When I opened my eyes I was a resident of this city. From my youth to date I love my city. Many people like me will have the same feeling for this city.
We have parks, high rise buildings, malls, expensive cars running on the roads, beautiful houses, breath taking hotels along the sea coast, Chain of hotels, Grand wedding halls, progressive industry and last of all people from different cultures enhancing the beauty of the city.
But these things are not visible always. What many of us visualize is Load shedding, shortage of water and gas, target killings, kidnappings, dharnas, terrorists attacks, and last of all failed government and police.
When I was young I was residing in Saddar Area. I would go to my school on horse cart and my friends would walk to school from nearby area. On weekends we would walk down with our neighbors’ aunties to eat Chaat and paani puri. We were living a simple yet peaceful life.
I can still remember we would go in rikshaws (as car culture was not very much common) to see lightings on 23rd March and 14th August. We would step down from the rikshaw to have look at the tall Habib Bank Plaza.
For shopping we would walk down to Bohri Bazar, and Zainab Market.
My grandmother would live art Burns Road, we would travel by bus to meet her and she would take us to Malik Nihari for dinner.
Our lifestyle was healthy, no pollution, no political unrest, no blasts no kidnappings, no load shedding or any kind of water and gas shortage.
All was well, and from nowhere An Evil spirit caught hold of my city.
Nothing stayed the same. Everything started changing from good to bad and bad to worst and now it has hit the mark of complete destruction.
After looking at the changes around I realized that there is no outside evil spirit, rather it’s our evilness that has left us speechless.
Greed for power, wealth, position status, supremacy over the others has brought my city to the verge of collapse. The political leaders are working for themselves rather than for the city. They want to procure maximum benefits from their jobs rather than providing maximum benefits to the citizens.
These people are one of us but in the mask of aliens and evils. Their good will is to sabotage the others and get their way out.
The political party who holds the majority in the city has always stood for their personal motives. Amongst them was one hope of light Mustafa Kamal, who showed his kamal in the city. He worked to restructure the city and set an example for others. During his tenure the city stabilized and we Karachites had again had hope for return of golden days of the city. Karachi was returning to its slogan , “Karachi The City Of Lights”.
Parks were being built in residential vicinity for people to enjoy their evenings. I would walk to the nearby park with my children and have fun.
But again someone amongst us could not see us happy and started spreading its wings of terror in the city.
To date the situation is detorating. There is miserbility around us. Day begins with cries, bloodshed, suicide, and power struggle.
Karachi is not a piece of a cake for the evils to bite on. It is a city where people live to carry out their lively hood.
Shopping malls, hospitals, hotels, parks, streets, roads, security bases and now even Airports are not safe.
Where do we go?????
Dharnas await us every Friday, with a different cause for protest. My question is ARE OUR PROTEST ANSWERED???
People are being killed daily either in target killing, kidnapping, blasts, or last but not the least inflation.
Along with me many people love Karachi. If given an opportunity many of us will not leave this city and settle abroad.
The reason is the deep down connection with the city. I know my city is going through mish apps but it doesn’t affect my love for it. I love my city and with every passing day I keep hope for a better tomorrow.
Some day everything will change and we will live in the beauty and peace of the city.
My city Karachi is blessed with blessings Sufis, and Saints, so no matter what ever happens we will come out as achievers.
As quoted “WHERE THERE IS WILL THERE IS A WAY”
Many people have a strong will for a better Karachi and Allah will pave out the way… And I know my Will, will not go in vain.
