AUSTERITY and energy conservation drives introduced by the authorities concerned to counter high prices of commodities are nothing new. It’s been happening for more than half a century. For example, in 1976, the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act was passed. It caused quite a bit of anxiety among those who had already planned weddings of members of their families or friends. On Oct 9, it was reported that a large number of wedding dinners booked at leading hotels in Karachi were cancelled in the past four days following the publication on Oct 4 of the Dowry and Bridal Gifts Act, which aimed to limit expenditures incurred on marriage ceremonies. In four days, 16 orders for dinner at a five-star hotel were changed to ‘light refreshments’ with heavy slashing of the number of guests. However, no booking had been cancelled altogether at that particular hotel. Almost all orders for marriage feasts at other prominent hotels were either cancelled or their menus were changed with less number of invitees. From Oct 4 to Oct 8, no fewer than 32 announcements about the cancellation of valima dinners got published in two major newspapers of the country.

Organising happy, festive ceremonies requires good lighting. But in those days the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC, now KE) was facing a bit of a conflict, too. There were reports that, following a decision taken by the federal government, the Sindh government would soon hold the reins of the corporation. On Oct 6, the Officers Association of the KESC urged the Sindh government to take over the management and control of the KESC immediately to save it from mismanagement. Welcoming the decision of the federal government to transfer the corporation to the provincial government, the association at its general body meeting observed that certain vested interests were using tactics to prevent the transfer process. A resolution passed on the occasion said those elements were propagating that there was a constitutional embargo upon such a process, emanating from the division of legislative powers between the federation and the provinces. The association called it untenable, having no legal foundation.

Another officers’ society was in the news that week. On Oct 5, the Defence Officers Cooperation Housing Society announced the launch of a Rs500m housing project under the Phase-VI extension scheme along the Clifton sea wall. The plan envisaged building 1,919 flats and small bungalows by end of 1981 (in five years) as a joint venture with a local construction company. Journalists were told at a press conference that the top priority would be given to full members of the society, followed by associated members.

Staying with the theme of development, on Oct 11, it was learnt that the first phase of the improvement scheme for Maulvi Tamizuddin Road (Queen’s Road) would be completed within a couple of daysby the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC). The Rs1.6m scheme was undertaken by the KMC on Oct 16, 1975, complying with the directives of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, to widen, and convert it into a dual carriage road.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2026