AS avowed by them, Karachi’s newsmen on June 26, 1966 observed a two-hour token strike (from 12pm to 2pm) in protest against the retrenchment in Daily Anjamand the ‘unreasonable attitude’ of National Press Trust chairman A.K. Sumar towards the editor of the newspaper, Ibrahim Jalees. Of course, the protest was led by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) under the unflappable leadership of Minhaj Barna. Those who had been laid off were not just reporters and sub-editors, but also calligraphers. It was expected that the unity displayed by the journalist community would have made the management of Anjam rethink its decision. It did not happen.

So, a few days later, to shore up the released workers’ morale, Karachi’s trade unionists on June 30 assured full support to the striking journalists and calligraphers. In a statement (issued by Wahid Bashir, convener of the Karachi Mazdoor Markazi Committee, Ahsan Yousuf of the Federation of Bank Employees and Ziaul Haq, president of the Muslim Commercial Bank), they demanded immediate reinstatement of the dismissed employees of Anjam.

The issue, however, did not die down and the strike went on. Both sides traded allegations. The NPT’s Mr Sumar was of the view that the union of the paper was not ready for arbitration [in the dispute] of a judge of the High Court or Supreme Court. On July 1, Mr Barna in his rejoinder refuted all such allegations. He urged Mr Sumar not to make the matter one of personal prestige and instead settle it in the spirit of fair-play.

Fair-play, in a manner of speaking, was also the cry heard in the Karachi Municipal Corporation’s budget debates. Yes, it was end of June and budgets for the next fiscal year were to be announced by civic bodies of the country. On the second day (June 28) of the heated debate sessions, the municipal administration came under heavy fire for failing to check the alarming increase in food adulteration, lack of sanitation and absence of basic amenities for the taxpayers. It was stressed that anti-food adulteration measures be taken.

The next day, June 29, the KMC approved its budget for 1966-67 with amendments which reduced the deficit from Rs3 million to Rs0.3m. The revenue and capital receipts had been estimated at Rs80,500,000 as against the anticipated revenue and capital expenditure of Rs80,800,000. The original budget presented in the house by the chairman of the finance subcommittee had shown a deficit of Rs3 million.

As a result of the pre-budget discussions, a committee was proposed to be set up to deal with the ‘serious’ problem of food adulteration in the city. Come to think of it, where is the municipal body headed in 2016?

Speaking of planning ahead, here’s something to do with art and culture. In those days the issuance of import permits for American film distributors was thoroughly scrutinised by the federal government (which had resulted in discontinuation of permits for a certain period). After consultations, the government decided to revive the permits during the next ‘shipping’ period. The Independent Foreign Film Importers vehemently opposed the move. On June 29, it held a press conference in Karachi at which its spokesman said the proposal would create serious hardships for local foreign film importers who had till then been bringing in, and screening, films as independent importers against bonus vouchers. Doesn’t that ring a filmi bell?

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2016