KARACHI: In 1954, Muhammad Riaz set up a bookstore in Karachi, just around the corner from the delectable aromas and crowded pathways of the famous Burns Road food street.
Over the next three quarters of a century, a cavernous market of overflowing bookstores and stalls mushroomed all around Maktaba-e-Imran Digest Publishing and came to be called Urdu Bazaar. Today, it is a well-known city landmark, a sprawling space whose history mirrors the cultural development of Karachi itself and which offers a glimpse into the soul and workings of Pakistan’s chaotic financial hub.
But the bazaar’s fate has been uncertain since earlier this month when nearly 70 shopkeepers were informed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) that they had to vacate their shops by January 8 or face forceful eviction.
The notice is part of a larger anti-encroachment drive launched by authorities last year following the orders of the Supreme Court to demolish illegal structures built on drains, pavements and state land. Since December 21, more than 3,500 shops have been demolished, directly affecting at least 17,500 workers. Hundreds of sunshades, extended walls, huts, hotels, cabins, street markets, marriage halls and banquets have also been razed to the ground in all six districts of the seaside city of 1.7 million.
For now, the anti-encroachment operation against the historic bazaar has been postponed due to protests by vendors and merchants, and a four-member committee has been set up to decide whether the market runs over a nullah, or drain.
Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar said he was taking action against encroachers as per the law. “None of our actions are illegal,” he told Arab News at his office. “We are bound to implement the [Supreme] Court’s orders.”
But 70-year-old store manager Mahmood Ahmed said the bazaar was set up following legal procedures and that KMC had itself invited traders to the area in the fifties and asked them to set up their businesses there.
“We haven’t encroached,” the bespectacled shop owner told Arab News at Maktaba-e-Imran Digest Publishing, which he manages since his brother-in-law Riaz passed away. “Everything here was legal but with this notice we suddenly came to know we have no right to stay at a place which we developed into a centre of learning.”
When the subcontinent was divided in 1947, Pakistan made Urdu, the elegant, supple language associated with poets and emperors, her official language. The language was popularised by Muhajirs, mostly Muslim immigrants who arrived from various regions of India, were widely identified as native Urdu speakers and settled in parts of urban Sindh, including Karachi. Indeed, many of those who first opened bookshops in what is currently Urdu Bazaar were Urdu speakers, lending the market its name. Soon, the place became a regular haunt for poets and authors like Mushtaq Yousufi, Ibne Insha, Shaukat Thanvi, Jaun Elia and others -- and the rest as they say is history.
The bazaar’s groaning bookshelves and stalls culled from discarded pallets are a stone’s throw from heritage buildings like Radio Pakistan, the Sindh provincial parliament and the Supreme Court, in the heart of what is called Old Karachi. The area is a churning hive of shops, food stalls, street vendors, taxi drivers, rag pickers, and more. It’s narrow, teeming alleyways are alive with commerce. But as far as city authorities are concerned, this pulsating stretch of land is an emblem of everything that is wrong with the city.
“The objective [of the demolition] is to rob high-value space from where the poor are located and use it for the benefit of the rich and the speculators who serve them,” top architect Arif Hasan wrote in an op-ed in Dawn newspaper last year. “It is to replace hawkers and indigenous markets with malls and high-end retail outlets. That they can coexist...is beyond the comprehension of a paranoid elite and enemies of a multi-class city. “
By 2030, Karachi is expected to be the world’s third most populated city. The city is a planner’s nightmare and in theory, the anti-encroachment operations are meant to correct decades of failed urban development.
But plans to raze Urdu Bazaar threaten the very “social and cultural face of Karachi,” said Sahar Ansari, an Urdu poet and linguist.
“Urdu bazaar is the educational, literary and cultural face of Karachi and erasing the bazaar will be tantamount to erasing this very identity,” he said. “I have visited book bazaars in more than fifteen cities of Europe, Middle East, South and East Asia, which have played a great role in transforming those societies. How can we demolish ours which we Karachiites need the most today?”
Indeed, the market has become a temple for Karachi’s literary pilgrims, poets, writers, students of all ages, publishers and paper and stationary sellers. Some visitors are bibliophiles who come to immerse themselves in age-old tomes buried in tiny bookstores. Others are just browsing for textbooks or self-help manuals on meandering stalls that line the edge of the streets.
