peeling fresh corn before roasting them even in the heat. “Thank God people are still coming to the beaches despite the police and government warnings. It is so hot. Where else can one go to beat the heat but come here?” one seller tells Dawn. “We also get to earn something with people coming here.”

A bun kebab seller nearby was also listening to the conversation and nodding. “You think there are many people here now? It is still afternoon. You should see how many more will come around evening. The picnickers, most of whom are visiting from other cities don’t pack picnic baskets. So we have been wrapping up our stalls around 3am or 4am every day,” the bun kebab seller grins.

“Yes, all this outing and recreation is good and good for our businesses too, but things should not be taken for granted here,” says an elderly and obviously wise cold drink seller.

He gazes at the men offering camel and horse rides, those inviting people to ride their dune buggies, the photographers capturing happy moments on the beach, the young boys offering people with sand on their feet plastic disposable bottles with clean water to rinse their feet and legs.

“There are so many negative aspects to the positive aspects and if you place them in a weighing balance, they weigh more I’m afraid. There are things such as littering at the beaches, pickpockets, prostitution, etc,” he says.

“We are all intelligent people. When we come here to appreciate the seaside, we should also take care of it and of ourselves. Hopefully, these banners with the warnings will keep people from going too far into the water because I have not seen any law enforcement personnel stopping anyone from doing so,” he adds.

“When the law enforcement people come they come to harass poor folk like us. Neither do they keep an eye on the picnickers, nor do they do anything about the crime.”

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2019