KARACHI/HYDERABAD: After two days of empty streets and closed businesses, the city had finally started to edge towards its normal routine on Thursday when, merely a few hours later, shopkeepers were forced to close down.

The hustle and bustle was returning slowly after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Rabita Committee members appealed to businessmen and transporters to resume businesses. However, Karachi Traders Alliance chairperson Atiq Mir told The Express Tribune that unidentified men threatened markets and shops owners in various parts of the city and forced them to shut down. Most of the markets and shops were open on Thursday and those that were forcibly closed resumed business later on in the day. “The fuel crisis affected businesses as people had difficulty commuting,” said Mir.

As the fuel crisis took its toll, hundreds of vehicles and people carrying jerrycans could be seen queuing up at the few petrol stations that were open. Police vans were also deployed at the petrol pumps. “Some of the petrol pumps were closed and those that were open were soon emptied out as demand far exceeded supply,” said CNG Dealers Association chairperson Abdul Sami Khan. However, he said that supply has been restored and the situation will hopefully be resolved soon.

Meanwhile, Rangers DG Major Gen Rizwan Akhtar visited various parts of the city and met the business community. He assured them that they will be provided full support and urged the citizens of Karachi to report any lawlessness. “The Rangers will take stern action against all violators,” he said.

MQM condemns ‘criminal activity’

The MQM distanced themselves from the elements involved in the forceful closure of businesses.  “We condemn such criminal activities and appeal to the people to reopen their businesses,” said MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, adding that stern action should be taken against those involved.

Talking to the media persons at Numaish Chowrangi where the protest entered its third day, Sattar said that the sit-ins being held in various cities will continue till the party workers are ensured that Altaf Hussain will not be pressurised unnecessarily, adding that the authorities should also provide better treatment facilities to him.

Sattar said that more medical tests have been recommended by the doctors for the MQM chief. “The lawyers will then decide what action to take,” he said. “Our protest is peaceful and we want to give the message that the people of Karachi are peaceful citizens,” he added as party workers carried various placards and banners and shouted slogans in favour of Hussain.

Thousands of MQM workers continued their sit-ins in several districts of Sindh as markets reopened in areas dominated by the party supporters. Some areas of Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jamshoro and Tando Allahyar districts and Hyderabad and Latifabad tehsil were restored to normalcy. However, isolated incidents of unidentified men forcefully shutting down shops were also reported.

Political visitors

Leaders of different political and religious parties also joined the sit-in to express solidarity with the MQM, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Rehman Malik.

Sattar said that his party was thankful to the PPP leadership for their support. Malik claimed that he talked to Hussain before he was held. “I got a feeling that he was sick,” said Malik. Justice (Retd) Muneeb Ahmed, Human Rights Group of Pakistan chairperson Dr Sher Ali Rizvi and leaders of the business community and religious parties also joined the protesting workers. Former chief ministers of Sindh, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Liaquat Ali Jatoi also expressed their support. The MQM camp outside Hyderabad Press Club also drew delegations from the PPP, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (Arisar). 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2014.

KARACHI: It is an undeniable fact that trees and vegetation are necessary for our survival. Besides the obvious reason that they produce the oxygen that we breathe, trees also give the atmosphere a pleasant feel and help conserve the environment against soil erosion and other hazards associated with climate changes.

In a city such as Karachi, where land is the most precious commodity, there is little space left to have huge stretches of trees, especially in district Central. An alternative, devised by some clever mind a long time ago, was to allow nurseries to develop along the sides of major roads. These would help control air pollution, as well as stop land grabbers from encroaching precious land.

The benefits of these nurseries, as Farid Ahmed found, were plenty.  When Ahmed came to Karachi looking for work, he met Sharifuddin who was helpless in the face of the transport mafia that had encroached the front wall of his house in alHilal Society and built a bus stop. They both decided to help each other out.

Sharifuddin allowed Ahmed to build a nursery along the front wall. Now Ahmed had a job and Sharif had a beautiful nursery in front of his house. “Those transporters had ruined our private lives,” recalled Sharifuddin. “There was so much noise pollution and they parked their vehicles right in front of our house.”

These nurseries established along main thoroughfares in Karachi provide a lucrative source of income for their owners besides giving the environment a more pleasant feel. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

AlHilal society is located adjacent to the Old Sabzi Mandi, where the city administration developed a park after relocating the market to Super Highway. The authorities had been, however, helpless against the transport mafia, who refused to shift their terminal outside the city at that time.

“Now, the area has been cleared of all kinds of encroachments and the nursery and park present a beautiful aesthetic view of the area,” said Farid Ahmed.  “Added to this is the fact that the nursery is a source of bread and butter for me and my family.”

Lucrative business

Nurseries have been established at several green belts and islands across the city. These nurseries not only benefit the environment but are also a lucrative source of income for their owners. “Can you imagine this small plant will fetch as much as Rs1.2 million?” remarked a nursery owner, Abid Paracha, pointing to a bonsai plant. He added that the prices of plants such as cacti, palms and bonsai generally ranged between Rs100 to Rs0.2 million. “Imagine plants worth millions of rupees growing along the city’s footpaths.”

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Parks director, Tahir Durrani, explained to The Express Tribune how the system operated under the rules of the parks and horticulture department. “Contractors are issued a temporary licence for the nursery for which they are charged Rs3,000 per month for every 1,000 square yards.”

According to Durrani, around 82 major nurseries are operating along various roads that fall under the KMC’s jurisdiction. These include Shaheed-e-Millat Road, Sharae Faisal, University Road, Safoora Goth, Rashid Minhas Road, Karsaz Road and Korangi Road.

The other nurseries which fall under the district municipal corporations’ jurisdiction operate according to the rules of the respective DMCs. An estimated 5,000 nurseries have been established along different streets and thoroughfares of the city, Durrani claimed.

“We are making the city beautiful by allowing private contractors to establish nurseries on the city’s roads while generating revenue at the same time.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2014.

The main gathering was held at Numaish Chowrangi where the party’s core leadership, including the members of the Rabita Committee and lawmakers, representatives of different political and religious parties, and communities joined the party workers for the fourth consecutive sit-in held since the arrest of Hussain in London on June 3.

Separate arrangements for prayers in mosques and imambargahs were held in various areas of the city. Party workers, including women and children, participated in the prayers. “We are all concerned for Altaf Hussain’s health,” said Sindh Health Minister and member of the MQM Rabita Committee Dr Sagheer Ahmed. According to Ahmed, Hussain has undergone numerous tests and therefore, he added, that the supporters of the party chief wanted to pray for his health.

