On my way to work a few days ago, I saw a new sort of ‘artistic’ scribbling or in our ‘local terms’ I would say wall-chalking, which read “Karachi is ours, not yours” by a committee claiming to ‘save’ Karachi. Initially spotted in just a few parts of the city, now these messages have taken over the walls of houses in DHA, office buildings and other boundary structures around Karachi.
They mostly read, “Stop taking over our city, this behaviour wont work now”.
Who is taking over the city and who is this committee? They are slowly taking over the walls of Karachi, threatening the people who are trying to ‘take over Karachi’. Ironic? I think so.
If we must display our artistic skills over public walls, must they be restricted to political slogans and ambiguous threats? Taking ownership of a city or area means maintaining it and beautifying it, not scrawling sloppily-written threats on public spaces. – Eefa Khalid/Dawn.com
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
This is only because there is no government exist in Pakistan especially in Karachi.
Nice idea .. Nice idea ..
There’s no question about it, that Karachi is a city on which every Pakistani should feel proud. It is a true Metro. People from all walks of life, religions and races have contributed to Karachi, which is a fact no one can deny. So someone making a statement on wall, is truly misconceived. However one thing I must point out is, there maybe a small minority, which may want to disturb the beauty and the peace of this city. How to tackle them is a biggest question. It maybe a very small minority which is influencing the masses. I suggest a strong campaign through print and electronic media should be started. A clean, beautiful and peaceful Karachi is beneficial for all, the common man as well as the ruling classes. Countries develop their major cities so that their economies could flourish. I guess, a sense of ownership has to be instilled in every citizen, not only of Karachi but of other major cities. People have created mega cities out of dust….ours are actual cities with history, tradition and architecture. We I were to throw garbage on the streets, should I blame others. Lets make this a beautiful city collectively. BIG things start with small steps.
Thanks
Its a good step of save Karachi community I like this step because some people get there own province and its a response of pakhtoonkawa that they start wall
chalking;
At last someone has come forword to own the city ,the owner do not mess around but clean & protect it.
All of us know that people from other provinces of Pakistan trying to take the control of Karachi city, Which developed by urdu speaking people by there own skills and intelligence. It is important to not take control from real owners(urdu speaking) of the city otherwise it will be a disaster for whole nation in term of financial crisis. Now it’s up to the people of other provinces what they want good economy or control at Karachi
Whatever Stuff found written on the walls of Karachi, whether it is a kind of adv or any political slogans, all are condemnable. That is not fair or a healthy contribution for the betterment of city. Now specifically to the highlighted material, I think, some group of people, who completely oppose the existence and influence of one of the most popular party of urban Sindh, are behind these kind of chalking. They may belong to any Sindh based ethnic political party or a religious political party of Pakistan. There is another significant chance of intervention of Pakistan’s establishment in the current political situation of Karachi. The current political scenario is based on well posed coordination between ruling political parties which doesn’t suit to military influenced establishment.
Karachi, Pakistan ka hai kisy aik ka nahe hai.
Eefa Khalid, good stuff! Karachi, the 6th largest city in the world, hum sabh ka hai. As long as law is applied to everyone equally without favor or prejudice .
Stop complaining, take care of it, remove it!!
amen to that !!!
Dear Salah
I agree with you Salah. Instead, of rhetoric/laffazi, do something productive. Those who are at the back of this mischief should either be exposed and punished and if, not ”possible” to punish them, then ask the ”patriots AND all Karachi lovers to white wash these filthy slogans written by these people.
An ”Old karachite born before partition”
Pakistan zindabad.
Lolz, just imagine if they own Karachi, then will they going to chalk on walls?
I mean they can resolve the issues of Karachi and then they can claim that Karachi is ours, not yours etc.
Everyone desires change, but no one is able to find that how to change.
Could this be some sort of reply to the ‘I own Karachi’ initative being taken these days which includes among other things painting the walls adjacent to Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s mazar? If uv seen the wall, it portrays many aspects of the life and culture of Karachi and it is indeed a very commendable initiative. Karachi has over the years been subject to a whole lot of different people claiming ownership to it and exploiting it in unprecedented ways. The pic displayed above seems like an attempt at thwarting any ‘good’ coming to Kkarachi
We all own Karachi and we all have a responsibility to maintain it- they same way we all take pride in each and every city of Pakistan. Karachi is the pride of Sind and an important leg of the Paksitani nation. When we respect Sind and Karachi with its history, traditions and culture, we are only respecting ourselves. Anyone who doesn;t respect any part of Pakistan is just not a real Pakistani and should leave!
