If you are a person who has never been to karachi or pakistan then you might think that in pakistan only terrorism happens. But if you are a pakistani who has been to this amazing and brave city than you would agree to me that inspite of all this local or political war karachi will survive inshallah.
I remember this city as a child as i lived there when i was school going and my father being in the army was posted there. at that time the condition was the same and army was sent there to control the situation. We lived in malir cantt which was a secured cantonement area.
The most amazing and enjoyable time of my life was spent there. we (me , my brothers and freinds) used to climb trees and eat fruits and play in the street. we had parties and picnics aranged by the army offcourse. musical events and eid parties were given by army. it was a busy and enjoyable time for all of us. The only news about the terrorism that we got was from our fathers and then we used to share these gruelling stories about drug mafias and torture cells etc.
in my school we had lots of civilian kids too and we were very good friends, aty that time the enmosity for the army didnt exist. people respected an army officer , they trusted an army officer at that time.
i remember there was this cantt bazar we loved to visit, i specially liked a paratha made over there. it had layers and it was white. i loved to eat it with achar.
then there was this park with a slide made like an elephant and thus the park was called by that name so i never got to know its real name.
i remember going to the sunday bazar with my mom and her friends and i loved the whole atmosphere over there. since my dad was rarely at home , he lived in the area that was assigned to him to monitor and came home on weekends etc. my mom usually went to shopping with her friends and i went with her to zainab market nad another very popular market that i cant recall ( probably because of fibromyalgia.....) any how those were the first and best experiences of shopping that i now remember. those covered markets full of shops and fascinating stuff. clothes for boys , crockery for kitchen and those brite shops filled with artificial jewellery and bangles and hair clips etc. shops of toys, the list can go on and on....., one could get lost in such a place.
I also remember going to avari towers and another area in defence( cant recall again) but that was like going to posh place uptight and unwelcoming like now in islamabad, it reminds me of those areas where there is no happiness or excitement about the place just expensive cars and aunties wearing latest fashion and carrying branded bags( now you cant tell if its fake or not)
they dont smile at you if you accidentally come in their way, their heads held high only glancing you now and then as if summing you up to know from which class you belong or if your financial statement is worth their time.
Anyhow i remember going with my whole family to eat that amazing broast, i havent eaten any other tasting any better. i remember going to sindbad for the first time in my life, i dont even know if it exists still but it was amazing for a kid in the 90's when there were no iphones or laptops or ipads to amuse us.
I also remembergoing to the beach both clifton and hox bay( i dont know if i spelled it right)
My first experience of attending a 'mela' for muharam was in karachi. i sate of a float in a lake for the first time in karachi. i went to a private beach and saw so many crabs running for their lives and kids ran towards them in karachi. i met wonderful people and made so many friends in karachi.i went to cricket matches and milads and ladies club meetings and brunches and nusical shows and what not in karachi, and all this was organised by army in the midst of the voilence going on that they were stoppping. i mean the army celebrated their occasions and owrk and for relief organsied events for the officers and their families who otherwise were living a stressful life. i remember my father took his name strip off his uniform as other officers for security reasons they were not allowed to travel alone for security reasons. they lived without their families and protected and guided those who were being terrorised.
All I am trying to say is that inspite of all the danger karachi and army lived a happy life , a hopeful life, a fascinating life for a girl who thought that they were all so brave and stoos up for what was right.
karachi is still a brave city and army is still fascinating for a woman who lived her early life with it, but things have changed as well. people in karachi they dont stand up for themselves and say that we dont want these political parties to rule us , we would not split.and army is not that army anymore, they have lost respect and credibility in eyes of a civillian.
this hopeless and frustrated attitude that has been slowly introduced to us as if slowly poisoned is the actual reason that we we no longer have the courage to stand up and say that this is it, we would not take it anymore.
I along with millions of pakistanis pray for karachi but sometime prayers are not enough, i read somewhere that if you cant do something for yourself than fate doesnt help you either.
It breaks my heart to hear people about splitting the provinces, why are you favouring this pakistan was created for peace and harmony not political manipulation. Sometimes i wonder that the people who actually cast their votes and stand hours in rallys, do they even know what they are doing to their own future.
Anyhow this debate can go on and on.... what i wanted to say was that karachi is a city of wonders, it welcomed people of all nations and races and religions and fighting amongst these very people is actually insulting this open hearted city.
It is the city of our founder and will always be our trade hub. let us protect and nurture it the way it should be.I hope that we can walk in streets as freely as our elders did and i pray that our kids can live fearlessly and enjoy their childhood as we did. I hope Karachi would remain brave and hopeful for a bright future ....... as i remember it.
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