ON April 21, 1976, the 38th death anniversary of Allama Mohammad Iqbal was observed in Karachi by arranging a variety of programmes. Quran khwani was held and fateha was offered at local mosques. Social and cultural organisations in the city organised events at which tributes were paid to the poet philosopher for awakening the Muslims of India and giving them the vision of an independent homeland. The University of Karachi (KU) and its affiliated colleges and schools remained closed in the Sindh capital.

Homage was paid to the Shair-i-Mashriq at a function at Friendship House. It was presided over by eminent scholar Mirza Zafrul Hasan and was attended by a large number of Pakistani and Soviet admirers of literature. Speaking on the occasion, the Consul of the USSR, Y N Halliulin said Allama Iqbal’s verses gave a new colour to the freedom movement launched by the people of the subcontinent. He described him as one of those eastern poets who welcomed the October Revolution. Mr Halliulin pointed out his poems were not only read and translated in the Russian language but also in Uzbek, Tajik, Ukrainian, Armenian and other languages. Dr Aslam Farrukhi and Mohammad Shaiq also spoke.

In a special article published by the Soviet consulate, Allama Iqbal’s life and work were highlighted. The piece mentioned the fact that the work and personality of the poet had constantly attracted Soviet orientalists. His poems had been published almost 30 times in the Soviet Union and many orientalists, historians, philosophers and literary critics had devoted themselves to studying the life and work of Iqbal.

Another literary event took place in the city on April 24 when a collection of satirical essays titled Supurd-i-Kalam by a writer called Mr Dehlavi was launched at a local hotel by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Ehsan Rashid. Mr Rashid commended the writer’s individuality — both in style and thinking — in presenting the problems faced by modern-day society. He argued that the beauty of the book was that it discussed serious issues involving various aspects of the social order — including politics, economics and education — in a way that the reader would not put the book down before finishing it.

Speaking of society’s problems, on April 25, it was learnt that the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) was thinking of providing funds during 1976-77 for installing traffic signals at some [more] busy road intersections in the city. Among the sites under consideration was Lasbela and Second Chowrangi Nazimabad. At the Lasbela intersection, traffic [in those days] moved at its peak for several hours in the morning and afternoon, causing, among other issues, traffic jams largely because of the non-observance of parking rules by those who ran public transport.

The same day, it was also reported that the KMC was considering a new method for cheaper and quicker disposal of garbage in suburban townships of Karachi. It had proposed to build small concrete pits — three or four for a block of eight quarters — to enable housewives to throw garbage in. A good idea, indeed!

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2026