Interesting.
Curtain call for a whirlwind Nazim
Like him or not, Mustafa Kamal, with his active do-it-yourself work ethic, his in-your-face dealings and his almost frustrating enthusiasm, has become as close to a cult figure in Karachi as anyone in the city’s history. Kamal has won over many hearts and minds since 2005 — even those who may not have held any sympathies to his parent party. He has become the face of Karachi’s evolution, the poster-boy for development and the voice of modernity in this troubled city. He has become Karachi’s very own talisman.
He has his share of critics, but, by and large, he has the sort of overwhelming support in the city that cuts across class and ethnicity like no other figure in Karachi’s troubled history. Even his staunchest critics cannot wrong his dedication: ‘Waisay, Bande Ne Kaam Toh Kiya Hai,’ is a textbook comment in any debate over Kamal’s performance.
Things still remain far from ideal in Karachi, but when Kamal switches off the lights and punches out from his office in the Civic Centre on August 15, possibly for the last time, Kamal ought to walk out a contented man.
He came out of the blue and, against all odds, gave it his all, this Promethean Savant. If for nothing else, history will remember him for this alone.