NOW that the American consulate in Karachi has moved from its former location, Bagh-i-Jinnah seems to be returning to its days as one of the city’s most frequented and beloved green spaces. Although the park was not technically closed, its location along Abdullah Haroon Road between the former US consulate and the American consul-general’s residence meant that it had been heavily protected since a bomb attack on the consulate some years ago. Police and Rangers patrolled outside and plainclothes security officials lingered inside it, sometimes asking visitors to leave. Barriers and checkpoints along the roads on both sides of Bagh-i-Jinnah also dissuaded Karachiites from visiting the space and its historic Frere Hall, which houses a library as well as a gallery of paintings by Pakistan’s iconic artist Sadequain. Now that the consulate has moved, the road reopened and the park cleared of security personnel, citizens are reportedly returning to enjoy it, a rare and welcome bit of good news from Karachi.

But if the loss of one park could create such a void in the city’s public life, Bagh-i-Jinnah’s reopening should serve as a reminder that there are too few free and open green spaces in Karachi. These seem to fall to the bottom of the priority list as the city tries to house its huge population. However, the inadequate number of parks does not reflect a concern over restricted residential space: indeed, developers will eagerly build shopping centres, restaurants and cinemas wherever they find room. Land grabbers have also encroached over the years and various governments have converted land earmarked for parks into commercial and residential plots or spent money on roads and bridges. The reopening of Bagh-i-Jinnah is an uplifting development, but it should serve as a wake-up call to the municipal authorities that Karachi’s residents are starved of clean, green spaces.