पुराना पाकिस्तान

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Wife of Pakistan’s first popularly elected Prime Minister, Nusrat Bhutto, representing Pakistan at a 1975 conference in Mexico. Some observers believe she was far more progressive than her ‘socialist’ husband (Z A. Bhutto).

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A more contemporary rendition of a Sindhi nationalist poster. The poster was first designed and printed in 1973 soon after the formation of radical Sindhi nationalist party, the Jeeay Sindh. The poster tries to encapsulate (and propagate) the secular, pluralistic and tolerant nature of Sindhi people and their links with Sufi Islam.

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Some young members of the Pakistan cricket team living it up at a nightclub (1976). Seen (from left): The hard-hitting and flamboyant Wasim Raja (bearded); opener Mudassar Nazar; fast bowler Sikandar Bakht and batsman, Javed Miandad.

Notice the tone used in the caption of the photograph that appeared in a Pakistani English daily. It is upbeat and matter-of-fact, unlike the condemning tone that (mostly Urdu press) began to use for ‘partying cricketers’ after early 1980s.

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Famous 1970s Iranian pop singer and icon Madam Googoosh on the cover of a Persian magazine, ‘Beta.’ Googoosh toured Pakistan in 1975 and became a huge hit with concert and TV audiences.

She planned to return for another series of concerts in Pakistan but after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran she was banned by the new Iranian regime.

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Western tourists enjoy beer at the poolside of Karachi’s Intercontinental Hotel (1976). -Photo courtesy Rory McLane.

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A 1987 picture showing former Pakistan cricket captain sitting with conservative Pakistani military dictator, General Ziaul Haq. Khan had announced his retirement from cricket in 1987 but was coaxed to return to the team by Zia.

During the 1970s and 1980s, most major Pakistani cricket stars had political connections (though they were never a direct part of any party). For example, fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz, former Pakistan captain Mushtaq Muhammad and Javed Miandad were Bhutto fans.

And though Khan was not politically inclined towards Zia’s conservative policies, he remained a close acquaintance of the dictator.

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A 1976 photo showing famous Pakistani pop star, Alamgir, sharing a joke with popular TV actor and comedian, late Moin Akhtar. The photo was taken just before an Alamgir concert in Karachi that was hosted by Moin.

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Pakistani TV actors, Akbar Subhani, Shakeel and RJ on the set of a PTV play (1975). Subhani went on to become an accomplished stage actor, while Shakeel (centre) had already risen as a star on TV in the 1970s.

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American tourists travelling to Lahore from Karachi on a Pakistan Railways train (1976). -Photo courtesy Murad Husain and Bina Ahmed.

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Rare 1975-76 clip of Alamgir performing with a visiting Turkish pop singer on PTV. The song was later banned by the Zia dictatorship in 1978.