KARACHI: One of Karachi’s noteworthy post-independence landmarks symbolic of the city’s love for learning and education is a globe [the map of the world in a spherical shape] situated between the Government Islamia Art and Commerce College and Dawood University of Engineering and Technology. Built in the 1960s, also known as Islamia College Fountain, its placement could not have been more appropriate because it is in the middle of two of Karachi’s most reputed educational institutions.
A couple of years back, it was reported that the globe may be removed because it lay in the way of the to-be-constructed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line, which would lead from Malir Cantonment to Numaish. Then in November 2024, when the construction work for Red Line resumed after a delay of several months, Jinnah Town chairman Rizwan Abdul Sami had announced his plan to relocate the iconic symbol to a spot near the National Stadium to preserve it. He told a press conference that the town administration with the support of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation would remove and shift the giant 60-tonne structure. Well, it has not happened yet.
Despite promises, the iconic globe is yet to be relocated to a spot near National Stadium to make way for Red Line project
What has happened is that the condition of the beautiful structure has gone from bad to worse. The patch of land that the globe is located on is dirty, the structure itself has gathered dust, and construction work imparts an ungainly look to the whole vicinity.
It is understandable that when an ambitious project takes place in a metropolis, some things have to give way, be replaced or get uprooted. But then certain things also need to be taken into account. For example, what is the moral or social cost of that replacement? Wise or caring authorities try and strike a balance. The students who are enrolled at Islamia College or Dawood University need landmarks such as the globe to keep reminding them that each day, as students, we get to learn a new thing about planet earth.
Perhaps that horse has bolted. Karachi needs a major public transport plan to cater to its ever burgeoning population, which has now outnumbered the population of quite a few countries, let alone cities of the world. In that case, if this landmark remains, then it should remain the way it merits — clean as a whistle. And if doesn’t have to be there to make way for a dedicated track, then the condition that it is in right now reflects poorly on those who are at the helm of city affairs.
Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2025