MY PAKISTAN VISIT

D.J.SINDH COLLEGE

Market Scene

These days, visit of Mr. L.K.Advani to Pakistan and his home town Karachi has been has been in news and Hurryiat conference leaders have taken bus ride on Srinagar -Muzafabad route to visit POK.I can understand sentiments one has to visit place of birth. I, like people born in areas now in Pakistan ,always had a desire to visit the house where I had spent my first four years.

I was born in Karachi. After Partition my parents, thought they could continue to live there but ugly turn of events in Punjab made Sindhis to rethink about their future and safety. There were riots in Karachi also so my parents decided to leave Pakistan.. We left Karachi for Bombay in Feb 1948 by ship which was safest passage to India. I still remember my first journey by ship .I was very excited and enjoyed the trip not realizing the consequences of being uprooted from motherland.

I was lucky to get a chance to visit Pakistan in 1989 as a member of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).The delegation was to visit Pakistan telecom factories in Islamabad . Trip to Islamabad was uneventful except a faux pas by some functionary in Telecom factory, who had hoisted Indian National flag upside down along with flags of other participating countries. I immediately noticed mistake and brought to notice of our hosts. This is a quite common happening. During recent visit of Pakistan President Gen Musharraf to Jaipur, his pilot had displayed our flag upside down. The mistake was corrected immediately after landing. Our host was Pakistan T&T Department .I was received at Islamabad airport by a Divisional Engineer Telegraph (DET). At that time Pakistan T&T Department was Government Department and had similar designation as Department of Telecom India i.e. Director General was head of department with ADET DET etc at different levels. They looked after delegates with utmost care and hospitality. They also arranged a trip to the famous hill station Murree close to Islamabad. For my return journey, I had booked ticket to Karachi ,so that I could visit my birth place and then to Bombay ,where I had fixed up a meeting. I was accompanied by delegates from Bangla Desh, who were traveling to Dhaka from Karachi. We were received by PTT engineers, who put us up in a hotel in Sadr area.My father Dr.Lekhraj Rochiram Lalwani F.R.C.S.;D.O.M.S had his clinic inSadr area opposite small causes court. In evening they showed us around and took us to famous Kulfi shop run by a Sindhi brother. Next day, I went Indian Consulate at Clifton. Clifton was a posh area, even before the Partition. Consulate was housed in a beautiful building. It was here, after meeting Mr.Sharma my worries started. I was told that Indians have to exit from port of entry only, as such I have to go back to Lahore. .I told Mr. Sharma that going back would cost me lot of money and I have to be Bombay for the meeting. Mr.Sharma was extremely helpful and went to police department. With great deal of effort and running around to different offices, he could get me relaxation letter to exit from Karachi .

Once I got the required letter. I embarked upon my aim to the trip to visit my birth place .I had collected some information about address from my elder relatives .I reached the area and I could go to park where I used to go play. It was called Ram Bagh but now it had become Aram Bagh. A large impressive masjid had also come up .It is believed by Hindus that Ram and Sita had spent a night here before proceeding to Hinjlai in Baluchistan. There was also a pond here along with a garden and a small Hindu temple. It was an important Hindu pilgrimage site .However, after Partition, with influx of immigrants in Karachi, empty spaces including that inside Ram Bagh, were quickly occupied .I learnt that this masjid came up in 60’s

Aram Bagh Mosque

I could locate a nearby Gur Mandir (Gurdwara) where my Masi ji used to go for prayers. In Sindh, Gurdwaras and Mandirs are co-located and all Hindu Gods and Sikh Gurus are worshipped. This Gur Mandir (Gurdwara) is presently sealed due to conflict between Hindus and Sikhs.

Gur Mandir

Author with Sewaks

Unfortunately, I could no reach my birth place. The building was called Chopsi building. My enquiries from local people were not fruitful, perhaps building had been demolished and some multistoried flats had been constructed. As you would have read in newspapers Advaniji, also could not show his house to his children, as building had been demolished and replaced by multistoried flats. At the end of visit, I was happy; at least I could reach close to my place of birth. I am also grateful to Mr.Sharma for assistance given to me.

Ramesh Lalwani

17.6.2005