Dr Ahmed confirmed that Hussain had contacted the party’s London secretariat twice, adding that he had advised the party workers to carry on a peaceful struggle. He also said that the acting Pakistan High Commissioner Imran Mirza paid a visit to the party chief in the hospital. Ahmed said that Hussain also met his daughter Afza Altaf. He said that the peaceful protests across the country have proved that Karachi is a city of peaceful people.

Addressing a press conference late on Thursday night, coordination committee deputy convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the party chief had sent a message to the party workers asking them to remain united in these testing times. Hundreds of party workers reached Numaish Chowrangi on Friday morning and continued reciting holy verses throughout the day. The collective prayer was led by MQM Senator Tanveerul Haq Thanvi in the evening.

Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Yaseen Azad joined the protesting workers and said that the lawyers’ community was with Hussain. Various delegations of different political parties and trade unions also visited the MQM leadership, to show their support to the party.

All roads leading to the sit-in location were sealed and traffic was diverted to other areas. Party volunteers were deployed around the venue to keep an eye on any suspicious activities. Law enforcers were also deployed in the area. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2014.

The building is not a newly constructed office but the Pursukoon Karachi team of artists, architects and heritage consultants has revitalised the already existing office of the station. The 116-year-old building of the Karachi Cantonment Railway Station is being refurbished, locally known as the Cantt Station, by removing layers of old paint, cement and slabs of marble that were applied in the past during the building’s maintenance. “These layers were spoiling the building’s original beauty,” said Marvi Mazhar, a heritage consultant who is working on the project with Pursukoon Karachi. During the inauguration ceremony, she presented a brief about the progress of the work on the project.

The Karachi Cantonment Railway Station is being restored to its former glory in an effort to generate more revenue from it. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

The main entrance of the building was cordoned off by the police for the ceremony and passengers had to take the other entrances to reach the platform. From behind the fences by the platforms, the porters and passengers would stop momentarily to catch a glimpse of the ceremony taking place. Mazhar had to briefly pause during her speech for a railway announcement. Speaking in monotone voice, a man called out to a passenger, informing him that his family was waiting for him at the platform.

Mazhar introduced Khanzada, one of the oldest porters of the station, during the ceremony to acknowledge his services to the station. She said that during his services to the station, he has received numerous distinctions and certificates of recognition from the railway management and the Pursukoon Karachi’s team.

According to Mazhar, 75% of the work on the project is yet to be completed, which includes removal of excess layers from the rest of the building and restoring it back it to its original glory. “The station is the threshold of the city and it provides the first impression of the city to new comers,” she said. “This is a heritage building and it tells the story of the city’s history.”

Pakistan Railways Karachi divisional superintendent Nisar Ahmed Memon claimed that the revival of the station is the revival of the Pakistan Railways, which was once moving in a downward spiral but was now finally getting back on its two feet. “We have generated 60% more revenue this year and our freight service, which was zero before has also begun its operation,” he said. He hopes that once the coal movement for power plants has begun in the country, the department will take more steps for improvement.

The chief guest of the ceremony, Pakistan Peoples Party member national assembly Nafisa Shah, referred to the project as ‘a revival of the history’. “We have put plasters and marbles over our history and have been hiding our history behind it,” she said. Shah took a moment to praise the efforts of the artists, labour and railway management for this revival. “The main thing for bringing the project to this position was your passion to work for the preservation of your culture and this passion served as the directing force for the work,” she said. She also said that the culture can counter the on-going extremism. “Extremism was never a part of our culture. If we feel proud of our culture we will stand-up against extremism,” she added. She highlighted other heritage buildings in Sindh including the building in Shikarpur, which she said was a grand city of Sindh in the pre-British era. “If an artist adopts a single building to preserve it than generating funds for it is not impossible,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2014.

Low salaries, difficult conditions and almost no exposure makes it extremely difficult for female cyclists in Pakistan to demonstrate their talent. But there are some gifted young women who are eager to make a mark on the big stage.

Ayesha Jawaid, 20, who recently won the title of the inaugural 2014 Sindh Women’s Cycling Championship in Karachi, did not realise cycling is a sport until she was selected from the open trials held at her college.

“I didn’t even know it was a sport,” said Ayesha. “I used to enjoy riding when I was a child, but when I participated in the national event and won a bronze medal, I realised the full potential of my talent.

“Training for hours with the help of the Sindh Cycling Association has increased my confidence.”

Another young cyclist, Sana Yaqoob, who emerged victorious in the amateurs’ category, has high ambitions for the future.

“I have always enjoyed riding in alleys, but coming out to a place like this is encouraging for me,” she said. “I am looking forward to train in order to put Pakistan on the professional cycling map.”

At the championship race, a rather swift start was hindered by strong wind towards the end of the race. Some of the contestants even fell off their bicycles, but the level of ambition remained steady throughout the race.

Abid Ali, who invested in the championship to make it successful, believes that women in Pakistan need encouragement more than anything.

“I have started from a district level and will continue to support women’s cycling, with the help of the Pakistan Adventure Cycling Association. I hope to one day make it a recognised sport in the country,” he said.

Raheela Bano, who has won a silver and a bronze in international events, is keen to promote cycling as a profession for women in Pakistan.

“I used to ride a mountain bike for fun, but after cycling in a race at the Lahore Velodrome for the first time, I decided to take it up as a profession,” said Raheela.

“It was difficult to manage both my studies and training in the beginning, but I learned how to maintain balance between the two.

“Wapda hired me in 2001 to race for their department, which provided some flexibility, but my activities became so time-constrained that even a traffic holdup was detrimental to my training,” she said, who revealed that being a professional cyclist often requires more than 20 hours of training a week.

In 2002, she participated in her first national championship and won the gold after she went on to dominate the sport for the next 10 years till 2012. An injury forced her to abandon the 2013 race, but she is optimistic of a winning return this year.

Raheela believes the new generation has to come forward and propel Pakistan to the top in cycling. She plans to launch a proper training school especially for women, in order to help them realise their potential.

For her, the decision to race despite the obstacles of income and training eventually comes down to the love of the sport.

“There are times when I stop and ask myself, was it worth it? But when I look at the memories, friendships and the experiences I have been able to have because of cycling, it becomes crystal clear as to why I did it,” she concluded.

Female riders are emerging from the grassroot level and people like Abid and Raheela are giving their full support to them. Change seems inevitable as there may be fewer facilities as compared to other countries, but the love for the sport keeps women’s cycling alive in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2014.

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“Will you be able to rescue my son if I share all his details with you?” said an angry father as he protested. “Everyone [the media] just wants to take photos of the sorrow of others.”

