Founded by Khwaja Nazimuddin after Partition to resettle migrant families coming to Karachi from India, Nazimabad soon became the most prestigious locality of the city — not because it was a posh area where the rich or the ruling class lived, but because of the fact that it was inhabited by a large number of intellectuals, writers and poets, and experts in various fields.
Literary scholar Ahmad Javaid recalled his memories of Nazimabad during 60s and early 70s in a podcast for OTS EdSense.
He said that at that time Nazimabad was called ‘Chelsea of Pakistan’.
Nazimabad got that title as it had a large number of intellectuals and writers just like the Chelsea locality in London, where many prominent writers and poets have lived.
Javaid Sahab recalled studying for two years in a primary English medium school in Nazimabad named Ahmed Memorial School that offered a wide range of extracurricular activities such as Bait Bazi, speech competitions, extempore speeches, etc. that we do not find even at the college level today. I learnt critical thinking from that school, he stated.
The scholar said it may be difficult for many to believe now how such a literary and intellectual environment flourished in a locality of Karachi at that time.
He added that PECHS and Clifton were the posh areas of the city at that time but even residents of those localities envied the residents of Nazimabad.
Sharing some examples of the culture of Nazimabad, Javaid Sahab said that once a shopkeeper advised him not to buy candies from him saying that eating candies would result in tooth decay. He recalled that his family lived as a tenant in the house of a Hakeem who would never charge them for giving medical advice.
He said the teachers at those times were caring, and even those who were considered thugs had etiquettes.
At that time, it was said that every street of Nazimabad was inhabited by 10 experts of some or other disciplines, Javaid Sahab said.