In view of the mounting problems that Karachiites face daily, a dangerously collapsed Infrastructure , killing Air pollution, the absence of all needed and promised civic services the rise in disease… and a very indifferent govt that lives in denial, and focuses only on it’s own priorities, the Convenor, Karachi Citizens, Forum, Nargis Rahman called a meeting to not just analyse the problems and work out solutions but to seek out ways and means to make a very intransigent govt, perform it’s constitutional role to serve and protect the citizens interest as the First Priority .. a one-point agenda – how to make the govt and the different authorities that are supposed to govern Karachi, be accountable and responsible for its civic needs?
Representativesof different NGOs and civic bodies, were invited, which included Nazim Haji (SABKA Foundation), Syed Khawar Mehdi (Concerned Citizens Alliance), Professor Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi (president PSM), Muhammed Alam Khalid, Dr Zeba Irfanullah, Muhammed Toheed, Shanaz Ramzi (KCF, PWFFP), Bushra Rizvi (KCF, PWFFP), Rasha Tarek (activist), Dr Yasmeen Kazi (KCF, PWFFP), Zahid Farooq director, Urban Research Centre, Karachi), Noreen Fatima (Climate March), Ahmad Shabbar (Garbage Can), Anushe Alam (PLT), Rashida Shabbir (activist), Nargis Rahman ( Convenor KCF, chaired the meeting.
Opening the discussion Ms. Rahman stated that the problems the citizens face are known to all, as are the solutions, as senior town planners and experts have studied them scrupulously, and made viable recommendations independently or through interaction with the civic bodies set up by the govt over a period of time..
Donor and aid giving agencies have also issued studies and papers on Karachi’s problems, and their course correction.
The citizens are harassed and frustrated at the daily toll of travelling on broken roads, inhaling toxic fumes, and contending with noise and air pollution on sewage flooded streets , garbage littered roads, with no recourse to ease, as the city is governed by Multiple agencies that indulge in a blame game ab solving themselves of any culpability of their pathetic performance
The people of Karachi are suffering from different health issues due to severe air pollution for the last many years particularly ENT chest, eye, and skin diseases, nasal allergies, nasal polyps, sore throat, allergic cough, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, bronchogenic carcinoma, laryngitis, and laryngial cancer. Common causes of pollution are industrial fumes, vehicle fumes, generator fumes, burning garbage in residential areas, and construction materials. messaged, Dr. Qaiser Sajjad former Sec Gen. PMA
Nargis Rahman, continued, that despite regular protest from all parts of the city by residents, seminars, press conferences, offering workable solutions, no attention is ever paid by the mayor or the concerning authority. It does not shame them that over along period of time Karachi ranks amongst the five most un-liveable and air-polluted cities in the world.!!
Dr. Shahana, Kazmi former V. C. Swabi University, expressed amazement that a major road leading to several. Public Universities, commuted by thousands of students is choked as the road is subject to BRT Line work that lies uncompleted for years,and now the K4 water line, and what is alarming is the closure for 2 months to accelerate the work on the K,4 water pipeline and BRT. The proposed alternative route is circuituous and will entail more time and more expense which students from middle class homes can ill afford.
Town planner, Muhammed Toheed said, “Fragmented governance creates hurdles for any positive work initiated. One section of the government dismisses the work of the other, and provincial and federal governments are also not aligned. Even roads are not under any one authority. KMC has 106 roads under its jurisdiction, but it has not been able to service even those. To alleviate the suffering of the residents and commuters, The Greater Karachi Regional Plan has recommended that the national stadium and expo centre be moved to outside the city limits, and that the current stadium be used only for practices, and the current Expo only for cultural activities by educational institutions.”
Zahid added, “Areas like the Sabzi Mandi, Jail, and the airport were outside the city precincts earlier, which is how it should be as these places disrupt traffic, but with rapid urban sprawling they have become part of the city.”