The area in front of Gerry’s D’nata at the airport was crowded. It was believed that at least seven employees of a cargo company were trapped inside. The families, and some officials, however, seemed unsure about the presence of the men. They believed that there was a possibility their loved ones were taken away by the Airport Security Force or the police. But they were wrong. Several hours after the operation was started, the men were found dead. Some officials and many members of the rescue teams thought it would be nothing less than a miracle if they were found alive as the intensity of heat before entering the cold storage facility was unbearable.

Many ambulances, fire tenders, DSNGs of different television channels and other official vehicles were parked outside the facility. Several reporters and anchors were anxious for news and kept giving constant updates about the rescue operation.

A few volunteers brought plates of biryani and bottles of water and started distributing among the people present. Some people gathered around the entrance and kept reciting verses from the Holy Quran and prayed for the safe recovery of the men inside. “I was watching television and the reporters kept saying that there was a shortage of water,” said Noman, a volunteer from Shah Faisal Colony. “We should all contribute and help and support each other.”

A woman kept asking if someone could tell her if her son was alive. “Why are we not being informed about what is happening,” she said as she hugged her young son. “Ama, bhai will be fine. Please don’t cry,” said the young boy.

Rizwan and Rizwana from Garden asked the volunteers of the PIA Boys Scout Association where the men were trapped. “Let me go there,” he insisted. “You can’t move, please keep away from this line,” the boy instructed. SM Khalid, the cousin of one of the men trapped inside, claimed that his cousin was in contact with the family till 4am. “Afterwards, the mobile phone was still switched on but he was not answering.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Karachi still seems to be reeling from the attack at the airport on Sunday night as each new day brings more bad news for the city. It has recently come to light that a whole batch of vaccines and medication for the treatment of hepatitis perished in the fire that destroyed the cold storage facility at the office of Gerry’s D’nata.

Officials of the provincial Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme (HPCP) had placed an order for the medicines on May 28. The order was to be delivered within a week’s time but it has not been received by the provincial authority yet.

There are over 20,000 registered patients suffering from Hepatitis C across the province. The patients need regular doses of interferon to cope with the disease. It is feared that the hospitals would face a severe shortage of the medicine in the coming days if it is not provided to them soon.

“We were supposed to receive the batch within a week but the supply has been delayed,” confirmed the provincial HPCP programme manager, Dr Zahoor Ahmed Baloch. He clarified, however, that there was no shortage of vaccines at the hospitals.

Vaccination is a preventative measure while the more important medication is the interferon which is used to treat the disease. The head office of the provincial HPCP in Hyderabad distributes the medicines to health units set up in different cities of the province. They have, however, yet to receive the latest batch.

“It is the supplier’s responsibility to provide the medicines on time and we are pushing him to deliver as soon as possible,” Baloch told The Express Tribune.

Dr Baloch added that his programme was not currently affected by the mishap that occurred at the airport. “We are not short of the injection now,” he claimed. “I don’t know what the cause of delay is. Maybe it was damaged [in the fire] but we haven’t been informed about it yet.”

There are 450 patients registered at Civil Hospital, Karachi. According to the programme’s focal person at the hospital, Dr Ghulam Mujtaba Memon, the stock is sufficient for now.

Sources claimed, however, that the programme will be in trouble if the health units are not supplied interferon within a week.­­

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Cyclone Nanauk may not have hit any part of the country directly, but it did send some high tides over the Arabian Sea which damaged several villages along the sea coast

Some of these areas include fishermen villages such as Dablo Parra, Chashma Jat Parro, Syed Sache Dino and Lat Basti. The villages were hit by severe waves which submerged residences and valuables within a few hours.

High tides hit the coastal villages on June 11 but the safety dike of Dablo Parro has not been renovated yet. The dewatering process has not started either and the villagers are being forced to sleep on their charpoy in knee-deep water.

The water enters the area twice a day for at least six hours. “The water enters early in the morning and late evening as well since the dike is damaged,” said Massi Riyasti, one of the guides. “Look at the speed at which the water is gushing in. It hits the walls directly and washes away our belongings.”

The water looks green and is stagnant. It also smells making it more difficult for the villagers to sleep at night.

“Be my guest tonight and get a firsthand experience how they [mosquitoes] serve you,” said Babu, a fisherman while sitting on a table floating on water inside his house. His wife and a two-year-old boy were sitting with him. “Let me show you where the mosquitoes have bit me on my body.” He added that most of the children in the village had some sort of skin disease because of the recent events.

Talib Kutchi suggested that the situation might normalise if the embankment was repaired. He claimed that all that was needed was three to four trucks of mud and stones.

“The water brought a lot of garbage like bottles and shopping bags. This is not our trash. We cannot afford these things,” said Fehmida Majeed of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum. She added that the garbage came in with the tides and can be seen all over the settlements.

Carrying his infant in his arms, Usman Dablo told The Express Tribune that the several officials visited the area but did nothing. He said that what they needed was immediate relief. Siddique Dablo, another fisherman, felt exploited by politicians. He said that there were no schools, hospitals or even a sewerage system in the area. He added that the politicians only thought of them when they need the votes.

He claimed that the relief operation was not the real solution and was limited to distributing biryani twice a day. “How long will they feed us biryani?” he said. “Our homes are under water during this season but whenever a cyclone crosses our water, the situation gets out of control.”

For Riyasti the only solution is to construct a dike. “We are also human and want to live in comfort,” said the aged women. There are many empty and damaged homes in the area and according to villagers, more than two dozen families have moved to other villages located in Rehri Goth.

“It is not possible to live in this dirt,” said Majeed. “Some other families also plan to move because of the tide and constant flow of water into the village.”

The people of Dablo Parro say that it will take them at least a year to repair their homes. They claim the dewatering process is difficult as the village doesn’t have a sewerage system. The gutter water, according to Talib flows into the sea.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2014.

The spectacle seems more of a movement than a sports event for the youth – and even the older fans – in the country.

For the time being, football seems to have replaced cricket as the street-favourite game in Pakistan. PHOTOS: ABID NAWAZ/ATHAR KHAN/MUHAMMAD JAVAID

Two of such examples are Chaman and Quetta, where the fans are quick to assure that their dedication to football is no less than what is witnessed in Lyari.

“We have nothing but football,” former national captain Essa Khan told The Express Tribune from Chaman. “Everyone is glued to the big screen. In Chaman, we have three places where screenings are taking place and people gather around.

“In my own club we have a screen, and until the last match, we had approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people congregated at just one venue. It speaks volumes about how my city feels about the sport.”

Meanwhile, Essa said that Thursdays are the most crowded days, and fans pour out to watch the matches till the morning.

