I Am Karachi

Usman Baig
A1-C2

Please don't flash pictures like these in front of me
nor think of me as what is shown to you above
before I even begin my side of the story.
-Karachi

I’ve existed on the face of the earth long before humans arrived. Just a piece of land, a mere pale area

covered with dust and crop, not any different from all the others. Nothing seemed to be extra ordinary

in me. There wasn’t anything I could associate my identity with, except for that feeling; a belief that

something splendid was the reason I was made for. Yes, God has been kind.

I’ve always had the sea touching my feet, washing away all the sorrows and memories; time and time

again. The sun has always been governing over my head with immense heat, drying all the tears I have

shed at times of pain and agony. I have a vast land area, ideal for whatever activity there needs to be

done, be it Industrial, Social or Political.

The matter of fact is that I have seen it all. Literally, from the British empowerment in the 19th and 20th

century to the current scenario surrounding us, nothing has been left to cross my pathway in this life

span.

I still have vivid memories of the days when the British had set foot on me for the first time. Yes, even

their dust had the charm and smell of success. But who knew that this smell was a veil, shielding the

bloodshed which was to follow in the near future.

The first few decades proved to be stimulating. The increasing number of industries and harmony used

to make me feel proud. Proud of the fact that people can be so fruitful and harmony loving as well,

comparing them to the Red Indian and Mongolian era which my neighboring lands had survived earlier.

But then the winds of change blew, blew hard when a leader, a person with a vision, a vision to change

the world took birth along my boundaries. He was someone who had the capabilities to lead people

towards what they rightfully deserved. What you call a true ‘leader’ in simple words. Yes, he was none

other than Jinnah, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

He was responsible to lead the whole Muslim entity towards the formation of a separate nation, a

nation which will be their identity, their shelter, the representative of their rights, towards a land as

pure as faith, a land which we know today as ‘Pakistan’. The reason he wanted a separate nation for the

Muslims was just because of the fact that he realized that Muslims were always suppressed by the

overwhelming majority of the Hindus and British. Undoubtedly, it was either now or never. A whole

nation was on his shoulders and he swam with that load across the ocean of difficulties to acquire that

area where 1.8 million people breathe freely today. I was always proud of the fact that I was the

hometown of this revolutionist. Every time the people used to set out for demonstrations in order to get

a separate state, my heart used to pray to God to support the righteous, the just and the deserving and

somewhere deep down my heart there was this wish to be a part of that separate land, which we call

today as Pakistan.

14th august 1947 was the defining moment in the history of mankind, rather the Muslims of India. The refugee migration which took place on that day was probably the largest this human race has witnessed yet. That day brought thousands of feelings and people rushing together. At once side, I was showered with tears of joy shed by those who had managed to acquire what they desired. Alas, finding a separate nation to freely flourish in, and on the contrary, there was also bloodshed upon me, including many of those who had

either been a target of the anti-separation activists or had either lost their lives during the migration due

to any other reason. I was painted red that day, not because I was just happy and was in love with the

new state, but I was literally painted red with the blood stains flourished upon me. It was an

excruciating site to say the least.

But as they say, you have to lose some to gain some. After everything that followed, I was after all a part of the separate independent state. As I had said earlier, God is indeed kind.

Now it has been more than 6 decades since I have been a part of this free state, part of the Islamic

Republic of Pakistan, but it gives me sheer agony to say that it's not the same anymore. Just as the country initiated, everyone, be it elders or children, had that spirit of freedom and ownership of their nation. Everyone knew what this small piece of land meant to them and how hard was to gain it. This actually was a miracle, but a miracle which didn’t take place overnight, that’s what’s most ironic.

Initially, I was treated as the kingdom; I was the capital too. But then again, the worst part of a good

time is that it has to end someday, and similarly Pakistan didn’t face a lot stimulus for a longer period of

time. After the death of Jinnah and the separation of East Pakistan, Pakistan became as wobbly as jelly,

with its infrastructure seized and the administration flabbergasted. The people until then still had that

will to grow and prosper, but even that will faded away with time. Corrupt politicians, manipulated

people, brain washed youth, heartless humans make up the majority population over here now.

Especially the people I consist of are growing to be blood suckers every single day. At the time of

independence, People had shed their blood for a separate place to stay together, and now the same

people are killing each other because of the fact that they can’t stand each other’s existence. Is this the

reason why we fought for this country?

Everyday people tie up bombs to my body and blow up people, along with all of my love for the nation.

And the most painful site is when the people disrespect the flags of their nation; throwing them on the ground, not putting them down as the sun sets and BURNING them, always leaving me wishing that if I had hands, I would have saved those flags, held them high enough for the world to acknowledge, acknowledge our existence. I have always been the major contributor towards the rehabilitation of the displaced, employer of the unemployed, savor of the deceased and now people are destroying me without any good reason, directly attacking the country they had fought for over many decades.

Yes, my heart swelled with pride as I heard about the world's largest human flag being made at Lahore :)
Know what? They set a world record!

I cry every night, with bruises all over me and a shattered heart. I am exhausted and afraid of the

circumstances which are to follow.

I am the heart of Pakistan, I am the largest city, I am KARACHI.