It was also noted that towns have substantial budgets and authority, but only address issues if there is a political link involved. “Towns should be made to invest in wells, to avoid urban flooding,” said Muhammed Toheed.
Syed Khawar noted that though there is corruption in Lahore too, at least there is some progress there. “Here, our islands of hope are the people themselves who are taking it upon themselves to bring improvement to the environment in whatever way they can. We need to sit the politicians down and provide them a platform, whereby we can show them what can be done, and hold them accountable for not seeing it through. Our politicians are not even improving their own areas, let alone any other. Cantonments used to be out of city limits in the days of the British. Now that they are in the city, at least the civic functions should not be carried out by them.”
Nazim Haji said, “I have been fire-fighting all my life. If our problems are to be solved, the root cause has to be addressed. All over the world, it is the local governments that solve the city’s problems. A full chapter on local government must be added to the constitution, and not just dismiss it in a sentence. All MPs must be brought on the same page; only then will there be any difference. Business and town associations should be involved. And this should be done for the whole country, not just Karachi. A white paper on what is wrong with Karachi should also be prepared simultaneously.”
Khawar added that he, Mustafa Kamal and Faisal Siddiqui had already worked on this in detail, but their working had been abandoned owing to political turmoil in the city. It was decided that Nazim would work with them to prepare a legislation that could form a chapter in the constitution.
Mohammed Alam Khan said that he has been working on environment for 22 years, and the scenarios has changed drastically from what it was 50 years ago, but people are still looking for solutions based on the infrastructure of yore. We now need to engage and mobilise GEN Z as they have to take up the current issues.
Rasha, an active resident of Clifton Block 5 stated, “Clifton parks are being systematically torn down to make room for pedal courts. Parks that had been inaugurated by Murtaza Wahab and in which he had shown a personal interest, have now been ordered to be broken down. We managed to hire lawyers and get stays on two of the parks, but later one stay was dismissed, and now we have mobilized the people of the area to plead our case. The court has been supportive, but in the meantime, all the plants in the park are dying as the government is no longer taking care of them.” Rashida Anjarwalla added that there are nine parks that are being broken down in Clifton alone.
Anushe, an activist residing in Clifton Block 2 said There are thousands of people living in Clifton and a large number of resident associations, and the need of the hour is for all of them to unite and protest against the environment that they are being forced to live in – surrounded by filth, drug addicts, and overflowing gutters.” But she also admitted, “In the past, residents did come out to protest, but forced disappearances started to take place, so the civil society stopped protesting.”
Seconding this thought, Zahid said, “It is not easy to protest. They don’t stop me anymore, but they stop my son, and so indirectly pressurize me through him. They cannot touch me openly, but have conveyed that they ‘have all my records!’
Noreen Fatima said, “We do have some success stories in this gloom and doom scenario. Gujjar Nullah is the one stand-alone case in which residents fought for their rights and got displacement compensation from the government. This is a very inspiring example because the Gujjar Nullah community is very diverse – there is no one ethnicity or religion there and yet they suffered collectively, losing children’s lives in the open nullah, and losing their places of worship, and appealed to the court. Though they didn’t get the entire committed amount of 55 lakhs, they at least got Rs 14,50000.”
Ahmed Shabbar also expressed the view that the focus should now be on all the positive stories so that those people can be further mobilized to take action in future too.
Concluding the meeting on a proactive and positive note, Convenor Nargis Rahmana delegated responsibilities to the group. Nazim Haji and Dr. Khawer Mehdi were to work on the constitutional amendment to local govt, a white paper to be prepared so that a chapter is added to the constitution on local govt. Urban Planner Mohamad Tauheed and environmentalistvMahmood Alam would mobilise students to work on models for environment improvement.
Zahid Farooq Ahmed Shabbar and Rasha would work on making contacts with different community groups who had successfully worked on their civic needs with interaction with town councillors, so these models would be shared to encourage others to do like wise.
Contact with all civic agencies will continue, as no substantial and sustainable progress can be secured with out a partnership between govt and citizens