For the time being, football seems to have replaced cricket as the street-favourite game in Pakistan. PHOTOS: ABID NAWAZ/ATHAR KHAN/MUHAMMAD JAVAID

“It’s all overwhelming. In Chaman, we actually don’t have any other sport. It’s amazing how this crowd stays even if everyone can’t see the screen. They’ll hear the commentary, even if they don’t understand it. But they stick around all night till dawn, discussing the results after the match.”

Similarly, traders coming from the Afghan border also stay. Essa says every single World Cup match has been screened at his academy and spectators showed up every time.

Meanwhile in Quetta, former national player Jadeed Khan said that the football fans have brought their jerseys and are following matches religiously.

“There aren’t any big screenings in the city due to the law-and-order situation, but we all gather around to see our favourite teams play,” said Jadeed.

Islamabad catches up on sleep during the day

According to Islamabad Football Association officials Zaklir Naqvi, the World Cup fever has grown exponentially in the city.

“The best example that I can give is that we were having a seven-a-side tournament last week, and most of the players would show up sleepy in the day, because they were up watching the World Cup matches,” elaborated Naqvi.

For the time being, football seems to have replaced cricket as the street-favourite game in Pakistan. PHOTOS: ABID NAWAZ/ATHAR KHAN/MUHAMMAD JAVAID

“The World Cup is a part of life at the moment; most of the youngsters and even players are either playing or watching football, even the girls. There are screenings in Islamabad too.”

Laiba, an eight-year-old-girl in Islamabad, plays football every morning on the streets.

She said that even though she has no idea about the rules of the game, she knows that as a goalkeeper, it is her job to ensure that the ball needs to be stopped from passing the goal-line made by pieces of rock.

Peshawar lags behind

PAF football club coach Arshad Khan says that the craze has not picked up in Peshawar yet.

“The screenings aren’t taking place due to security concerns,” he said. “In Peshawar, everything closes according to the city government orders at 11pm.

“Only the Dean Plaza is showing matches, but still people don’t seem interested and go home in case of matches after midnight.”

He pointed out the Faisalabad remains the most enthusiastic football town in Punjab.

“Faisalabad celebrates the World Cup the same way as people in Lyari. They are even having regular local tournaments during day-time there,” said Arshad.

Students cheered at perfect timing

School-going children in Karachi are thrilled over the prospect that the World Cup is happening during their holiday season.

Ninth-grader Hassan Latif is cheering for Argentina and Lionel Messi and has no worries about staying up late for the matches.

“It’s the World Cup, who would want to miss this chance?” said Latif. “We have even started to play football instead of cricket in the evening at our local grounds.”

College student Usman Habib, who hopes that Luis Suarez of Uruguay does well in the World Cup, is confident that one day Pakistan will also take part in the glittering event.

“We are usually just focused on cricket and football hardly gets any importance,” said Habib. “If there was any scope for football in Pakistan, I would definitely make a career in that rather than joining any mainstream profession.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2014.

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A little before midnight on Tuesday, hundreds of residents of Kalri and its adjoining areas waited patiently for the match to start, laughing and bickering about their favourite teams. The screen was set up on the roadside, with a carpet laid down on the road for the audience to sit on and enjoy the match.

The walls on both sides of the road had been given a fresh coat of white paint, apparently to hide the graffiti. Flags of different countries were mounted on rooftops while a life-size poster of this year’s schedule of matches was pasted on one of the walls.

People sat on the road in front of the screen, stood on pavements and even watched from the rooftops. The faces of the young and old alike shone in pure ecstasy as they watched their favourite players battle it out in Brazil.

Not even the K-Electric could dampen the spirits as their generous benefactors had arranged for a generator that would ensure non-stop screening of the Brazil versus Mexico match. Most were rooting for Brazil for this particular match; others decidedly wanted Mexico to thrash the home team.

The audience, irrespective of their ages, teased each other about their favourite teams. “Argentina will surely win the World Cup this year,” smiled 50-year-old Ateeq Baloch, pointing towards an Argentinian flag that soared above a rooftop. His friend, who was supporting Brazil, scoffed. “Even our Ibrahim Hyderi team can beat Argentina.”

As the match progressed, the crowd cheered and booed players from both teams as they attempted to score. A deafening roar ensued when Brazil player, Oscar, managed to kick the ball into the net in the first few minutes but his goal was disallowed due to an offside foul. Some cussed at the referee; others booed the Brazilian; yet others playfully teased their friends, certain of a victory for their side.

One of the youngest members of the audience, nine-year-old Shaukat Ali, danced in the middle of the crowd each time Brazil were on the offensive. Ali wore a green headband, with the emblem of the Brazilian flag stitched to the centre. “My mother stitched it for me.”

Love for the game

Among the crowd were local celebrities too. Saeed Babar, 15, who plays for the Pakistan Under-16 side, is respected and revered by the whole community. They see his story as a glimmer of hope; a way to tell the world that Lyari is not all guns and gore. The teenager walks to the nearest football stadium every day for his three-hour training routines conducted by his uncle, the former Pakistan national football team player, Qasim Soomar.

“Football is my life. I can’t live without it.”

Babar’s juniors from the area look up to him. He has become a role model of sorts for his younger friends. Zameer, 14, who plays for the Hyderi United Football Club, hopes to represent Pakistan in international competitions such as the World Cup. He has a long way to go, though, as there is no funding or support from the government. “My father supports my passion,” he remarked. “I am dedicated to the game and I know I will make it one day.”

It is halftime and the crowd disperses temporarily. Somewhere from among them, 30 people carry something wrapped in a carpet that was lying on the floor. Others shout excitedly, following the entourage. Seeing the worried looks on our faces, Bux laughs as he explains: “That man is physically disabled. They are taking him home for a toilet break. This is Lyari.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2014.

One of the last villages of the Rehri Goth union council, Latt Basti, wears a perpetual unpleasant odour for the same reason. There is a ‘fountain’ of mud-like rubbish falling from the hill as the garbage is dumped from city’s biggest cattle colony.

The factories located along the nullah are also disposing their untreated waste, syringes and injections into the sea, and the water that passes right in front of the fishermen’s houses. Hundreds of used injections are seen near the boats and the streets of the village. The residents are used to both – the stink and harmful syringes.

Anwar Shah, while sitting with his friend and enjoying his afternoon meal near the nullah, says the garbage has made their life very uncomfortable. “It is not a new issue,” he adds. “I have been seeing the same dirt coming from Bhains Colony since my childhood.”

His friend Suleman Jatt accepts that they don’t find the odour as unpleasant as an outsider does. “The smell is part of our life,” he says. “This is the only dreadful thing in our life. The intensity of the smell sometimes doubles and people feel headaches.” For someone sitting outside a makeshift hut with little to no infrastructure, it is surprising that he finds the smell to be their only problem.

