KMC's new responsibility and rare collections of Holy Quran.

IT was the beginning of a new era whose unnerving impact was felt 11 months later. It is known to all of us how important the year 1971 was, and still is, in the history of Pakistan, especially with reference to the fact that the country once had two wings one of which is now left - and we must take care of it. But let's keep things in the perspective of Karachi, the capital of Sindh.

The arrival of 1971 brought a bit extra responsibility to the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC). After all, it was the city's leading administrative unit at the time. How? Well, on Jan 2, 1971 the government of Sindh decided that municipal functions for the Karachi housing societies should be taken over by the KMC with immediate effect. The decision was taken after discussing the matter in a series of meetings with the representatives of the corporation and with those of PECHS. The new arrangements, which were in keeping with a Supreme Court order, would see to it that the civic needs of the neighbourhoods would be properly looked after. It should be mentioned here that in August 1960, the West Pakistan government excluded the areas of six union committees of the following societies - SMHS (Sindhi Muslim Housing Society), PECHS, Mahmoodabad and Khudadad Colony - from the jurisdiction of the KMC to form a separate Karachi Housing Societies Municipal Committee. The decision, it was thought, would enable the residents of the areas to secure civic amenities and to perform municipal functions of their localities in a more 'effective and satisfactory manner'.

It was an important period for the administrative unit because everyday life of citizens...