Daily Times

When the electricity went for eight hours straight, life halted to an extent. When the outgoing call service of both of my cell phones was switched off, there was an acute problem (it was blamed on the rain). When our technician’s motorcycle floated away on the main Shahrah-e-Faisal due to the urban flooding, we felt the need to start praying for his safety as he and hundreds of others waded through waist-deep water in a few miles’ trek back home. None of this is alright. We speak and write from the safety of our rooms and connectivity, but we have friends who have been locked inside for four days without the internet. Here we speak of the advancements of the digital age and Karachi feels like it’s drowning within only an hour’s worth of rain. And drowning not just metaphorically but literally as flood water and rain have nowhere to go but into houses and commercial structures. One can only imagine the sheer frustration of those who have no way of connecting to ask for these basic amenities. This is a national problem. We cannot wade through the waters of who is responsible anymore. Somebody will need to take on this city and rebuild it for us.

The cleanup we are speaking about is not just in administrative restructuring and city planning but also keeping the right people for the right job to make a positive difference

The infrastructure of an entire city will need to be improved to call it the “city of lights” (hopes and dreams). Karachi has been listed as the seventh largest city in the world; contributing to over a large percentage in tax revenue generated nationally. The task of ‘upgrading’ Karachi needs to be undertaken collectively with all stakeholders on board. We need to stop the blame game and do something that actually shows a tangible physical change. A formal chain of authority should be defined, drafted and agreed upon which lists the responsibilities of the various agencies and parts of the government. Mandated authority which is clarified according to rules and regulations can help in keeping checks and balances which will lead to accountability and transparency. It may already be present but it is not apparent and nobody is currently answering to any of the issues which are taking place.

The cleanup we are speaking about is not just in administrative restructuring and city planning but also keeping the right people for the right job to make a positive difference. It can be done in sections from smaller infrastructures to the largest. There is an urgent need to get the garbage out of governance – and put people of expertise with the necessary experience and commitment in charge. Change never happens overnight; or even in a couple of years in lieu of the amount of destruction which has been left behind. But the planning to change the situation of the future of the city will need to take place and be made apparent in these upcoming years.

The “city of lights” so beautifully shown in pictures, now being dubbed as the city of darkness in jokes. People want to move out and the frustration of the average civilian is certainly there. They will not forget as each year they will have to live through it all over again if things don’t improve. The thing is that these are the same people, who in a democratic environment will be the voters of the future.

One thunderstorm and Karachi goes out in a blaze of not much of a glory and the sheer helplessness of the situation remains. One doesn’t want to give a damper on the problems that have been highlighted again and again but we cannot pass the buck on the 18th Amendment. If it is there, then the people need to address the situation locally. It is the right of the people to be provided with basic provisions. Sindh with its resources, ingenuity, seasoned governance and people can certainly do something about this recurring situation. Local bodies in Sindh have the lead on this and one is hoping they will make use of the opportunity; but will it recognize the potential in the undertaking?

The optics games of yesteryear are far gone; there is a generation who will be expecting results no matter what party takes control. The changes promised or otherwise are signs of hope for advancement and this generation will not be able to withstand it when commitments are not fulfilled. As for the current government in power, it is expected and hoping for more greatness and goodness soon to come. However, in the long line of things, as the saying goes, ‘somethings gotta give’. From local bodies to what the Federal government can provide will need to be met in cooperation. If none is met, then a movement to take control and take charge of things should be considered; not considered as a takeover victory but for things to improve.

If we are to have long term goals to open the country up for tourism as announced, then the restructuring of Karachi would be that mammoth task that could be the proof of changes that have been spoken about. This gem of a city by the sea could be the potential which people are just not paying enough attention to for various reasons. The truth of the matter is that all of it can be done; one is just wondering who will get to it first. One thing stands true, he who does eventually ‘save’ this city, so to speak, will get something in return; the hearts and loyalty of the people for generations to come.

The writer is known for her articles on socio-cultural impact