All around, the view is pure Karachi: the crowds, like in the rest of the city, are raucous and dense and the juxtapositions are jarring. A box set of works by Urdu prose writer Saadat Hasan Manto rubs shoulders with the biography of cricket star and current Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. The historical fiction novel, Memoirs of a Geisha, sits atop a slippery stack of paperbacks about the Atkins diet. Rickety stalls piled high with fashion magazines are pressed up against concrete plaza buildings. Well-dressed university students buy textbooks from elderly bearded men who have grown old running their shops in Urdu Bazaar.
The bazaar’s literary torch is perhaps best represented by Faridi Publications whose 96-year-old founder set up the shop in 1980. Today, he runs it with his 62-year-old son Nazar Muhammad Faridi and 28-year-old grandson Osama Faridi, the three generations of men spending each day together among eager customers and a passel of books.
“This is not only monetary homicide for us,” Faridi said as he put an Urdu magazine in a shopping bag and handed it to be customer. “But they [KMC] are also robbing us of the memories of three generations attached to this old market.”
“We have paid our rents on time and now, after all these years, we are being asked to vacate,” Faridi’s son said as the sun set over the crowded street. “They want to rob us of everything. Our livelihood and our lovely memories.”
To tame Karachi’s architectural anarchy, a vintage book market may be felled
To tame Karachi’s architectural anarchy, a vintage book market may be felled
- Urdu Bazaar slated to be next victim of anti-encroachment drive
- Shopkeepers fear a centre of learning and culture may soon be lost
Pakistan begins week-long campaign to vaccinate 24 million children against polio
- Campaign is being held in 91 districts of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad
- Pakistani polio vaccinators and security teams guarding them have often been attacked by militant groups
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities kicked off a week-long campaign to vaccinate 24 million children against poliovirus in 91 selected districts on Monday, the state-run Radio Pakistan reported, as Islamabad tries to eliminate the potentially fatal disease from the country.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where the poliovirus, which causes paralysis and can be a life-threatening disease, is endemic.
“The campaign is being held in ten districts of Punjab, 24 districts of Sindh, 26 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 30 districts of Balochistan, and the federal capital Islamabad,” Radio Pakistan said, adding that 24 million children under the age of five would be administered the vaccine in these districts.
Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, coordinator to the prime minister on National Health Services, said the government is committed to ensuring that all children are protected from poliovirus.
“Poliovirus has been detected in multiple sewage samples in the country in recent months which means this virus remains a serious threat to children’s wellbeing,” Dr. Bharat was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on Sunday.
He said the only way to protect children from the disease is to vaccinate them against it. “We are sending polio teams to your homes, so make sure to open your door to vaccinators and get your child vaccinated,” he added.
Dr. Shahzad Baig, coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication described it as a “critical campaign” being held in districts with a high risk of poliovirus spread.
“We have detected the virus in over 31 districts this year, which is why we are continuing to implement regular vaccination campaigns in all high-risk districts to ensure that children have the immunity to fight off polio infection,” he said.
Pakistan’s efforts to contain polio have often been met with opposition, especially in the country’s northwestern KP province, where militants have carried out attacks against vaccinators and the security teams guarding them.
Many believe in the conspiracy theory that polio vaccines are part of a plot by Western outsiders to sterilize Pakistan’s population.
Pakistani masses’ doubts regarding polio campaigns were exacerbated in 2011 when the US Central Intelligence Agency set up a fake hepatitis vaccination program to gather intelligence on former Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
Afghans who made Pakistan home to escape war now hide from deportation
- Pakistan has forcibly deported some 600,000 undocumented Afghans since October 2023
- Afghans in hiding find it difficult to earn money, rent accommodation or get medical help
KARACHI, Pakistan: Born and raised in Pakistan to parents who fled neighboring Afghanistan half a century ago, an 18-year-old found himself at the mercy of police in Karachi who took his cash, phone and motorbike, and sent him to a deportation center.
Scared and bewildered, he spent three days there before he was sent back to Afghanistan, a place he has never been to, with nothing but clothes on his back.
The youth is one of at least 1.7 million Afghans who made Pakistan their home as their country sank deeper into decades of war. But they’ve been living there without legal permission, and are now the target of a harsh crackdown on migrants who Pakistan says must leave.
Some 600,000 Afghans have returned home since last October, when the crackdown began, meaning at least a million remain in Pakistan in hiding. They’ve retreated from public view, abandoning their jobs and rarely leaving their neighborhoods out of fear they could be next for deportation.
