AS THE passage of every day further crowds the city of Karachi, its air quality also degrades taking a heavy toll over the health of the citizens. This quality of air will continue to degenerate if we do not take corrective action by implementing universally accepted environmental standards and plant more greens.

But Karachi’s major handicap remains a severe state of lawlessness and persistent shortage of sweet water. For the lawlessness we need a political solution to the woes of the city, which may only come in time. Meanwhile we could plant more trees but for that we do need more water. But in an anarchic situation marred with leakages and poor management — when we cannot even adequately supply our people with water for their daily use — it appears insane to demand water for parks and tree plantation.

But maybe we do not require supplies of sweet water for greening purpose. In fact we could save substantial quantities of sweet water by being a little more prudent. It may be time that we start using the treated effluents and recycled domestic waste water for plantation and agriculture needs of the city.

Many old Karachians may recall that some seventy years ago this very city used to utilize the domestic waste water for gardening, flushing, and cleaning purposes and subsoil water for washing its streets. As early as the 1930s and 1940s many buildings and establishments used to have dual plumbing system to ensure judicious utilization of a very precious resource. There was a profound realization amongst the citizens that sweet drinking water was being transported to them from far out wells at Dummlotti.

Today the city transports its water from another hundred kilometres away from Indus and Hub Dam. We must demonstrate that over the years Karachiites has not degenerated into some monsters rather we are worthy descendants of once a great city.

During 1994-1995 the defunct KMC established waste water- recycling plants for seven major parks in the city. The initial recycling plant was designed and supplied by Karachi Shipyard that proved to be slightly more expensive than the later ones fabricated by some private company. The price, however, did not exceed a little more than a million rupees for each one of them and continue to supply sufficient quantities of recycled waste water till date.

For many years Pakistan Steel Mills has been recycling about two million gallons per day of waste from Gulshan-i-Hadeed etc. Even the massive Golf Course at adjoining Arabian Sea Country Club has been using the same recycled water for greening purpose. The Defence Housing Authority has done a commendable job of recycling and supplying treated domestic waste water to its residents for greening of an otherwise sandy dunes landscape.

One must also give credit to ICI PTA plant at Port Qasim that discharges tons of crystal clear affluent into the Arabian Sea after proper treatment, while our tanneries at Korangi Industrial Area continue to callously discharge into the same Arabian Sea tons of Chromates and other carcinogenic chemicals as untreated affluent. Even the drainage system of this area has been completely destroyed by them. One only wishes that a regular tour for the residents could be organized to observe the damage being caused to the environment and in turn to their health while the relevant authorities fail to enforce the existing environment protection laws debating over elaborate plans and their possible funding source.

The water recycling plant at Pakistan Steel Mills uses bacterial treatment coupled with an oxidation process. However at times chemicals like phenol does escape due to some lapse in the process. Pakistan Steel probably needs to add traps for such chemicals to its otherwise marvellous facility.

Another problem faced by the facility that is endemic to the public sector is that the experts once managing the facility may have all left service yet no one has been recruited, resulting in decline in the overall technical capabilities.

The treated water being discharged into the Arabian Sea from Mauripur Sewage Treatment Plant even the little quantities being treated at Gutter Bagicha and Mehmoodabad (TP-1 and TP-2) could be supplied as recycled waste water in the city. Also the abandoned KDA oxidation ponds built originally for sewage treatment in North Karachi could be a good source for waste water recycling.

A major problem in the minds of common man while using recycled waste water however shall remain of a cultural psychological barrier.

The people of a city like Karachi proliferating over a vast stretch of coastal desert must appreciate their scarce and precious resources. We cannot afford the luxury of being wasteful.

The psychological barrier in the minds of the people can be overcome if the quality of the supplied waste water does not appear sullied and simply as strained sewage. Even the recycled waste water supplied by DHA carries a profound smell and stink with a dirty texture. Obviously such supply does not do wonders for the psychological factor.

Another problem with improperly treated water is one of nematodes. The grass and plants may show signs of white worms after extended use of improperly treated water. But these trivial problems may be easily overcome if proper procedures are adopted and actions beyond slogans are demonstrated.

The six- inch sweet water connection for Mazar-i-Quaid taken from the COD Lyari may be replaced with a proper waste water recycling plant. The old Sabzimandi as well as Gutter Baghicha should be planted with lots of trees. There is paltry investment required for these steps and well within the reach of the City government. What it may however be lacking could be just plain will.

