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    Reclaiming Walls, Colouring the City: Street Art in Lahore and Karachi

    Written by: Saman Tariq Malik
    Posted on: July 24, 2015 |

    Colorful painted truck art motifs on a street wall on M.T Road, Karachi

    Wall chalking has been part of the visual language of the streets of Lahore and Karachi for the longest time. Words have consumed every visible public space, ranging from herbal practitioner advertisements to political and religious slogans, and even hate speech. In a country like Pakistan, wall chalking has come to represent a number of contradictory messages, promoting a narrative of violence, and often leading to the breakdown of social cohesion. Public space is used for authoring and laying claim to a right to the city, often in an aggressive manner. At the risk of stating the obvious, the inappropriate use of the public space contributes to an ‘ugly’ character of cities.

    This year, however, has seen a positive attitude towards reclaiming public spaces through graffiti campaigns in Karachi and Lahore, which seek to eradicate unpleasant wall messages and communicate a discourse on peace and cultural solidarity. In Lahore, the project was headed, for the second time, by the Message Welfare Trust Organization and Master and Nippon Paints. In Karachi, the graffiti campaign, titled ‘Re-imagining the Walls of Karachi’, was directed by the ‘I Am Karachi’ initiative, and is the first project of its kind in the city.

    Promoting truck art in Lahore

    Promoting truck art in Lahore

    “Colorful graffiti allows for a more aesthetic and visually pleasant experience of cities, one that does not impinge upon individual sentiments in any harmful way”, said one of the onlookers who had come to photograph the walls. True to the fact, this initiative has allowed for a new perception of public space, turning into a celebration of the creative impulse of the people of Karachi and Lahore, who have experimented with cultural themes in an imaginative way.

    Street Art in Karachi

    A peacock painted by cinema billboard artists in Karachi

    Phool Patti pattern on wall in Karachi

    Phool Patti pattern on wall in Karachi

    In Karachi, the graffiti is largely inspired by vibrant truck art designs, animals, traditional ralli patterns, flowers, historical monuments, geometric art and landscapes. The boundary wall around Quaid-i-Azam’s Mazaar and the M.T Khan Road is a must-visit, containing simple messages of ‘I Love Karachi’ adorned with beautiful patterns.

    In Lahore, the graffiti has a different appeal, as it focuses on messages of faith, unity, the patriotic verses, and the power of the youth. The art in Karachi is more striking and professional in nature, where artists have incorporated stencils for the first time to create intricate images like postcard stickers.

    Street Art in Karachi

    Adeela Shamim, the mastermind behind the Karachi project, mentioned various other smaller projects like Bachon se Tabdeeli, which engages school children in the task of “playing their part on the walls

    Despite differing trends in street art, the dominant message promoted by both campaigns has been one of peace and the promotion of the cultural diversity and traditions of Pakistan. For a long time now, the country’s political instability has dominated over and suppressed the development of its arts. Graffiti, as a form of public art, seeks to address this situation. The sense of responsibility displayed by these artists is inspiring, and the response has been encouraging too.

    Mazar-e-Quaid in a geometric pattern on a wall in Karachi

    Mazar-e-Quaid in a geometric pattern on a wall in Karachi

    Never before has travelling on the streets been such an enriching experience. Now vehicles and passersby stop to admire the walls that were previously so unpleasant to look at. Furthermore, with the transformation of these walls, the previously gloomy outlook towards the shehr has also been replaced by a more hopeful one. Together, these artists have renewed a sense of pride for our streets, and their efforts are highly commendable.

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    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021