It is pretty obvious who wrote this on footpaths. They should be spreading message of peace rather than more violence and hatred. Which shows by this message.. we already have so many issues and problems going on in our country, and at this specific time we need to be united.But some people just don’t and will never learn..
in end.. KARACHI IS PART OF PAKISTAN AND IT BELONGS TO EVERY CITIZEN OF PAKISTAN < WHETHER HE LIVES THERE OR NOT..
you said very well but local peoples of an area has more responsibilities as compare to domicile peoples or settlers for protecting their city
Who do they refer to when they say humara and tumhara ?
Karachi truly belong to only who’s born in Karachi, but all Pakistani and foreigner are allowed to come and work in Karachi. Karachi is a Part of Pakistan and will be forever part of Pakistan. Mahajir who says Karachi is there or they own it, its all nonsense. Karachi is only who born in Karachi. If Mahajir use the word Mahajir and don’t want to call Pakistani should be return back to India where they come from or else. To all Pakistanis open your eyes, get some education, don’t try to your last day, start now. GOD Bless Pakistan……………………….
Raja you should avoid passing racial remarks. No. Mahajir says Karachi is there or they own it.
Raja is not passing any racial remarks. He has said the truth.
Well Eefa the thing is Karachi hum sab ka hae. If there is a marriage or religious festival, just plant a few tents and block the roads and streets, borrow electricity from the cables, and pay no attention to the hardships faced by travellers and neighbours living in that area. Yup, anyone can do this, so what humara or tumhara. Take a few spray cans, spoil anyones newly painted wall or screw the city landscape. No problem, because renaissance will come this way and political and social problems will be solved. Karachi is doomed and these acts will save it. Karachi hum sab ka hae aur jis ka jo dil chahe kare because democracy is here.
Obviously this refers to the over over over population of our city. People coming from all over the country are of course welcomed here cause this is Pakistan and every Pakistani has a right to live anywhere in Pakistan. but LIVE. Not be parasites by coming. Camping up where ever you find a place, put kundas to put exorbitant burden on lawful citizens living in legal houses,start mobile snatching cause obviously you have to earn somehow and jobs are available only on a strict merit of education, then get a truckload of all your relatives to come here too, form a community and add to the slums and garbage of the city! Karachi bachao means bachao from such people who have neither love nor respect for the city.
Every one residing in Karachi knows very well that which party is occupying parks, play grounds of the city and distributing it among its workers …. so.. the slogan “Qabza mafia baaz a jao” ..
“Pakistan First”. Karachi is the part of Pakistan and it is the biggest city of the world. Karachi has rich history. Karachi is the first capital of Pakistan. It has ports, airports, railway stations, roads, underpasses, overhead bridges, bridges and a good infrastructure. Karachi is a engine of Pakistan. Our economy is depend on karachi. These remarks are non sense. Its about dirty politics. We all love Karachi and Karachi is the part of Pakistan. Please contribute to make this city more beautiful.
Why dont they fight for Lahore or Islamabad???? everyone wants a piece of Karachi…why..??
We want to fight to improve every city of Pakistan- be it Karachi, Peshawar , Lahore or Quetta so it’s not just about Karachi. However, Lahore and Islamabad are more stable which is why we are not fighting about it. Anyone who goes to Lahore and Islamabad knows that it doesn’t have the turmoil of Karachi with so many people from all over mixing in a city with limited infrastructure to support them all.
Good question.
If only people knew that nothing belongs to us. Allah is The Greatest Sustainer and to Him belong everything in this universe and beyond. Be it Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore or Quetta… Every Pakistani has the right to move freely throughout the country. Pakistan is united and shall remain united under our Sabz Halali Parcham. These comments should not be accepted and anyone trying to promote division amoungst the people is nothing but a traitor. Pakistan Zindabad!
Graffiti rarely delights the visual barometer but we are living in a time of ‘urban warfare’ where the ‘land mafia’ is a potent force changing rapidly this city’s landscape. The graffiti is deliberately in your (or our) face as all graffiti is meant to be. Cast your minds’ eye back to the state of US cities in the 1970s and 1980s. The symptoms of their malaise were different but the frustrations of the ordinary citizens were inscribed on the walls of neighborhoods everywhere from NYC to LA. How does the ordinary citizen express his/her voice? The media doesn’t care because urban warfare is not a hot topic. We will continue to see more graffiti like this everywhere because it is a ‘SIGN’ of our current urban condition.
I think this is a signal for all those, who are spoiling our society not only of Karachi, but the Whole Pakistan. It would be far better to write like ” Pakistan is ours ,Not yours”. Any how, it’s good to maintain a peace in respective locality first. I think, this is political games, they(our leaders) are doing so, so that the mob will not demand from them. Besides, I think, no Pakistani can behave like this, But the question arises, Who are them? It’s the responsibility of our Govt to highlight them.
