Adil Najam
There was a time when PanAm was the biggest and most fascinating international airline in the world. That has changed quite some time back. And so, it seems, has Pakistan. The subject of this fascinating promotional documentary made by PanAm in the 1960s.
Given the Japanese narration, it seems that PanAm was trying to lure Japanese tourists to Pakistan. Right there, an interesting notion.
I do know that Karachi was a major stop in PanAm’s long-haul flights and I assume this is related to that. Although it does seem that the documentary is focusing on much more than just Karachi. So much in the video is so different from what now is. But so much is also so much the same.
I find the footage absolutely fascinating at so many different levels, even though I cannot understand the narration. Maybe a Japanese speaking reader can help us get a gist of what is being said?
Thanks for this lovely post. Wish we could turn back time.
My favorite part was “tikka” party in Peshawar. How peaceful it was then.
Given the Japanese narration, it seems that PanAm was trying to lure Japanese tourists to Pakistan. Right there, an interesting notion.
Actually, I do not think this is about Karachi altogether or Japan for that matter.
The narration is in Japanese but it is more a “National Geographic” version of a video than a travel destination promotion. It seems there are many more videos on youtube from the same source and same theme from days gone by.
There is yet one more in English, circa 1954. Search for “Karachi 1954” in Youtube. The narration in interesting and do look for 10-minute segment with “gandaris”!
And if you listen to that video, you will be able to get the drift and sense of this video. Same theme, different language.
That said, in this 12:23 video, only 1 minute for our Bengali brothers and sisters and that too few dingy boats. That too the last minute. Seems the entire East Pakistan production was perhaps done in less than 1 hour and at one delta location.
An apology to our brothers and sisters of East Pakistan. Sins of our fathers on the video.
We would not, could not acknowledge them in any better ways even then. They were not wrong about the injustice and inequity towards them.
Begs the question, what sins are we committing today? Towards our own brothers and sisters, today?
Inequity?
Injustice?
Amazing footage. Actually, the most surprising to me was Peshawar then and now. Seemed lie a sleepy little town then.
Bikinis on Karachi beach! Wow, things WERE different.
It is fascinating how empty every place looks.