GOING through the All About Lifestyles supplement (June 24) brought some fine memories of Karachi in the days of yore.

Karachi was rightly called ‘The city of lights’ in the 1970s and 1980s — a city which was vibrant round the clock.

While studying in the Cantt Public School, a tram ride from Cantonment Railway Station to Saddar was a routine. The ding dong of the tram making its way through the streets was music to one’s ears. Two-horse buggies, also called Victoria, were aplenty, waiting for tourists for a round of Clifton area.

Karachi used to have a lot of ‘Irani’ hotels, where traditional Iranian herbal tea was offered. The standard of cleanliness in these roadside hotels was noteworthy.

Evening newspapers, notable among them The Star, were sold for 10 paisas each. These newspapers covered sensational stories in their own style, including the murder of Mustafa Zaidi, the famous poet.

Those days also saw advertisements of nightclubs in these papers featuring Lebanese and Turkish dancers. Nightlife was thriving and bars were open to all and sundry, if you were over 18.

The Saddar area presented a colourful picture of different religious cultures. Christian girls in skirts, Parsis in pants and Hindus in saris, showed the homogeneity of the city.

Karachi presented a picture of peace and harmony back then. It was a city with its own flavour and aura. The Karachi of today is insecure, dirty and suffers from a string of issues which seem difficult to tackle.

JAFFAR NAQVI Lahore