YES, the US-Pakistan-India triangular tangle is not a new issue. The blame game and the complaint conundrum were there in the ‘60s with the same degree of certitude. But let’s begin this week’s piece with some news items pertaining to Karachi ’s local scene, as it were.

Did you know that our beloved city’s public transport buses used to have first aid boxes? On July 13, 1964 (as reported the next day) the Regional Transport Authority made it compulsory for every public transport vehicle applying for a new permit or trying to renew an old one that they should have first aid boxes in them. It was a thoughtful decision on the part of the authority to handle emergency situations where medical assistance for passengers was required. Perhaps the idea came a tad early. It would have been more useful some three decades later.

The fact is that for people at the helm at the time, the citizens and their well-being was of prime concern. Or so it appeared. On July 14, megaphones were installed at the Karachi Zoo to facilitate the recovery of lost property and wards in the garden. Wow! The zoo keepers in 2014 can take a leaf out of their predecessor’s book and install digitally controlled screens in the park to upgrade its look and facilities.

July 14 was also the day when a distinguished physician Dr M A Kassim passed away. On July 15, a condolence meeting was arranged in his memory at which tributes were paid to him for his services to the advancement of medical science, especially cardiology.

As mentioned in the previous write-up, Karachi received a heavy downpour on July 12. As a result many of its neighbourhoods were submerged in water. This newspaper carried a photograph on July 17 in which DIG Asif Majid was seen visiting rain-affected areas. The caption of the picture suggested that East Pakistanis who lived near the Lyari River bed were forced to abandon their hutments because of low flood. The DIG arranged for an alternative shelter for them. Unfortunately, East Pakistanis are no more part of our cityscape.

G Allana was a celebrated scholar. He was an internationally renowned poet who commanded respect from his peers and followers alike. On July 18 he chaired a seminar organised by the Islamia Youth Services. Speaking on the occasion he called upon individual Pakistanis to play their role in financing voluntary social work. That’s what we call being observant. Mr Allana sensed the selfish streak that the well-heeled in this country had, and still have.

This was the week when a news report about the United States ’ supplying a big number of arms to India was highlighted in the Pakistani media. It was widely condemned. On July 19, a joint meeting of labourers and students under the chairmanship of Mukhtar Azad was held in the city in which the massive US arms aid to India was denounced. Doesn’t it ring a bell? For sure, it does.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2014