Respected sir, Splendid
All these things, the message behind these sorts of wall chalking, the wall chalking themselves, the comments those are following, all these shows complete lack of governance, lack of civic sense, and lack of presence (or absence, in other words) of an active, alive and vibrant city society. All these, in turn, show a sensible media (intelligentsia) who could make the people, the society, alive.
It is hard to determine who wrote it and whether it is written by some political miscreants to hurt its opponents and target the local people. There have always been some miscreants who manged to create hate and ethnic clashes to destroy Karachi and hurt its people. What ever it is, it is shame. There is no doubt that Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis and every body has equal rights. Those who create nuisance to raise hatred among different backgrounds and culture are nothing but enemies of Pakistan. It is shame that some commentators are targeting local immigrants, there culture and their back ground. Those who never sacrificed for Pakistan and are raised to hate certain ethnicity, do not know what it took to achieve Pakistan.
Nobody should like or encourage such chalking, it is shame and ugly, but it takes equal distribution of resources, means and equal rights for all provinces and their residents without the domination of those who control, monopolize and loot others resources and rights, Although this kind of chalking on walls is condemnable but it is not worse than the right wing echo chamber’s promotion of hatred against the people of other color, language and origin. I appreciate the comments of Maria, Hasan, G.A and Rashid. Who would like to learn Sindhi Baluchi and Pushto. These extremists are successfully achieving their goals by dividing us into different beliefs, culture, language and origin. All of us need to be Pakistani first and must respect others rights. If somebody is dirtying our walls and cities we must get united and start cleaning our own mess. It takes a community and its town hall meetings based on pure sincerity not the politics. It is a shame we could not appreciate the good work of Mustafa kamal just because of our political and racial needs. God does not help those who do not help themselves.
Karachi belongs to every one who lives in Karachi, pay taxes and a law abiding citizen. But at the same time those who have no interest in Karachi development, they are willing to destroy Karachi peace, its prosperity and try to bring harm to this city just to hurt this city and its people. Definitely, Karachi doesn’t belong to them. I agree “Karachi hamara hai tumhara nahee”
It is very obvious who wrote it. The Taliban of course. They want to rule Pakistan at any cost. They want to bring in more Islamic fundamentalism. Rule of the Sharia. It is Karachi now. Tomorrow it will be other major cities. May be we should try it for a change.
It’s not that easy, they can’t control Karachi. After Pak Army took control of Northern Areas they are not in a position to jump to South and control Karachi.
hahahha, taliban worte that, what a joke
Dear Peter
Without knowing what Sharia Law is please do not comment. The whole Nation wants Sharia Law to guide us not only in our Social Justice System but also the economic System of Pakistan aswell. The Sharia Law that is presented by Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan is not what we want… this group of terrorists living in the mountains of Pak/Afghan border and get huge supplies of sophisticated weapons from across the border and right under the American Army’s nose (Makes you wonder what side they are on). The Sharia Law is Just, Fair, Equal and gives rights to all, including the minorities… it is a system where a leader is responsible even if a single living being sleeps with its stomach empty… where a common man can stand up and question the leader if he is unjust… where the rule of the law applies to rich and poor alike… where distribution of wealth is encouraged and where women are protected from being misused in the name of false women liberation campaigns…. where a man picks up his brother when he falls and shelters orphans and give charity with open heart.
Dear Haider,
I agree with you in full about the definition of Sharia. But you are talking of a utopian system here. There is currently no such implementation of the Sharia anywhere in the world. I am not even aware of any attempts in the muslim world to implement that ideal system. What makes you think Pakistan will be successful in doing so ?
Dear Peter,
If we look at the history we know that the system we are talking about is not a utopian system because it is not imaginary. Sharia based welfare states remained in existence for considerable period of time in different parts of the world. Many concepts of present US and Europe welafare programs have been taken from islamic welfare states.
Well, the reason why there is no such system in the world is because we are corrupt. I do not think implementation of such a system is difficult. It may be a bit difficult for those people in Pakistan who are benefitting from class based socitey. They will definitely resist to change.
“There is currently no such implementation of the Sharia anywhere in the world……”
Peter you are a Horticulturist. Pakistan needed some impartial observer like you to nip it in the bud
By introducing Sharia in Pakistan, I guess Haider would like to put Sir Thomas More to shame.
Worried for Pakistan Allah have Mercy!
Surprising to my ears now, someone has bottle down to graffiti writing on the public walls. God help Pakistan and hope one day the country at it mercy!!
It is a very weird way of conveying a slogan. If this was from someone who was good they’d have the decency to respect the cleanliness of the city. There are better ways to communicate good slogans instead of following in the footsteps of corrupt political parties.