Graves in Karachi

Readers of this blog might remember that I posted about the condition of graveyards in Pakistan. I managed to find a list of cemeteries in Karachi (which I obtained from Wiki):

Muslims
Jannatul Baqi Graveyard at Hub River Road, S.I.T.E.

* Azeempura Cemetery, Shah Faisal Colony
* Bagh-e-Ahmed (AMI’s Karachi Chapter Cemetery)
* Essa Nagri Graveyard, Main Sir Shah Suleman Road (officially declared closed)
* Gizri Cemetery, D.H.A.
* Mewashah Cemetery (officially declared closed)
* Jannatul Baqi Cemetery, Hub River Road, S.I.T.E.
* Leemo Goth Graveyard, Haji Leemo Goth, Gulshan-e-Iqbal
* Metrovill III Graveyard, Metrovill III, Gulshan-e-Iqbal
* Mian Goth Cemetery, Malir
* Model Colony Cemetery (New), Malir
* Model Colony Cemetery (Old), Malir
* New Karachi Cemetery, New Karachi
* Old Morraro Cemetery, S.I.T.E.
* P.E.C.H.S. Cemetery, Tariq Road (officially declared closed)
* Paposh Nagar Cemetery (officially declared closed)
* Sakhi Hassan Cemetery, North Nazimabad (officially declared closed)
* Peer Bukhari Graveyard, Mannoo Goth, Gulshan-e-Iqbal
* Pehalwan Goth Graveyard, Pehalwan Goth, Gulistan-e-Johar
* Saudabad Cemetery, Malir (officially declared closed)
* Shah Faisal Cemetery(Colony Gate), Shahrah-e-Faisal (officially declared closed)
* Shanti Nagar Graveyard, Dalmia Road, Shanti Nagar
* Wadi-e-Hussain Cemetery, Super Highway (Wadi-e-Hussain.com)

Christian

* Gora Kabristan, Shahrah-e-Faisal.

Jewish

* Bani Israel Graveyard

Zoroastrian (Parsi)

* Parsi Dar-e-Meher (Fire Temple), Dr Umar Bin Muhammad Daudpota Road.

In Urdu, a grave is called a qabar and a graveyard/cemetery is called a qabarstan.

Which cemeteries have you visited? How did you find them? Did you think the cemetery was being well looked after? How important is it for the future generations that gravestones are preserved? Leave a comment below or email me at pakistani_g[at]hotmail.co.uk

Respect for the dead

“Who cares about the dead in a society where human life itself has no value. Buried with profound grief, the deceased are forgotten in no time. Later on, only a few manage to take out time to visit the last resting place of their loved ones, which is one of the reasons that many graveyards, declared closed years ago, do not disappoint those looking for burial space. With government and society taking no responsibility of the dead, the mafia of undertakers exploit people and make money out of the misery of the common man who is duped even after death as he finds himself sharing his eternal abode with an uninvited guest.”

This is an excerpt from a very disheartening news article which you can read further here. It highlights the problem of vandalism and the desecration of graves within Pakistani cemeteries.

This article was published in 2005, what would have changed in 5 yrs? If you live in Pakistan, then why not take a trip to your local cemetery and see how well it is being maintained? If it’s in disrepair petition the government to do something about it, or organise a few members of the community to clean up the cemetery, make people aware of the issues that surround graveyards and do your bit.

Unrepresentative data?

Back to the discussion of censuses taking place in Pakistan and their validity, I came across a news article that claimed the past census of 1998 was seen to be flawed by certain members of the population. It seems if you’re a fisherman of the Christian faith you’re not likely to be on the census takers clipboard. Why is it that they’re not bothering to do their job properly? Some people give political reasons as to why the government would want to ‘exclude’ certain religious minorities. But is that really fair?
If the census isn’t taken properly, what’s the use of it?