Karachi: My City by the Sea...

A year ago, in the May 17^th issue of Time, Howard Chua-Eoan, while analyzing the attempted bombing in Times Square by Faisal Shahzad, called Karachi, “Pakistan’s dangerous port city.” These four words leave a heavy impact on the mind, painting a picture of a decaying city, torn by violence and plagued by crime. But though Karachi is indeed heavily burdened by terrorism and violence we are in no way a decaying city. Though dealing with poverty, over-population and crumbling infrastructure since my memory serves me, Karachi is a thriving city, a resilient city. It is bustling with life and filled to the brim with people who are strong and determined to make the best of their conditions. From the vendors on the streets, to the C.E.Os sitting in air conditioned offices the people in this city are determined to overcome the turbulence and turmoil that is a part of our everyday lives.

I have always loved Karachi, my chaotically beautiful city by the sea, and I would never want to live anywhere in the world but here. This is home. It is the land which has sustained me my whole life and I would never turn my back on it. I scoff at those people who aspire to establish their lives abroad and dream of greener, more peaceful pastures. I feel that they are trying to fool themselves; they don’t understand that no city in the world will accept them as their own… they can go to the other end of the Earth but they will always and forever be Karachites. I feel weary of those who continuously complain about the conditions of this city. There is beauty, I tell them, in this cluster and this pandemonium and it is up to us to dust away the bedlam to reveal this beauty.  

 It’s a lovely city, our Karachi. There’s no place in the world quite like it. No city which, despite the tragedy we face and the uncertainty we live in, manages to wake up every morning and get on with the day with the determination that we do.