It’s harder for them to earn money, rent accommodation, buy food or get medical help because they run the risk of getting caught by police or being reported to authorities by Pakistanis.
The youth, who had been working as a mechanic in an auto shop since he was 15, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of arrest and deportation.
He has applied for the same documentation that his family has, but he won’t get it. Pakistan isn’t issuing paperwork for Afghan refugees or their children.
“My life is here. I have no friends or family in Afghanistan, nothing,” the young man told The Associated Press. “I wanted to come back (to Pakistan) sooner, but things had to calm down first,” he said, referring to the anti-migrant raids sweeping the country at the time.
Taliban authorities gave him 2,500 afghanis ($34) once he entered Afghanistan to start a new life. They dispatched him to northeastern Takhar province, where he slept in mosques and religious schools because he knew nobody to stay with. He passed his time playing cricket and football, and borrowed other people’s phones to call his family.
Six weeks later, he traveled from Takhar to the Afghan capital, Kabul, then to eastern Nangarhar province. He walked for hours in the dark before meeting up with human smugglers hired by his brother in Pakistan. Their job was to get him to Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, for the price of $70.
He is relieved to be reunited with his family. But he is vulnerable.
Police have daubed numbers on homes in his neighborhood to show how many people live there and how many have documentation. Hundreds of Afghan families have fled the area since the operation began. There are fewer people to hide among.
Such neighborhoods in Karachi are easily home to tens of thousands of Afghans. But they have no drainage systems, health care or education facilities. There are few women on the streets, and those who venture out wear burqas, often the blue ones more commonly seen in Afghanistan.
Lawyer Moniza Kakar, who works extensively with the Afghan community in Karachi, said there are generations of families with no paperwork. Without it, they can’t access basic services like schools or hospitals.
Afghans were already under the radar before the crackdown, and rumors abound that Pakistan wants to expel all Afghans, even those with documentation. Pakistan says no such decision has been made.
In another Karachi neighborhood with a mostly Afghan population, people scatter when police arrive, disappearing into a maze of alleys. A network of informants spread news of the visits.
Kakar despairs at the plight of Afghans who remain in Pakistan. “Sometimes they don’t have food so we appeal to the UN to help them out,” she said. To earn money or get medical help, they would have previously traveled from such neighborhoods into the heart of Karachi, but they can’t afford these journeys anymore. They’re also likely to be arrested, she added.
Some show Kakar their ID cards from the time of Gen. Zia Ul-Haq, the military dictator whose rule of Pakistan coincided with the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. “They wonder why they don’t have citizenship after 40 years. They don’t share their location. They don’t go out. They live in property rented in someone else’s name.”
There are children who were born in Pakistan who have grown up and have children of their own. “The children don’t have any identity paperwork. All of them have an undecided future,” said Kakar.
Syed Habib Ur Rehman works as a media coordinator at the Afghanistan Consulate General in Karachi. He spends a lot of time in these communities.
“There are empty homes, empty shops,” Rehman said. “Markets are empty. The Pakistanis we know don’t agree with what is happening. They say they have spent a good life with us. Their business has gone down because so many Afghan families have left.”
The Afghans interviewed by the AP had different reasons for never securing their status. Some said they were overseas working. Others didn’t have time. Nobody thought Pakistan would ever throw them out.
Mohammad Khan Mughal, 32, was born in Karachi and has three children. Before the crackdown started, the Afghan ran a tandoor business. Police told him to close down.
“My customers started complaining because they couldn’t buy bread from me,” he said. He and his family went to the southwestern city of Quetta in Baluchistan province to escape the raids.
He returned to Karachi a few days later, and has no intention of leaving.
“This is my home,” he said, with pride and sadness. “This is my city.”
Pakistani FM, Digital Cooperation Organization’s secretary-general discuss economic cooperation in Riyadh
- Digital Cooperation Organization is an inter-governmental body that seeks to bridge digital gap in member states
- Foreign Minister Dar meets DCO secretary-general at sidelines of World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Digital Cooperation Organization’s (DCO) Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya on Sunday resolved to continue their joint collaboration and cooperation for economic development, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The DCO is an inter-governmental body established in 2020 which is dedicated to achieving social prosperity and growth of digital economic. The DCO aims to achieve this by unifying the efforts of its member states to advance digital transformation and promote common interests of member states. DCO member states include Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Jordan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus and Djibouti.