The wasted syringes are mostly uncapped and highly dangerous for the residents. Akram Jatt is one of the young fishermen who experienced the pain of one such injection last year. “I was pushing my boat and felt something pierce into my foot,” he recalls. “I cried with pain and was rescued by my fellows.” It took him nearly two months to recover.

For the children wading through the waters, collecting syringes and vials have become part of their childhood games. Mehboob Jat, a young boy, shows off the syringes he and other boys play with. “Our elders stop us from playing with the syringes but we still do it,” the boy informs proudly before he jumps into a puddle and runs away.

Asif Jatt, a fisherman, has another complaint that the garbage has ruined his boat. “It is poisonous for my boat,” he says as he throws his chappal into the boat. “I have to take extra care for my boat and for my bare feet.”

His friend, Abdul Ghafoor, cries out to him to be careful. “Not hundreds but thousands of syringes are present in the mud,” he shouts.

A majority of the residents of Rehri Goth, including those of Latt Basti, migrated from Keti Bunder when freshwater from the Indus River stopped coming to them. “Here, we at least have freshwater,” says an elderly man, Babu Baloch. “But the dirt is irritating.”

Dr Mohan Lal Malhi, a veterinary doctor in Bhains Colony, admits there is no mechanism to dump animal-related trash, including their medicines and dung. “As such, there are no side-effects if it [syringes] pierces into one’s body,” he adds.

According to Dr Malhi’s rough estimates, around 400,000 animals are living in Quaidabad and its surrounding areas. The city, in total, has at least over one million animals.

“Who cares about the trash of the cattle in this city,” Dr Masroor Pirzado, another veterinary doctor asks. “If one cares, they won’t be able to sleep after visiting Latt Basti.”

Several industrial units in the area also dump their waste into this nullah, says Talib Kutchi, a representative of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum. “People like to visit coastal sites and here we ruin them with such activities,” he complains. “Our flora and fauna are also at risk. This kind of waste going directly into the sea is against the rights of fishermen who solely depend on sea resources.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2014.

Party leaders, such as Owais Muzaffar, Qadir Patel, Jameel Soomro, Javed Nagori and others also donated their blood and talked of the party leader who twice served as the country’s prime minister.

According to the party spokesperson, the blood will be donated for the soldiers who are currently involved in the Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan. “Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for this country and today, we are donating blood to reaffirm her commitment to democracy and a prospering Pakistan,” he said.

“The blood donation camp will run for two days and the target is to collect 30,000 blood pints,” said PPP MPA Owais Muzaffar, while speaking to the media after donating blood at Bilawal House. “Except for this blood donation drive, no major event is being organised to celebrate her birthday.”

According to PPP Karachi division president, Qadir Patel, around 10 blood camps have been set up in various parts of the city, including the PPP secretariat, the Jinnah Hospital, the KPT Ground, the Lyari Kakri Ground and the Walika Hospital in SITE area.

The party have ensured that blood donations are collected responsibly. PPP’s Najmi Alam said that a lot of people have been turned away as they were found to be suffering from diseases such as hepatitis.

Earlier, the Sindh government had announced that they, along with PPP’s Peoples Doctors Forum, will approach Guinness Book of World Records authorities to visit Pakistan and examine how people are donating blood to see if a world record can be created.

Benazir’s birthday was celebrated in all districts of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Bhanbore, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana. Party leaders and workers cut birthday cakes and donated blood, while Quran khwani was also held at several places.

PPP leader Sassui Palijo, who donated blood in Thatta, also confirmed that the donations will be given to the soldiers of the Pakistan Army. “The day reminds us of the sacrifices and the life-long struggle of Shaheed Bibi for democracy,” said minister Jam Khan Shoro in Hyderabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2014.

Talking to reporters at the launch, Rahat said Pakistan was a ‘specialist’ in producing music. “Fusion music and newcomers in the industry are bringing forward good work in the country. Music requires loads of concentration to produce good work. I have given my best, though I could have tried for better,” he said.

The singer confessed, however, that the days of album releases in Pakistan were ‘sadly over’.

While speaking exclusively to The Express Tribune, he said, “I appreciate the Express Group for supporting music and am very thankful to the media for supporting this cause.”

He said his new album “Back2Love is a romantic album, complete with romantic songs. This is my message to the entire world that love is everything.”

Without naming the special song, Rahat’s associate Salman Ahmed said that one of his songs is super hit on YouTube with 3.5 millions views thus far.

Dressed in all white, Rahat was greeted with flowers and thunderous applause upon arrival. Later, Khan mingled with the young crowd present at the popular food franchise, giving away CD albums and a few autographs to fans. While drawing out from a ballot a name of the person who would travel with him on a UK tour later this year, he announced Sadia Hussain as the winner.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2014.

As Zafar Shehzad Zafari recited a child’s unease, he left an entire room full of poets speechless. “This is the pain of Lyari and its people,” he explained. “They think about it all the time.”

The continuous bloodshed and unrest in Lyari has forced its literati to think like a child. It gets their brains working and their pens writing. They can’t help but write when people in other parts of the city or country experience the violence that they have been going through for the last six years.

The audience gathered around Zafari requested him to recite his Balochi ghazal, Tu mani halla just kane che kane [What will you do by asking me how I am doing].

Zafari is in his 40s and has a great command over Urdu and Balochi. As he sat with other poets and short story writers at an event organised by Shahjahan Lovers Society at Noorani Hall, Nawa Lane, on Thursday, he held his most treasured possession in his hands – a diary. It was full of his poems which he recited one by one. He looked up at his audience, pushed his spectacles back with a finger and asked: “When will this tyranny come to an end.”

According to Shaif Hussain, a short story writer, some people carry on with their trade despite the fear. “A layman doesn’t say anything. It doesn’t matter what the oppressor is doing, he will say nothing,” he said before sharing a short story he had written with the audience on war and peace.

The story was about two women – War and Peace. Both beautiful and full of spirit but their eyes told a different tale.

The unrest, according to poet Mussawar Ali, doesn’t start or end in Lyari. “It is the failure of the entire system. We, poets and writers, are very sensitive,” he said. “It hurts us when others are in pain and when the innocent are suffering.”

Suno ke roshnyon ka sheher bohat tareek hai [Listen, the city of lights is very dark], recited the poet.

The hall echoed with praise as he kept on reciting, mujh ko aisa Lyari nahin chahiye jis mein jungle ka qanoon chalta rahe [I don't want a Lyari where the law of the jungle prevails].

