THESE days, the subject of feudalism is not discussed at seminars and symposia as frequently as it used to be half a century back. For example, on July 28, 1975 a report published in this newspaper about a conference held in Karachi by the Pakistan Socialist Party read that the moot had criticised the opposition parties in the United Democratic Front (UDF) for working to maintain the exploitative system of feudalism. A resolution passed on the occasion pointed out that the parties representing the opposition would not be able to deliver the goods because they were not ready to struggle against feudalism, capitalism and the vestiges of imperialism. `All their ballyhoo for therestoration of democracy was mere noisy propaganda.` The conference also called for basic changes in Pakistan`s economy, including a complete abolition of the feudal system in rural areas.

While the economy was being discussed at conferences, the city was faced with the shortage of local and indigenous brands of butter. On July 30, traders said the main reason for the scarcity was the low milk yield in the summer season [the May-July period]. Like the previous years, the supply was expected to become normal in the second or third week of August, subject to the flood situation in Punjab from where Karachi received some brands of butter. Inquiries showed that the daily yield of milk per cattle in certain districts of Punjab had dropped to almost one-sixth. The decline in Sindh`s lowerregions which supplied fresh milk to Karachi dairies was also considerable but not as much as it was in Punjab.

There was another problem that the Sindh capital was trying to grapple with in those days. On July 30, a survey about motor theft revealed that in the last six months 60 percent of the cars in Karachi were stolen from commercial areas. Of such vehicles, 37 were lifted from the Central division and 34 from the Civil Lines division. Apart from that, more than 70 were found abandoned in different parts of the city without anything being removed from them. Police investigations showed that almost all the cars were taken away with the help of keys which showed organised gangs were operating in the city.

All was not worrisome, though. There were certain things that the authorities were doingthe way they merited. On Aug 1, it was announced that literary critic Majnun Gorakphuri, writer Maulai Shedai, artist Gul Mohammad Khatri, journalist Ghulam Mohammad Girami, a/ghoza player Misri Khan Jamali and folk singer Mai Bhagi were among the 26 artists, writers and journalists of Sindh who had been awarded Rs53,200 as stipend for 1975-76 by the Chief Minister of the province, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi. `These stipends have been given to artists, writers and journalists who due to old age and continuous sickness were unable to earn a living and were leading a hard life,` read an official handout.

The Sindh Education Minister, Pyarali Allana, had directed the provincial education secretary to pay the stipend to the awardees within a week and ensure that the amount reached them regularly on a monthly basis.