KARACHI’S administrative bodies have always tried their best to take measures in order to enable the city comfortably liveable for its inhabitants. But sometimes things can go a little awry. For example, on May 5, 1976, it was learnt that 28 senior officials of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) had been sent on a month-long ‘forced’ leave to facilitate enquiries into the working of those departments. It was done in compliance with orders of Jam Sadiq Ali, the provincial local bodies minister. In an official handout, Mr Ali said he had received a number of complaints about the departments. Therefore, it was decided to conduct a detailed investigation into their working and a report was to be submitted in case of inefficiency or corruption was detected. Efforts were also being made to give concrete suggestions to streamline procedures. Agha Sadruddin Khan Durrani, deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly, assisted by Abbas Hussain Shah, director-general of the KDA and M A Majeed, KMC administrator, were asked to conduct the investigation. The minister pointed out that it was taking place in conformity with the commitment of the government of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to provide a clean and efficient administration [to the city]. The 28 individuals were all senior officials and it’s not the intention of the government to hold only the junior officers responsible, he added.

The intent of the government or the people closely associated with it became the focus of media attention again on May 8. Begum Nusrat Bhutto, wife of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, urged social workers to reorient their outlook on work in accordance with the people’s aspirations and the emerging realities of time. She exhorted them to wage a war against poverty, disease, illiteracy, unemployment, malnutrition, population explosion and for participation of women in the country’s socioeconomic progress. Addressing a large gathering of social workers and students during a visit to the project of the Women’s Refugee Rehabilitation Association in Drigh Colony, Begum Bhutto highlighted the problem of underutilisation of women’s capabilities in Pakistan. She remarked, “We cannot afford the luxury of allowing our women to remain dormant members of an otherwise dynamic society.” She emphasised the need for diverting energies towards the task of motivating people to make them participate in the process of building ‘our state’ as a willing partner.”

Indeed, it was a dynamic society. One of the ways to notice that was to look at the busy travel schedules of the public at the time. In that connection, on May 6, Pakistan International Airlines introduced a wide-bodied aircraft on the Lahore-Karachi route to meet the ever increasing demand of air traffic. The plane, a DC10, left Karachi for Lahore in the morning (of May 6) as the first such regular flight. The airline was able to operate a bigger plane on the route after it got two giant 747 jumbo jets on lease from Portuguese Airlines, TAP. The Managing Director of PIA, Enver Jamal, talking to newsmen, said, “It was an achievement of the airline.”

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2026