AlYahya is a Saudi digital economy expert and the founding secretary-general of the organization since her election to the post in April 2021. As DCO secretary-general, AlYahya is responsible for connecting heads of state, government ministers and private sector digital economy leaders to bridge the digital gap in member states.
She called on Foreign Minister Dar at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.
“The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan and the SG DCO affirmed their resolve to continue close collaboration and cooperation for the economic development and digital transformation of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other DCO member states,” MoFA said.
AlYahya recounted her visit to Pakistan earlier this month and spoke of the country’s “great potential” for technological advancement and digital transformation of its economy, MoFA said. “She emphasized that as founding member of DCO, Pakistan brings great value to the organization and has a significant role to play in its rise and progress,” it added.
Dar stressed the need for DCO member states to achieve capabilities in emerging technologies in the fast-evolving tech landscape, MoFA said. “In this connection, he appreciated DCO for providing the suitable platform to its member states for their digital advancement,” the statement said.
AlYahya separately posted about her “great meeting” with Dar on the social media platform X.
“With 64 percent of the population below 30 years old, many of whom are actively involved in the freelance industry, it is critical to ensure we undertake all collaborative efforts that will enable an ecosystem which lets the youth thrive and prosper in the new digital landscape,” she wrote on X.
PM Sharif, Saudi crown prince discuss bilateral ties and regional situation in Riyadh
- PM Sharif attends Special Dialogue and Gala Dinner hosted by Saudi crown prince in Riyadh
- Sharif is in Riyadh to attend two-day World Economic Forum meeting, engage with world leaders
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Sunday evening during which the two leaders discussed bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the regional situation and Israel’s war on Gaza, Sharif’s office said in a statement.
Sharif, who arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to attend a two-day special meeting of the World Economic Forum, attended a Special Dialogue and Gala Dinner hosted by the Saudi crown prince in Riyadh. Sharif congratulated the Saudi crown prince for successfully organizing the WEF Special Meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
“The Prime Minister conveyed his prayers and good wishes for the health, happiness and long life of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,” the PMO said. “In addition to bilateral ties, the regional situation, particularly with regards to the crisis in Gaza, was also discussed.”
Sharif thanked the Saudi crown prince for sending a high-powered delegation, headed by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Minister Faisal bin Farhan, to Pakistan earlier this month. The delegation held key meetings with Pakistani ministers and businesspersons to enhance economic cooperation between the Kingdom and the South Asian country.
“To continue the discussion, the Prime Minister said that he has brought with him a high-powered delegation to Riyadh, including key Ministers responsible for investment, so that follow-up meetings could take place between relevant officials,” the PMO said.
Sharif reiterated his invitation to the Saudi crown prince to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience, the PMO added.
Separately, Sharif met Saudi Arabia’s ministers of finance, investment and industry on Sunday at the sidelines of the WEF meeting. In his meeting with the Saudi finance minister, the two sides agreed that Saudi Arabia would explore more opportunities for investment in Pakistan.
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan reiterated the Kingdom’s support for Pakistan’s economic development, Sharif’s office had said in a statement.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top source of remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.
Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been closely working to increase their bilateral trade and investment, and the Kingdom recently reaffirmed its commitment to expedite an investment package worth $5 billion discussed previously with Islamabad.
Gunmen kill two laborers from Punjab province in southwest Pakistan — official
- The two laborers were working inside a garage in Tump area of Balochistan's Kech district when they came under attack
- No group immediately claimed responsibility, but Baloch separatists have previously targeted people from other provinces
ISLAMABAD: Unidentified gunmen on Sunday shot dead two laborers, who hailed from the eastern Punjab province, in the country's restive Balochistan province, a local official said.
The two laborers were working inside a garage in Tump area of Balochistan's Kech district when they came under fire by gunmen riding motorbikes, according to Saeed Umrani, commissioner of Makran Division where Kech is located.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Baloch separatists have previously targeted people from other provinces on suspicion of spying for state agencies.
"Both laborers, who were residents of the Punjab province, were killed on the spot," the official said.
Umrani said bodies of the deceased had been sent to their hometowns and the district administration was hunting for the perpetrators.
The attack came two weeks after armed men abducted nine passengers, who hailed from Punjab, from a bus and killed them near Balochistan's Noshki district.
The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had information that plain-clothed spies were on the bus. The group offered no evidence to support its claim.
Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency by separatist militants who seek independence from the central government in Islamabad.
Although the government says it has quelled the insurgency, violence has continued to persist in the province.