IT is a general belief in the West that in the eyes of Islam woman is inferior to man. This is due to their lack of access to the Quran and the Traditions. In fact, Islam is the only system which contains provisions that ensure equality between man and woman. However, the distinction between equality and similarity must be kept in mind. Man and woman have been created equal, not identical.

In Islam, the rights and responsibilities of a woman are equal to those of a man, but they are not necessarily the same. Both have been fashioned differently from each other,so their roles are also different. The variation in their functions does not imply that one is inferior to the other. Let us have a brief look at the various aspects of the equality of sexes in Islam.

1. Equal Spiritual Status: The highest favour which God has bestowed upon man is the gift of Divine Revelation. In the Quran we find women to whom Divine Revelation came and who have been spoken of along with men: “And when the angels said: O’Mary, Allah has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of the world.” (3:41).

“When We revealed to thy mother what was revealed.” (20:38) “And We revealed to Moses’ mother...” (28:7)

The Quran speaks of the great prophets of God, saying: “And mention Abraham in the Book.” (19:41). “And mention Moses in the Book.” (19:51). A woman is spoken of in exactly the same manner: “And mention Mary in the Book.” (19:61)

2. Equal Bestowal of Rewards: The Quran makes no difference between man and woman regarding the bestowal of reward for the good deed performed by him or her: “Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will certainly make him live a happy life, and We will certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.” (16:97)

“Surely the men who submit and the women who submit; and the believing men and the believing women; and the obeying men and the obeying women; and the truthful men and the truthful women; and the patient men and the patient women; and the humble men and the humble women; and the charitable men and the charitable women; and the fasting men and the fasting women; and the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity; and the men who remember Allah and the women who remember — Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.” (33:35) 3. Equal Right to Education: Woman is equal to man in the pursuit of education and knowledge. When Islam enjoins the seeking of knowledge upon the Muslims, it makes no distinction between man or woman. Muhammad, the Messenger of God, (peace be upon him) declared that the pursuit of knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim male and female.

4. Equal Right to Inherit: Man and woman have been given equal right to inherit from the parents and the near relatives: “Men shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, and women shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave...” (4:7)

A woman’s right to inherit is as much protected by the law as that of a man. If the deceased wishes to deprive her by making a will in favour of other relations or any other cause, the law will not allow it.

However, it must be remembered that whereas the right to inherit of both man and woman is equal, their shares in the inheritance may differ. In certain cases, a woman gets half of what a man in her position would get. The cause of this variation is the financial responsibilities and liabilities with which only man has been burdened, not woman.

As compared to man, woman is financially secure and provided for. If she is a wife, her husband is the provider; if she is a mother, it is the son; if she is a daughter, it is the father; if she is a sister, it is the brother; and so on. If she has no relations, then it is the responsibility of the Islamic state to maintain her. In no case she will be left helpless. Whereas a man, except in one or two exceptional cases, is supposed to not only look after his family and other needy relations, but also to make financial contributions to good causes in the society. Thus, a larger share in inheritance does not depict the supremacy of man over woman, but it is rather a concession granted to him in lieu of his financial burden.

5. Equal Right to Earn: Islam has granted man and woman equal rights to contract, to enterprise, and to earn and possess independently. The Quran says: “...For men is the benefit of what they earn. And for women is the benefit of what they earn. And ask Allah of His grace...” (4:32)

6. Equal Freedom of Expression: Man and woman are equally entitled to freedom of expression. Women not only expressed their opinion freely, but also argued and participated in serious discussions with the Prophet and other Muslim leaders. There were occasions when women expressed their views on legislative matters of public interest, and stood in opposition to the Caliphs, who then accepted the sound arguments of these women.

7. Equal Civil & Criminal Liability: In the eyes of Islam, a woman’s life, property, and honour are as sacred as those of a man. If she commits an offence, her penalty is no less or more than a man’s in a similar case. If she is wronged or harmed, she gets due compensation, equal to what a man in her position would get.

Conclusion: The verdict of Islam on the inter se status of man and woman is the only complete, logical, and practical declaration pertaining to the matter. The approach of Islam towards defining the positions of man and woman is unique, as it always handles the issue by making a distinction between equality and sameness.

The misconception in the minds of the westerners that in an Islamic society man is superior to woman, is partly due to the fact that they consider similarity as equality, and partly due to the irresponsible attitude of some Muslims. Just because the Muslim woman is not supposed to perform certain tasks as the Muslim man does, it does not mean that she is less important than him. They are not subject to the same obligations and rights, because they were never created the same. Greatness does not lie for man in mimicking woman, nor does it lie for woman in mimicking man: but in being content in what one is, and by using one’s faculties for the greater benefit of mankind.