Growing up on the Mall close to the Town Hall, I personally witnessed the smooth running of the city by the elected mayor, whose office was located there.

Every year, to renew the token tax of our car, I went to the oldest sub-post office of Lahore, located on Dhani Ram Road, very close to the King Edward Medical College.

We received a letter from the post office with a request to deposit the registration book for investigation of misappropriation of funds.

There was a time when people trusted institutions. The state was revered as a mother and facilitator. Even the postman who delivered mail commanded respect. The colonial bureaucracy that we inherited, with all its powers, provided relief in the new land. Millions of refugees who crossed the border to start life all over again were settled. Some came of their own free will, while others were forced to leave their homes due to communal riots that were triggered. Established business families arrived at the invitation of the Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Pakistan started off well, with hope and struggle. A new nation was in the making despite all its challenges and problems.

Growing up on the Mall close to the Town Hall, I personally witnessed the smooth running of the city by the elected mayor, whose office was located there. There were several playgrounds in the vicinity to consume the energy of the young and restless. The university grounds near........

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