KARACHI: Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, the greatest Urdu poet, and Karachi — what do they have in common? To be honest, the answer is: not much. If someone manufactured an answer that the largest number of his admirers resides in Karachi, it would sound far-fetched. It is far-fetched because a huge number of fans and followers of Urdu poetry live in other parts of Pakistan, as well as in India. Yes, what’s missing from both these centres of Urdu is the fact that Feb 15, 2019, marked the poet’s 150th death anniversary, and not many literary organisations are pushed about it.

This was not the case in 1969, when Ghalib’s centenary was celebrated in Pakistan, especially in Karachi, with a great deal of fanfare. Every week or so events related to Ghalib’s life and work were held participated by giants of Urdu literature — Josh Malihabadi, Jamiluddin Aali, Faiz Ahmed Faiz etc.

But something interesting also happened in the first week of February. In pursuance of a resolution, the city administration changed the names of quite a few quarters and neighbourhoods of Karachi. One of them was Queen’s Road Quarters which was renamed Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib Quarters.

Where exactly are those quarters? Did the changed name really come into effect? One is not sure because not even the most renowned town planners and city historians are sure about it. However, if the name was used later on, and if it is still being used, then there’s likelihood that the area we are looking at is M.T. Khan Road which stretches from the PIDC Bridge to the PNSC building.

While there is nothing Ghalibian, for want of a better word, about the road and the neighbourhoods that flank it, one must commend the past administrators of the Sindh capital who attached the kind of importance to the great poet that he richly deserved. And will always deserve.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2019