Reimagining Pakistan: March 2013

I refuse to stop 'reimagining' Karachi, and I refuse to stop trying to make others do the same. We are going through difficult times, agreed! But do we continue to live in oblivion because of that? Do we continue to sit in the comfort of our homes and not work for our city and our people?

We are living in an age where we bear more responsibility than our ancestors. But are we fulfilling that responsibility? As citizens of this multicultural, cosmopolitan city, and as adults, it is our duty to pull ourselves together during catastrophic times, console and bring our people together, create awareness in our youth about what we own and strive to save our legacy and our heritage.

Most of us never explore the architecturally and historically important, dense areas of the city's old neighbourhoods. We claim that it is not safe to go there. Pray may I ask, have we stopped going to one of the biggest malls in the city after a recent incident? We say that traffic congestion is a nightmare in these areas which keeps us from going there. May I remind my readers of the road under the Gizri Bridge which has poor traffic management and cars don't drive through but crawl at a snail's speed there.

Karachi is not just a business hub and a port city; it is a delightful combination of countless different cultures and ethnicities. Along with that, it also boasts of innumerable architectural jewels scattered around the various historical quarters. It is a visual treat to visit most of these areas and in case one wants to avoid the traffic and congestion, then Sunday mornings are the perfect time to visit them. It gives you a chance to admire the intricacies of the craftsmanship that these old structures bear.

Karachi is not hip restaurants and busy cafes only, it is quaint shops tightly packed together in busy bazaars also. It is not just a city of high-rise buildings, but also one with grand though derelict old mansions. This place is not all about cheese-dripping pizzas and pretentious portions of continental platters, but also early morning halwa puri, paye, nihari and bun kababs. Karachi is vibrant, vivacious, though quiet and sad at times. It is busy, dense, noisy, full of smoke that is emitted from the ever-increasing vehicles; but it is ours! Ours to build, ours to save, ours to care for and ours to be proud of! Let's not give up on it!

This is Karachi!