The week began for Karachiites with something that appeared in the newspapers related to the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC). On March 29, 1971 it was announced that the green belts on all the major city roads would be made of mass concrete instead of the kerb stone. A decision in this regard was taken by the corporation which had also started implementing it on roads already under construction. Officials believed that the concrete green belts would initially cost more but in the long run prove ‘economical and elegant’. Although the device primarily applied to the green parts, in the time to come the pavements, as per the decision, might also be made of the same material.

No matter how many plans you make, living in a megapolis is never devoid of civic problems. In those days, as it is being tried these days as well, Karachi’s circular railway was up and running. On March 31, it was reported that hundreds of passengers boarding the circular railway trams from City Station were facing great difficulties because of the scorching sun. They had to wait for the trams in the open, and there was no shed or shelter to protect them from the sweltering weather conditions. This was considered the biggest omission that happened during the planning stage of that mode of transportation. The passengers also complained that there were no adequate arrangements for drinking water for those waiting for the trains to come; no direction chart was available for consultation; and no microphone announcement was made about the arrival and departure of trains. To know about their arrival and departure, scores of women with infants in their laps and aged people were seen every day running from pillar to post, sometimes missing the trains.

It wasn’t the only problem affecting the citizens on a large scale – something more problematic was unfolding. On April 2, a medical journal revealed that there had been an alarming increase in the number of drug addicts in the city during the past few months. Quoting experts at the Jinnah Postraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) it said most of the addicts who had reached the hospital for treatment were under 21 years of age and belonged to the higher stratum of society. They were neither dropouts or educationally deprived.

Speaking of societal issues, the mystery surrounding the Mustafa Zaidi alleged murder case had not yet been resolved. On April 2, a servant working for the deceased, chowkidar Mohammad Iqbal, said that accused Shahnaz Gul, wife of Saleem Khan, used to frequently visit the former CSP officer and poet Mustafa Zaidi at his residence. He was testifying as a prosecution witness in the committal hearing of the case in the district magistrate court. He added that Ms Gul generally called on the officer alone but sometimes she was accompanied by another woman. He identified Ms Gul who was present in the court as the woman who used to visit Mr Zaidi. Among other things, Mr Iqbal told the court that he was the sole domestic servant working for Mr Zaidi when the latter was staying at the house where he was found dead.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2021