Back in business: Karachi flocks to favourite picnic spot as Sea View opens for public

The happiest were the small business owners who got their source of livelihood again

KARACHI:

Sea View suddenly seemed to come alive on Sunday after a pause of over two months, as the police announced to lift the ban on public gatherings at the beach.

Hundreds of families thronged the beach to spend their Sunday as was the norm before the ban. The Sindh government had imposed Section 144 on picnicking at the beaches after 39 unfortunate revellers had drowned on Karachi’s beaches during the Eidul Fitr holidays, earlier this year. The police finally announced to lift the ban on Thursday and families thronged the picnic hotspots in the hundreds on the first public holiday after it was lifted.



A group of young men from Machar Colony and another from Bahawalpur were dancing to the beat of the Dhol, as dozens of spectators gathered around them. “We read about the ban being lifted in the newspaper,” said Abdul Wahab, a resident of Machar Colony. “We have hired a minibus and brought Biryani along. This is the only place we can go for entertainment,” he explained. “We used to come here every alternate Sunday before the tragedy,” said Wahab.

Roadside vendors and small business operators, who depended on the beach for their livelihood, were ecstatic. The food and drinks stalls owners, balloon sellers, photographers, camel and horse jockeys and ice-cream vendors welcomed the lift on the ban as they would finally be able to make a living for their families. “I have 11 children,” said Muhammad Basharat, who sells sweets and confectionary items. “I cannot tell you how hard it has been for me since the tragedy as I would come here every second or third day but would return disappointed.” What he earns in the evening at the beach is spent on the daily grocery items for his family.

Twelve-year-old Mustaqeen took 250 photos of people and made Rs540 on Saturday when people took to the beach in the evening. Today he hoped to make more money because there were more visitors. “The number of visitors will increase and my business will boost with the increase in women visitors as they pay better and like their pictures to be captured.”

Muhammad Saeed, 66 had hired a whole bus to bring his family from Surjani Town after he heard of the ban being lifted. “Our plan was to visit the Mazaar-e-Quaid, offer Fateha and then visit the Zoo, but children insisted on going to the beach.”

Meanwhile, DHA vigilance teams and personnel of the Darakhshan Police Station were constantly patrolling the beach, warning people against going into deeper waters. Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) and Aman Pals Rescue Lifeguards were also walking along the beach, instructing people about the high tide in the evening.

“People should have learnt a lesson from the tragic incident on Eidul Fitr, but I think they have forgotten about it completely as we have rescued four people in the afternoon,” said Nazeer Ahmed, a CBC lifeguard.

Though police and rescue teams were patrolling the beach, authorities have yet to install signs and instructions for visitors, warning them to avoid going into deeper waters. “There should be rescue boats and at least thirty lifeguards at the Sea View,” said Mohammad Anwar, a Patrol Captain of the Aman Pals Rescue. Anwar, who has rescued countless number of people, believes people should be educated about the sea as most are not aware of the risks associated with swimming in seawater. “Children should have a chapter about sea water and its behaviour in their primary school syllabus. We are tired of telling people about the dangers but they do not seem to get it.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2014.