Saqib Hussain, a shy young poet, believes that if everyone starts thinking like poets then there would be no unrest anywhere in the world. “I am living in a city without peace,” he said. “The rule of law won’t be restored till the state enforces it with honesty.”

“It is also our identity,” said Mussawar as poets and writers shared their work in Urdu, Balochi and Sindhi. “Literary gatherings used to take place in Lyari quite regularly even before the ‘gangsters’ came to power.”

Haji Nasim, a writer, suggested that the youth needed to read history and explore what had happened to other nations in the past.

“History creates awareness in a man,” he said. “There won’t be any peace till the belly is empty.”

Poet Tasawar Ali read aloud from his diary as well. His poem criticised rulers who he claimed were always asleep while the thieves were always awake. He believes that someone has stolen the peace from Karachi and replaced it with fear and loathing.  “Who wants peace?” he asked. “Everyone loves it except for a few. Let us hope for a better tomorrow. Let us hope for a little bit of happiness.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2014.

The mega event of the blood transfusion for 2,000 children under one-roof was held at the Expo Centre on Friday while 1,000 more children from different areas of the province were given blood in Sukkur, Nawabshah and Badin.

“It is a world record,” claimed Peoples Doctors Forum’s (PDF) Sindh Chapter president Dr Karim Khuwaja. “It has never happened anywhere that 2,000 children are given blood under one roof,” he said, adding that they will be sending the data to the Guinness World Records officials soon.

The PDF celebrated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s 61st birthday by conducting blood donation campaigns across the province. They managed to collect 28,300 blood bags in three days. The blood was donated to various organisations working for thalassaemia patients while the armed forces have also been donated blood bags by the PDF.

The registered thalassaemia and haemophilia patients of eight organisations, including Hussaini Blood Bank, Muhammadi Blood Bank, Omair Sana Foundation, Afzaal Memorial Thalassaemia Foundation, Burhani Blood Bank and Thalassaemia Centre (BBBTC) and Kutyana Memon Hospital, took part in the mega event on Friday.

“There are around 7,000 children with these blood diseases,” shared BBBTC CEO Jawaid Qayam Ali. Children from different parts of the province and some from Balochistan are regularly transfused blood at his centre. “We are committed to serve our children,” he said.

According to the organisers, 680 beds were set up for the event. The parents were asked to bring their children to the centre they are registered with, and from there they were brought to the Expo Centre.

“These children won’t need blood in Ramazan now,” commented Mehdi Rizvi, the CEO of Muhammadi Blood Bank. He said that Iran set a record by transfusing 4,700 children. “This is a major event as 3,000 children were given blood only in Sindh,” he said, adding that transfusion costs Rs100,000 per year for every child.

There were several cases where brothers and sisters had major thalassaemia, such as Muhammad Jibran, 15, Muhammad Rahman, 13, and Muhammad Noman, 11. “I don’t know why it happened,” said their grandmother, Shazia Khan, adding that their father works as a driver. “I think of the expenditures and worry about the donors’ arrangements if such organisations weren’t there to support people like us,” said their uncle, Muhammad Sajjid.

“My mother and father are [suffering from] minor [thalassaemia],” said 17-year-old Shahbaz, who was being transfused. “My older brother and sister are also minors,” he added. His older sister was married in December but her fiancé went through a test and found out that he was not suffering from thalassaemia.

Five-year-old Mehwish’s younger brother, Muhammad Saeed, also suffers from thalassaemia. “We were not aware of the disease or the process of conducting medical tests,” her father, Muhammad Rafique, admitted. “It hurts when she has to go through blood transfusion.” Rafique said that one of his daughters died of the blood disease a few years ago.

Learning from their experiences, most parents advised couples to get tested for thalassaemia before getting married. They also advised that screening is better than facing the pain of transfusions for life.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Kamran Ahmed Khan has spent the last couple of weeks hanging around government offices. He even went to ask some NGOs for help but got nowhere.

He was waiting to talk to an official at the culture department and told The Express Tribune it was a matter of great urgency. Khan, 28, is one of the two men from Pakistan who received an invitation to attend the Little People of America (LPA) conference taking place in San Diego from July 4 to July 10. The problem is that Khan has a visa but no money to pay for his ticket.

“Only two people were invited to attend the conference and I am the only one who got the visa,” he said. “It took a lot of time and effort but I, eventually, became a part of the LPA. Unfortunately, they cannot bear the travel or accommodation expenses.” He added that one of the reasons he wanted to attend the conference was to learn how to improve the quality of life of little people in Pakistan.

Khan is also excited to show a presentation he has prepared for the conference on little people of Pakistan.

Making a difference

Khan lives with his parents and six siblings in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. No one in his immediate or extended family is like him – less than four feet tall.

He has studied BTech computer sciences and has launched a welfare association for the little people of Pakistan. He said that the conference he was going to attend was on dwarfism.

“Some say it occurs due to a bone disorder but there is no treatment for it,” he said. He added that his organisation had started a survey in Pakistan to register every little person.

While talking about the conference, he said that more than 5,000 people from all over the world were going to attend and it would be bad if no one was there to represent Pakistan. He added that the entire trip would cost him around Rs0.6 million.

While waiting for his turn at the culture department’s office, Khan was accompanied by his friend, Shahid Rana.

Rana, 45, is also a little person and is a resident of Liaquatabad. He was also invited to attend the conference but did not get the visa. “We are being humiliated,” he said. “Instead of helping us, everyone here is taunting us.”

While talking to The Express Tribune, Rana said that they were tired of peoples’ behaviour, especially when they thought of little people as disabled. He added that they had talent and people just need to give them a chance.

“Several of our friends are qualified professionals but face discrimination when it comes to employment,” he said. “They can’t get jobs even though they have the skills just because society isn’t ready to accept them.” He added that if people googled the term little people in developed countries they would see that they are treated as equals. “Their government facilitates them,” he said. “But in Pakistan it is not so. We face ridicule in our childhood and discrimination as adults. We are not asking for a job on the disabled quota, we just wanted to be treated as equal and get things on merit.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2014.

The foreign crew on the ships – more commonly known as the gora masters – would ask local labourers and carriage drivers at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to play football with them. In return, the blue-collared workers would receive a small remuneration.

Every Lyariite has a family football story. At least one member of each household has been a football player at the district, provincial or national level. Young adults grow up listening to stories about their forefathers being the first people to understand the game in the subcontinent.

“Football is a part of our heritage,” Pakistan Football Federation official Yaqoob Baloch, who is also a resident of Lyari, told The Express Tribune.

“While growing up, my grandmother would tell me that my grandfather, Muhammad Yaqoob, was also a footballer, and a well-respected one.

“In our community, parents encourage their children to play football instead of studying.”

