subject: The Old Karachi [print this page] The Old Karachi The Old Karachi
As a child I have very pleasant memories of Karachi.I went to Karachi with my parents and uncle in 1943. I joined St Patrick's High School. We resided in Frere Street.
Karachi was a very fine place in those days where Hindus, Muslims (especially Boras and Memons), Zoroastrians and Christians (especially Goans) resided peacefully. A large number of US Army personnel were there during the World War II period. The city was then the cleanest and cheapest city in the Indian Subcontinent. The population was much less than today. Excursion to Clifton Sea area was very pleasant. I liked the tram service and Victoria Horse Carriages in Karachi.
In our neighborhood lived a Goan Christian class mate of mine. He often asked me to come for a dinner at his home. I finally agreed and went there one evening. After greeting me he excused himself and went out for a while and fetched a bun with butter. He cut it into two pieces and put it on the table as our only meal. After the dinner I returned home and mentioned about the dinner menu to my uncle. He was very frustrated and angry about the menu. I also found it strange because I observed that Goans were otherwise very hospitable.
My family opened a bakery on Frere Street. As there were many good bakeries, restaurants and hotels in Karachi with which we had to compete in bakery goods. We supplied bakery items to various restaurants and hotels. We tried hard to compete with others and succeeded in producing, introducing and selling good quality bakery items particularly breads of various types.
Later on we switched over to a furniture shop from where various items were not only sold but also given on rent. Both the business shops were on the first floor of Frere Street, Karachi Cantonment.
The Frere Street had a track for tram service which ran from railway station to various parts of Karachi. The street was very clean and various communities lived there. I must say that we experienced that Zoroastrians were very civilized and polite people.
Almost everything was cheaper than other parts of the country especially, food, clothing and tram service. One was surprised to see that a good quality meal could be had in a few Annas (a currency used in Indian Subcontinent in those days) middle class restaurants.
As Victoria horse carriages were quite common people used them to go to various places. It may be mentioned that going to Clifton beach on Victoria Carriages was a particularly pleasant experience.
It was also a great pleasure to go to the sea port in the western part of the city. There one could enjoy motor boat rides for miles. But some of my friends were very afraid to travel in such boats. I remember that I encouraged many of them to sit calmly in the boat and enjoy the ride.
Karachi was a sparsely populated city at that time. There were many varieties of trees especially date palms. Sea breeze at Clifton beach and port was especially pleasant. Some people had ventilators on their roof tops which opened towards the west bring in cool breeze in summer to their houses.
Generally the climate was moderate throughout the year however some what humid. Even in winters people did not have to wear woolen clothes.
In Saint Patrick's High School where I studied for some time the educational system was of a very high standard with capable teachers and priests. The principal for higher classes and lower ones were priests of high caliber and character. Medium of instruction was of course English. Students could complete their education either by passing matriculation or Senior Cambridge examinations. Cricket was a very popular game in the school. On one side of the school was Saint Joseph Girls' High School in front of which was a statue of a saint which was visible from a long distance.
Coming to politics of the time, a grand session of All India Muslim League was held in Karachi in December 1943 where great leaders like Quad-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah (meaning the great leader in Urdu. It was a title given to the great leader of Muslims of the Indian Subcontinent) and others participated in the session. It was at this session of the party that I purchased an Urdu translation of the Holy Quran for the first time. The session was attended by a very large audience. Many other leaders were opposed to the partition of India and creation of Pakistan. But Mr Jinnah with his resilience succeeded in creating Pakistan in 1947. Mr Jinnah was elected as the first Governor-General of the country with high majority vote. After the creation of Pakistan Karachi became the first capital of the country till 1958.
