THE growing presence of wall chalking and advertising across Karachi is an eyesore in itself, but what is more troubling in this case is the blatant promotion of ‘black magic’ by so-called faith-healers, promising to ‘solve every problem’ or to ‘control anyone’s heart’. What may seem insignificant to most adults can leave a lasting impression on young minds.

I realised this one afternoon when my young cousin, who has just started learning Urdu and English, began reading one of these advertisements aloud, unaware of its disturbing meaning. It made me wonder what sort of a city we are letting our children grow up in.

These illegal advertisements not only exploit people’s fears and insecurities, they also add to the visual chaos of an already crumbling metropolis. Karachi’s roads are broken, drainage is poor, and public spaces are shrinking; the least we can do is to keep our walls clean, meaningful and colourful. A city battling so many infrastructural challenges should not suffer the scars of superstition on its walls. The authorities concerned should take notice and remove such graffiti immediately.

The contact details are part of the chalking, making it easy for the authorities to approach and arrest the person. The city’s walls should be used to reflect hope — through art, public awareness messages, or simple cleanliness. Karachi deserves to look like the vibrant, resilient city it truly is.

Farjad Sheikh
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2025