Football to Lyari is what cricket is to the rest of the country — enthusiasts just need a spare patch of land to start kicking a ball and defending makeshift goalposts.

“The most essential form of football is the one played on the street,” said Yaqoob, who also looks after the youth teams for the Sindh Football Association.

“The children are still carrying the legacy of their ancestors. Every child here begins playing football at a very young age right in front of their house.”

Emphasising the simplicity of the game, Yaqoob said that even a century-and-a-half ago, the local fisherman community of Lyari would initially play barefoot against their masters. However, things began to change with the passage of time.

“The local players improved and often defeated the foreigners. The Britons loved the competition they were getting from the Lyariites, so they would hold more matches.

“At this point, our folk felt they needed proper shoes. One of the more skilled cobblers was then tasked with making leather shoes especially for these players.”

Yaqoob added that Lyari football boasts legends who belong to the same families.

“We have some big football-playing families here. For example, the family of Ali Nawaz Baloch [former national captain] has produced some of the best footballers for Pakistan. His uncle, Dad Muhammad, is still considered the best striker in the history of our country.”

He added that it was KPT that pioneered a separate department for footballers, and the players later secured permanent jobs.

“Football was the only way out of poverty in Lyari. Our people aren’t inclined to excel academically and getting good government jobs was a far-fetched dream. So every parent would want their child to play football and get paid for it.”

Lyari football experienced a slump after 1973. Where there were 20 departments who would hire footballers to compete in the local tournaments, today there are only six.

“It’s in fact because of Lyari’s football that all departments started the trend of making teams for other sports as well.”

Currently, there are only one or two players from the region in the national team. The official remembered that there was a time, when Lyari XI used to take down teams from Turkey, Iran or the Middle East single-handedly.

Regarding the 2014 World Cup, Yaqoob said that it was a ritual in Lyari to celebrate each and every edition of the glamorous event.

“It’s like all residents here live vicariously through these footballers; from the oldest person in the locality to the youngest.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2014.

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As the bureaucratic delays prolong, the 60,000 residents of Rehri Goth union council and its adjacent areas have to manage with a rural healthcare centre.

Initially, the area only had a three-room dispensary established in an old building but it was later converted into a B-Type Rural Health Centre, which gave it more wards and doctors. The hospital building, inaugurated in 2005, is an A-Type facility with an operation theatre and facilities for X-Ray and ultrasound.

“It looks like a running hospital but it isn’t,” said a resident outside the hospital, Talib Kutchi, who is also an activist of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum. “It is just a building and nothing else.” Kutchi felt that building the hospital but failing to hand it over is just a waste of resources. “We are destroying our own assets. You can judge the government’s priority from this performance.”

“Yes, it has not been handed over yet,” confirmed Karachi health EDO Dr Zafar Ejaz. He said that the approval for hiring employees is the biggest hurdle as the high-ranking officials have yet to give a yes. It is a technical process and would be done once the certificate of completion is given, he added.

Nevertheless, the furniture, X-Ray machine and operation theatre equipment has started gathering rust. The ultrasound machine was moved to the old building to be used but, now, even that has started to deteriorate, the employees complained. “We’ll be under debris soon,” a member of the lower staff claimed.

But like the people of the area, the EDO also believed that thousands of people will benefit once the hospital starts functioning. “The revised PC-I [plan] has been approved,” said Dr Ejaz. “I am hopeful it would be made functional by the end of this year.”

Meanwhile, several officials, including members of the Sindh Assembly and deputy commissioners have visited the hospital and have ensured the staff that the only medical facility in the area will be available to them soon.

Work in progress

The hospital project was approved during the tenure of City Nazim Niamatullah Khan and the foundation stone was laid down by Muttahida Qaumi Movement MPA and former provincial minister Shoaib Bukhari. Since then, the construction for the hospital building has been completed while the residential block is still under construction. There is still no electricity supply, sewerage system or a water supply line.

Water supply to the old building was disconnected in 2005. “The water supply line was cut and we were told that it was being connected to the new building,” said a staff member.

Even the rural health centre at the site fails to offer all the facilities as it desperately needs female doctors and other technical staff. Currently, the centre has only two doctors and a medical superintendent.

There are 16 villages in the Rehri Goth union council, including Ilyas Goth, Chashma Goth, Lat Basti, Jattan Jo Parro, Ali Brohi and Bakhtawar Goth. The residents of Gulshan-e-Buner, Attaur Rehman Goth and Abdul Rehman Goth also rely on this health facility.

“We visit private hospitals in the evening,” said Masi Riyasti, who lives near the hospital. The second option is a government hospital in Ibrahim Hyderi or Indus Hospital in Korangi, she added.

Meanwhile, resident Nazir Ahmed said the hospital is of no use to them and they buy all their medicines from private stores. “There is no doctor after 2pm,” he pointed out. “We are one of the oldest residents of Karachi but lack even the most basic facilities.”

“The fishermen need the government’s attention,” said Kutchi. “A majority of the population belongs to the fishermen community yet the government ignores these people.”

But some residents are hopeful the facility will start functioning soon. Several ‘quacks’ have established their clinics in the vicinity. “Their illegal ‘trade’ will end if this hospital is made functional,” said Kutchi.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2014.

Few recognise the building as the earliest headquarters of the Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu Pakistan [The Council for the Promotion of Urdu], where Maulvi Abdul Haq, a pre-eminent Urdu lexicographer and researcher regarded as ‘Baba-e-Urdu’, lived on its second floor and was later buried in its compound.

The Temple of the Goddess of Knowledge

The edifice also holds a similar historical significance, if not more, for the people of neighbouring India, due to the momentous role that it played in the social, cultural, educational and political upbringing of various prominent figures for around 28 years before partition.

It was established as the Shri Sharda Mandir [The Temple of the Goddess of Knowledge] – a progressive Gujarati-medium high school that rose to national stature and was considered as one of the country’s best – whose foundation stone was laid by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in 1921.

More than 1,200 students were studying at the institute at the time of the partition, when the institute’s activities came to a grinding halt and the building was abandoned amidst fears of communal violence.

Alumni of the school, like octogenarian maths whiz, Labhachandra Shantilal Doshi, hold on to the memories associated with their alma mater, crediting it for providing them with confidence they needed to succeed in life.

Doshi currently resides in the suburbs of Mumbai in Vile Parle, a popular choice among the Gujarati population, including many families that migrated from Pakistan. Doshi, while talking to The Express Tribune over the phone, said that the Gujarati school was like an ‘ashram with bright airy classes covered with a myriad of creeping plants’.

He recalled that the school’s principal, Mansukhram Jobanputra, generally addressed by the students as ‘Bapuji’, was a close companion of Gandhi.

