Museum in a park?

KARACHI’S history is replete with instances of public land being taken over by government agencies for the benefit of the ruling elite or political parties. Gutter Baghicha is a case in point. Originally, it was 1,016 acres, but now only 480 acres are left. It contains housing for members of the political elites. More recently, land at Hill Park and Kidney Hill has been taken over to create plots for the representatives of local bodies. The case of the beautifully designed Jahangir Park is an example of insensitive planning. It had a long association with cricket. Hanif Mohammad and Intekhab Alam, among others, played here. Liaquat Ali Khan and Shaheed Suhrawardy held political rallies here. And the park contained the offices of the Afro-Asian solidarity group, to which leftists, including I.A. Rehman and Nisar Usmani, were regular visitors. All this is not represented in the renovation theme and is lost to history. Now the area comprising Clifton’s adjacent Beach View and Bin Qasim parks is under attack; it has been proposed that a Karachi Museum should be constructed in the precincts of Beach View Park. Combined, the parks are spread across some 150 acres while estimates of the land required for the museum is said to range between 20 and 60 acres. But before we proceed further, let us see what the parks are currently used for. I have visited them on different days, including on weekends and at different times. There are a number of buildings in the area. Some are under construction; others are being demolished for high-rise construction; and yet others have already been built. Apartment owners use the parks for morning and evening exercise and cycling. Most of these residents belong to the middle class or lower middle class since the rent of these apartments is Rs40,000 to Rs45,000 per month. Given these considerations and the extreme congestion and disorganisation around the parks, it is necessary that the government arrange and facilitate an urban design exercis