Well, sometimes animals bite more than they can chew, especially when they’re off their rocker. In the ‘60s, Karachi’s equestrian life was pretty active, mainly because there was less vehicular traffic on the city roads and thoroughfares. So people used horse-drawn carriages and other modes of transport to go from one place to another. This, of course, also had its downside.

On Oct 7, 1964 a horse broke loose from a carriage in a stable in Bihar Colony, Clayton Road, and went bonkers. It galloped around the area like a bull in a china shop caring nothing about anyone who came in its way. The horse then bit a 70-year-old woman in the armpit. As she screamed for help, a couple of men somehow got hold of the animal and settled it down. The woman was saved from further trouble, and was taken to the Civil Hospital Kaachi, where she was kept for a fortnight for treatment. When the incident was investigated it turned out that the horse was a little crazy and had previously hurt a she-buffalo. It may be madness, but there seemed to be method to it: he only hurt the female species.

Sometimes walking down memory lane feels like the past had never gone away. The phrase ‘anti-state’ was not coined in Gen Ziaul Haq’s tenure. It was effectively used even during Ayub Khan’s rule. On Oct 9, when campaigning for the presidential election almost reached fever pitch, the provincial minister for basic democracies and local government, Abdul Ghaffar Pasha, spoke at a meeting in Korangi. Among the many things he said on the occasion one was to do with Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. He claimed that anti-state people were behind Ms Jinnah. In that regard he named Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Maulana Maudoodi, who, he said, created obstacles in achieving Pakistan. Doesn’t that sound so familiar, so contemporary?

One more thing in politics that hasn’t changed over the course of 50 years is the Kashmir issue. That week, Wahib Burqawi, president of the General Union of Palestinian Students (which had 34 branches in the world), was visiting Karachi. In a little chitchat with Dawn published on Oct 8, Mr Burqawi said the Palestinian and Kashmir issues were similar. He said his people were willing to sacrifice their lives for any issue that threatened the solidarity of the Muslim world.

On the other hand, our very own scientist par excellence and man of letters Dr Salimuzzaman Siddiqui (who was chairman of the National Science Council at the time) was honoured by the Vatican. On Oct 11, the newspapers ran the report that Dr Siddiqui was made a Pontifical Academician by the Pope as a result of his election as a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. This was done in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the advancement of science and technology.

Now let’s talk about culture and move back a few days. An exhibition of East Pakistani artist Mubinul Azim opened at the Alliance Francaise on Oct 6.

Inaugurating the show, central commerce minister Wahiduzzaman said a greater understanding between the cultures of east and west, especially between Pakistan and France, was needed. Oh, I thought he was referring to a greater understanding between East and West

Pakistan. Not to be.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2014