KARACHI: After a lifetime of false claims of change and deceptive promises of prosperity, Karachiites have become weary of the echoing institutional apathy. Their instinct is to doubt any attempt to uplift the city and, by default, the community at large.

The Pakistan Chowk Initiative, spearheaded by architect and heritage consultant Marvi Mazhar, had to also battle a similar attitude of indifference and condescension when initiated. However, almost a year after the project kicked off, detractors and critics alike have taken several steps back.

An abandoned historical site, once a dumping ground and a safe haven for drug addicts, has been transformed into a space of inclusivity for the young and old to gather and converse, “to revive arts, culture, and advance literary and democratic discourse in Old Town Karachi”.

Marvi, as an architect, had a lot to do with restoration and heritage documentation of the built environment of the past, a task she holds dear. And eventually the people living in those old spaces also became important.

Pakistan Chowk Initiative seeks to revitalise historic neighbourhood

“Design makes a difference,” she explained while talking about what attracted her towards rehabilitating and restoring the chowk. Ever since its unveiling, the space has activated the community around and over the past many months, the chowk has witnessed artists and art fairs, kids from the neighbourhood eager to learn from these artists, storytelling sessions, and even the performing arts.

Marvi spoke about how initially residents of the area were suspicious of the vision and attempts to restore Pakistan Chowk’s Rambagh Quarter. But now there prevails a sense of ownership. The mohalla saazi with local stakeholders for the sustainability, and a sense of ownership of the urban square have led to the expansion of the project, she explained. And the Pakistan Chowk Community Centre thus came into being.

“Twenty feet from the chowk we have set up an office from where we plan to work and train the people who live there. Apart from outdoor activities, we are now in a position to host small, intimate gatherings and activities. The two rooms will have a baithak, a research lab and a gallery.”

Civic engagement at the centre plans to incorporate different programmes, some of which include Soch Sayahi (literature, writing and poetry), Palak Jhapak (film, theatre and television), Qanooni Totkey (legal assistance), Bekhabar Hotel (talking circle), Fankaar Type Log (artistic programme), and Chowk Studio (South Asian music programme).

Marvi’s passionate involvement in the project makes all that she has accomplished seem easy but the demographic she is working with is very challenging. This is why artists, architects, urban planners and eager and involved citizens form the core of the Pakistan Chowk Community Centre. “They have been working around the city and are well-versed with how the city should grow, who have had a conversation with the city.”

Public support is essential to the continuity and development of the Pakistan Chowk Community Centre, as well as for similar projects in the city. The project, Marvi explained, was funded through a budget allocation by the government with Sharmila Faruqui at its helm. Once that was utilised, “everything else has come out from my pocket. We need technology, cameras and computers to aid in our documentation, furniture, upkeep of the chowk and office, arrangements for baithaks, etc. And financially we will soon reach a saturation point.”

Different models have been formed to make it easy for supporters to adopt and contribute towards the centre. One can donate towards the centre’s fixed costs, support the equipment that is needed for its functioning, adopt different programmes they plan to run, or financially contribute towards different Pakistan Chowk projects.

Encouraging art and culture to flourish is an essential element of survival, believes Marvi. “Why do people complain about extremism, or that young kids don’t understand Urdu poetry or music? It is because we are not investing in arts and culture,” she summed up. Which is why, she believes, projects like the Pakistan Chowk Community Centre need patronage.

Future plans include “rehabilitation of the heritage facades, development of footpaths, cleaning the Rambagh Quarter and redesigning the signage of the publication quarter”, proving that this conversation with the city is far from over.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2017