IN Karachi, the month of October doesn’t arrive as the forerunner to the winter season, but as a tough reminder of how sweltering the summer, even after the monsoon period, was. On Oct 10, 1974, Karachiites braved a hot day as the maximum temperature hit 101 degrees F (38.8 degrees Celsius). The minimum temperature increased by two degrees at 70 degrees F. Humidity, compared to Oct 9, increased from eight to 10 per cent.

On Oct 12, though, citizens got some relief when the maximum temperature dropped by two degrees to 99 degrees F (37.2 degrees centigrade). Humidity went up from 10 to 24pc.

Everyone gets affected by weather. It sometimes becomes unbearable for those who get stuck in traffic. This was the time when the Sindh capital had already burst at the seams, causing traffic jams and untoward incidents. On Oct 10, the Chief Minister of Sindh, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, asked the provincial IG of police to come up with suggestions within a week for coping with the problems arising out of the increase in the flow of traffic accidents. He also asked him to submit a report on what steps had thus far been taken to remove roadside garages. Referring to the allegations that the traffic police charged certain monthly amount from roadside hawkers and vendors, Mr Jatoi directed that the charges be investigated, and if found true the guilty persons be taken to task.

Another kind of means of transportation made the headlines that week. On Oct 9, it came to light that Britain had agreed to lend up to 3.4m pounds to Pakistan on soft terms to help build Port Qasim, 17 miles southeast of Karachi. The loan would finance off-shore costs to facilitate coasters and lighterage service; it was part of the first phase of construction. It would also prepare for subsequent development of Port Qasim and help relieve congestion at Karachi port.

Such news items were vital to keep citizens in the know. Speaking of keeping people informed, on Oct 12, the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Maulana Kausar Niazi, underlined the important role that information media could play in building an egalitarian society based on revolutionary Muslim nationalism. He highlighted that in Karachi while presiding over a meeting of the Regional Advisory Committee of Radio and Television. He was of the view that information could weld people into a single nation by spotlighting and propagating Pakistani nationalism. The minster laid emphasis on bringing home to the people the nation’s cultural heritage which, in his opinion, was nothing but the fusion of the cultures of different regions of the country.

Culture is a large subject, includes, among many other components, language, colour and design. Speaking of design, on Oct 7, Governor of Sindh Begum Ra’ana Liquat Ali Khan inaugurated a six-day stamp exhibition organised by the Pakistan Stamp Society to celebrate the centenary of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Addressing the audience at the YMCA where the display was held, she stressed the need for encouraging the hobby of stamp collecting because it was educational in historical and geographical senses, and crossed racial and linguistic barriers.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2024