“Bapuji and the teachers were like sages, who instilled within the students a strong sense of ethics,” said Doshi, who studied at the institution for seven years – from 1940 to 1947 – with many of the country’s elite, including former Sindh Chief Minister, Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah. He recalls attending lectures delivered by the late Shakuntala Devi, a celebrated mathematician, and others who were invited by the principal and the school’s president Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta, Karachi’s first elected mayor.

Apart from Gandhi, who used to take keen interest in the school’s activities, said Doshi, other socio-political reformers and leaders, including Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, used to address the students and stay at the institution’s guestrooms during visits.

At the time of the partition, Gandhi had expressed his desire that the Sharda Mandir should continue its services in India, following which the institute was restructured as the Shri Shardagram, established near Mangrol in the Junagadh district of Gujarat in April, 1949, claimed the managing trustee of the Shri Shardagram Prof JG Bhuva.

Anjuman-e Taraqqi-e-Urdu Pakistan headquarters

At the other side of the border, the office and a significant portion of the valued library of the Anjuman in Delhi were ransacked in post-independence riots.

The Anjuman was founded in 1903 for the promotion of the Urdu language and its literature, during the sixteenth annual All-India Muslim Educational Conference organised in Delhi. Haq had been serving as the Anjuman’s secretary since 1912; a position that he held till his death in 1961.

Thereafter, ‘Baba-e-Urdu’ migrated to Karachi, bringing with him only limited manuscripts and books from the Anjuman’s invaluable library and instituted the Anjuman anew by registering it under the Societies Registration Act 1860 as ‘Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu Pakistan’.

Later in October 1948, the Karachi Municipal Corporation granted permission for the Sharda Mandir premises to serve as the headquarters for the Anjuman’s Pakistan branch, recalled Jamiluddin Aali, former secretary of the Anjuman who succeeded Baba-e-Urdu.

“Here at its vast compound, the FUUAST, being the brainchild of the Anjuman, was established initially as the Urdu College in 1949,” said Aali. “People of my age still reminisce of the summer evenings when Baba-e-Urdu was often seen with his arms draped across the balcony railings of the second-floor.”

Govt fails to preserve heritage site

Despite having possession of the building, the Anjuman has failed to maintain the historical site due to what its deputy-secretary and treasurer, Dr Javaid Manzar, termed as ‘shortage of government funds’.

Years of negligence have left the internal wooden structure, the walls and the ceiling of the building in a run-down state, compelling office-bearers to move out to an alternate location in Gulshan-e-Iqbal in the early 1990s, said Dr Manzar.

While declaring this building as a “precious heritage”, the then Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) technical services director-general, Altaf G Memon, in his letter on May 10, 2012, to the Sindh culture department secretary, stated that the KMC, in order to protect the building from further wear and tear, intends to take up rehabilitation and maintenance work and requires approval from the department to carry out the task, ensuring that the building is protected and maintained.

Meanwhile, The Express Tribune has learnt that the KMC had subsequently approved Rs3.7 million for its renovation, but two years on, the corporation still looks forward to a formal approval by the provincial culture department.

“After renovation and maintenance, the council wants to convert this building into a state-of-the-art Urdu Museum that would serve as a hub of knowledge for researchers, students and lovers of the language,” said Dr Manzar.

Meanwhile, mathematician Labhachandra Shantilal Doshi, owing to his immense emotional attachment with his alma mater, believed that the Pakistani government would do a great favour to present and forthcoming generations of both countries by preserving their mutual history and heritage through the building.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2014.

KARACHI: The father-son duo planning to go around the world in 30 days to raise money for underprivileged reached Karachi on Tuesday afternoon.

The 17-year-old Haris Suleman, who is said to be the youngest person ever to fly a plane, aims to complete a world journey in 30 days. Accompanied by his father Babar Suleman, who is also a pilot, the boy smoothly landed his aircraft at the runway of the Karachi airport.

Haris Suleman, 17, started his journey on June 19 from Indiana, US, and aims to travel around the world in 30 days to raise money for The Citizens Foundation schools in Pakistan. He is flying with his father, Babar Suleman, who is also a pilot. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

A man shouted ‘Welcome to Pakistan’, as Babar’s sister, Nasreen ran to hug him. She had come to receive the two at the airport. Several children of The Citizens Foundation (TCF) schools, whom the son and father are supporting with their project, broke into applause once Haris stepped out of the single-engine aircraft.

“For you, we have come all the way,” his father told the school children, as they shook hands and took flowers from them.

For the teenager, who hails from Indiana, United States, the journey is more about raising money for underprivileged children enrolled in schools run by the non-profit organisation than the desire to make a record of the youngest person to fly a plane across the world in 30 days.

So far, they have raised half a million dollars, revealed Haris, clad in a spotless crisp pilot’s uniform. “We are also supporting 1,000th school-mark that TCF achieved this year,” he said pointing to the TCF logo on the plane. Before deciding to launch this project, Haris was an active volunteer at the TCF local chapters in the US.

The idea to fly around the world came to him in January, when Babar, who was born in Pakistan, randomly asked his son: “Dunya ka chakar lagana hai? [Do you want to go around the world?]”

On June 19, they set off from Indiana with Haris who had gotten his private pilot licence only a month-and-a-half earlier, leading the plane.

Haris Suleman, 17, started his journey on June 19 from Indiana, US, and aims to travel around the world in 30 days to raise money for The Citizens Foundation schools in Pakistan. He is flying with his father, Babar Suleman, who is also a pilot. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

They flew over water and deserts, visited tourist spots and collected souvenirs before they came to Karachi. So far, they have stopped in Iceland, England, Egypt and the UAE.

“It has been fun but flying over the ocean made me nervous,” Haris admitted. “And we had to wear these ridiculous orange suits when flying over water.”

Journey so far

When Haris was only eight years old, his father would take him flying. In 2011, when he turned 15, he started formal training. “A 17-year-old can get a private pilot licence in the US with 50 hours of cross-country flying,” he explained. “When I left the US for the trip, I had 103 flying hours.”

All the way from the US, Haris’ mother calls frequently to make sure his clothes are clean. “When I would go for training, she would text me to remind me if I had checked the fuel. ‘Was there enough oil?’”

Nasreen, Haris’ aunt, admitted the family was very scared before the start of the trip and they tried to tell them to call it off. “Flying in a single engine aircraft is very scary,” she said.

After spending five days in Pakistan with relatives, Haris and his father will head off to Bangladesh, Bali, Australia, Fiji, Hawaii and reach California by July 21. “Back home, my classmates are very excited,” said Haris. They want him to take them for a ride on his plane as well. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2014.