KARACHI: A book titled A Case of Karachi — A Forgotten Chapter of Political History of Sindh (1947-1­970),written and compiled by Prof Aijaz Ahmed Qureshi, was launched at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Saturday evening.

Speaking on the occasion, eminent town planner and architect Arif Hasan said the events mentioned in the publication were earlier known but lacked detail. The book has details. There were a lot of rumours around them some of which may have been true. The second important thing that the book has is that it mentions the issue of Karachi’s separation from Sindh [in the early days of Pakistan] and all the problems that the city is now faced with has its roots in that issue. It also led to the language problem. “Your association with your language is like your association with your mother.”

Mr Hasan argued that the book clarified the notion that when Karachi was being separated, it was met with no opposition. There was opposition. He remarked that if Karachi had remained the provincial capital, the way Defence Housing Society spread subsequently wouldn’t have happened.

He then brought into focus the goths in Karachi. “There was a goth where I live. There were three where these days there’s FTC. Then there were goths where sangtarash used to live. What happened to them? Where did they vanish?”

Mr Hasan, referring to an earlier speaker, said local governments will not be of any use until one decides that there will be no development at the coast of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Prof Dr Jaffer Ahmed said the book basically contains documents. It has less analysis. These documents are very important. They cover the time period between 1947 and 1970.

“I’d like to look at it as to what was the Pakistani state’s philosophy at the time, what was its statecraft, what kind of relations existed between the centre and the provinces. The book has two kinds of documents. The first is to do with Karachi becoming the capital of the country, and the second is related to migration that took place after independence,” he said.

In that connection Dr Ahmed talked in detail on how countries’ capitals come into being and why Karachi was chosen as one.

Eminent economist Dr Kaiser Bengali lauded the contents of the book and termed it well-documented. “It has a lot of research material in it.”

He shed light on the changing demographics of the city and stressed the need for an effective local government system without which dissenting voices would keep coming from the city.

Dr Riaz Shaikh said if there was ever a truth and reconciliation commission made in this country, the book would serve as a basic document for it.

Author Prof Aijaz Ahmed Qureshi, Keramat Ali, Javed Qazi and KPC president Saeed Sarbazi also spoke.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2023