Travelling back in time to visit Karachi of ‘60s and ‘70s

How did Karachi look in the decades of 1960s and 1970s? To present glimpses of the city 40 to 50 years ago through various fun-filled activities, The Dawood Foundation (TDF) is hosting an exhibition at TDF Ghar that will end on Sunday.

Many visitors on the first day of the exhibition on Friday could not believe how much different the city used to be during the two decades. “Back in the 1960s and 70s, Karachi was the place to be! People living back then remember it as a different place, where children would play outside for hours. Women would go alone to see films, and doors remained open without fear,” said Yasmeen Qazi, a resident of Karachi, in a video played at the exhibition.

Titled ‘The Groovy Years: Karachi of the 1960s and 70s’, the show managed to attract students of various universities and colleges who had no idea what the city looked like in 60s and 70s.

The event presented a snapshot of Karachi’s cosmopolitan past to help current generation learn about that chapter of the city’s history, the mix of cultures that it represented, and the kinds of lives people had there over half a century ago.

“With a vibrant nightlife, sprawling old bazaars, a thriving entertainment industry, and a distinct taste in fashion, the 1960s and 70s are often considered the golden decades of Karachi. Whether it be the construction of the Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum, the arrival of The Beatles, or the Royal Visit, the time witnessed various historical moments,” said TDF CEO Sabrina Dawood.

She added that during the 1960s, the city was seen as an economic role model around the developing world, and there was much praise for the way its economy was progressing. It was the time when II Chundrigar Road was referred to as Pakistan’s Wall Street, and many reminisce that Karachi had the potential of becoming Asia’s New York.

She explained that during that era, for some an average day would begin by hitting the road on their newly-released Vespa scooter or taking the tram. People would pass by busy restaurants, street hawkers, and cinemas showing the latest movies from all over the world. Couples would walk along the Clifton beach at 1 am without any fear.

“The exhibition features the nightlife of Karachi, with a focus on popular bands and nightclubs. A life-size stage is set up, and music from this time plays in the background to transport visitors to the nightclubs of the bygone years,” said Hiba Zubairi, senior programs team lead at TDF.

An area at the exhibition is dedicated to cinema, artists, and popular fashion trends of that time. It also illustrates how entertainment's golden age influenced everyday fashion. The role of Pakistan as a popular tourist destination is highlighted through an interactive puzzle featuring an international jazz player and a timeline of popular dignitaries who visited the city.

Sabrina adds, “The exhibition allows all generations to come together – for grandparents to show Karachi of the past to their grandchildren, to experience it together.” The show is open at TDF Ghar six days a week from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am till 10 pm at a ticket price of Rs100.