IT was a momentous week in the history of Karachi in particular (because it’s demographically the largest city of Pakistan) and the country in general. It seemed as if the build-up to the weeks of demonstrations carried out by the newsmen of the country had reached climax. No need to refresh memory about their demands as they have been well-documented and highlighted in this column too.

So, on April 15, 1970 the working journalists of Pakistan went on indefinite strike. Although the word indefinite is often loosely used in such circumstances, the strike lasted for about 10 days. Yes, till April 24; and during that period, a big number of newspapers did not get published. This was unprecedented. The strike was put into effect in response to a call given by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) backed by other bodies, including the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ). There are different opinions on why it ended in a little more than a week, a few of which are quoted pretty often. Eminent journalist Zamir Niazi in his book The Press in Chains writes that the strike came to an end because then minister for information Gen Sher Ali Khan succeeded in buying the loyalties of a handful of journalists. Historian and poet Aqeel Abbas Jafri in his book Pakistan Chronicle writes that it was called off after the authorities were able to create the left- and right-wing divide between the members of the community. Prof Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, who has written extensively on the subject, says 100 journalists were fired as a result of the agitation, but in 1972 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reinstated them. Therefore, by and large, the strike could be deemed a successful one.

Finally, on April 25 life at newspaper offices returned to normal and their subscribers got to read news reports after a long break. One of the news items they read was about Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum. On April 25, it was reported that the ornamental steel railings along the boundary wall of the mausoleum were being put up with great speed. Work on the project started in February 1969 and was likely to be completed in the next six weeks.

As far as the cultural landscape of the city went, which never gets dull no matter how bleak the circumstances are, a significant event took place on April 25. An exhibition of small sculptures by modern American artists began at the Pak-American Centre. Critics said it was a fascinating illustration of what was happening in the domain of contemporary sculpture-making. Presenting 40 exhibits, the show offered a stimulating experience for local art enthusiasts and a glimpse into the styles and concerns of contemporary sculptures. The artists whose works were on view included Leonard Baskin, Class Oldenburg, Louie Nevelson, Ernest Tova and Colin Greenly. They had used plastic, aluminum, plexiglass, steel and mixed media to express themselves.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2020