Protest rallies in Karachi take place at the drop of a hat. There’s a reason for it: the Sindh capital has always been a socio-politically aware city. People feel that their collective voice will be heard by the powers that be — though that doesn’t prove to be the case most of the time.
On Sept 20, 1970 it was reported that the offices of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) received a considerable number of protest notes and appeals against the highhandedness of the authority in connection with the recovery of water charges for F B Area and North Nazimabad. While the residents of the former had complained about arbitrary billing and incorrect claims, those who lived in Nazimabad were protesting against what they called illegal increase in the tax rate. They had also alleged that KDA officials wanted them to produce evidence for having made the payments during the last several years, failing which they’d be asked to pay the dues all over again.
But the authority was in no mood to relent. On Sept 22, the KDA decided to impose the non-utilisation fee even on plots located in the ‘water scarcity zones’ in F B Area and North Nazimabad. The fee was to be given by the allottees with effect from July 1, 1970 till the time they completed construction on plots as per approved building plans. It was suggested that the decision would affect some 10,000 allottees in various KDA schemes. Eight blocks in North Nazimabad — I, J, K, N, Q, R, S and T — fell within the water scarcity zones. They were defined as such back in the mid-1960s by the governing body of the authority after its engineers and water supply department had declared that it’d be impossible for them to grant water connection to these areas.
The Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC), too, jumped into the fray with a bit similar position. On Sept 26, the KMC issued a public notice to the land and building owners in the city for clearing various municipal dues before Sept 30. Failure to do so would lead to sale of their goods and property for realisation of the outstanding amount.
That week Karachi also became the ground for a rally that had international implications. On Sept 22, the Arab Students Association, the Confederation of General Union of Palestinian Students and some Pakistani organisations, including the National Students Federation (Rashid group) took out a procession in support of the Fedayeen in Jordan. (The Fedayeen were fighting for Palestine’s liberation.) The procession began from Memon Masjid in Boulton Market at 5pm, terminating at Empress Market. The speakers at the meeting said no power on earth could crush the Palestinian freedom fighters.
The city’s atmosphere was charged for one more reason — the general election was round the corner. On Sept 26, M.Y. Orakzai, Additional Inspector-General of Police, Karachi, cautioned his officers to be extremely careful and avoid unnecessary meetings with politicians and political workers because the polls were drawing closer. Addressing officers of all ranks in an hour-long meeting he told them that at no cost he would tolerate “favouritism” in the election to any party.
Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2020
