| November 14, 2005 | Monday | Shawwal 11, 1426 |
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Korangi Industrial Area
How safe are our cities?
Paris riots & headscarf ban
Fountain jet: waste of money
‘The real moral lesson’
Blame for Gilgit violence
Paris rioters
‘Car breakers’
From America with love
Ministers and fancy watches
Mash
S. NAYYAR IQBAL RAZA
THE prime minister has asked the housing and works ministry and NESPAK to submit a “revised” building code within one month, as widely reported in all newspapers (Nov 10). Of course, one may ask where is the “existing” building code. The building code of Pakistan was finalized in 1987 by the housing and works ministry and should still be lying somewhere in the National Assembly archives since it was never taken up by the house for approval, though reminders had come, once when there was a fire in the National Assembly itself and then when the highrise building of Shaheed-i-Millat secretariat was burnt down. But we soon forget such reminders.
It is hoped that those responsible for the delay in building code approval will now realize how innocent people, specially the sick and the elderly in hospitals and our beautiful children in schools and colleges, can suffer because not even public buildings were built according to code requirements which were approved after three years of effort by a very large number of engineers, architects, geophysicists and administrators of all the four provinces. It is unfortunate that even professionals have forgotten the basic ethics of responsibility and allowed buildings to be constructed with literally no safety considerations.
Karachi, lying on a fault line, should have been more careful but the KDA, in its greed, had allowed “normal” design considerations for three-storyed buildings to be raised to five-storyed structures some years back and we now have a jungle of apartments and commercial buildings with unsafe structures and very little exit routes in emergencies. Add to these precarious conditions leaking sewerage pipes (which have literally eaten into the “RCC” columns and beams) and you have indeed a very dangerous situation.
Of course, leaking sewerage pipes are all over the place and even 10 or 15 storyed buildings are no exception. Each of these buildings should be urgently surveyed by professional consultants (definitely not KBCA) who should be given the responsibility of designing additional structural elements for minimum safety and egress during emergencies. And where the original design and/or the damage has made a structure unsafe, the building should be demolished to avoid loss of life. Plate movements have started and no one can say when even moderate earthquakes will come. Most of Karachi’s buildings, specially above three-storyed, need to be checked urgently.
Now that NESPAK is revising the building code, two points require special attention:
1. Seismic zoning needs to be upgraded. There was much discussion in 1987 and even though recommendations for the Islamabad/Kashmir areas included higher requirements, it was decided otherwise as chances for an earthquake above seven (on the Richter scale) were very remote. Well, time has caught up with us. And Karachi may be the same.
2. Building codes everywhere in the world are now including requirements of “green buildings” which save considerable energy and water. We must cover these requirements to make our buildings efficient as well as safe.
It may be pertinent to quote the late Prof Najmul Haq of the then Ahsanullah Engineering College, Dhaka (who had received the prize money of Rs50,000 for developing area/street coding/numbering system for Islamabad and promptly donated Rs49,999 to an orphanage and continued to use his bicycle), who said 45 years back that Ayub Khan had done the biggest mistake of his life by trying to build “super structures” in an area where civilizations had been annihilated by earthquakes and that in 50-60 years, he would see the result and remember him kindly.
AINUL ABEDIN
Karachi
KARACHI city nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has announced Rs1 billion special development programme for improvement of the water and sewerage system in the Korangi industrial area and said that work would start shortly. He also said Pakistan received Rs250 million daily from this area (Dawn, Nov 11).
We hope that similar amounts will be announced for the development of roads in the industrial area, specially the road named Korangi 8000. This road is used as an alternative artery leading to the Landhi industrial zone, the Steel Mills and the Port Qasim industrial zone. A project for the development of this poor road was announced twice by the last nazim and two beautiful foundation stones laid by Mr Naimatullah Khan in front of the Brookes Chowrangi bear witness to this. The Korangi Industrial Association of Trade and Industry was a part of one of these two inaugurations.
Incidentally, these two foundation stones are less than 10 feet apart. No work was undertaken after the inauguration. An interesting statistics emerge when we look at the numbers in this news report.
It clearly shows that even if we spend less than 2.50 per cent on the development of our infrastructure, things will change appreciably.
Similar statistics can be generated for SITE, Landhi, Port Qasim, North Karachi, Nooriabad, Hub, Kotri, Chunian, Sheikupura, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Hattar and Gadoon industrial areas. Equal attention is needed there and other industrial areas spread across Pakistan. It is payback time.
Amount set aside for development
programme
Rs.1 billion (Rs.1000m)
Pakistan receives revenue from
this industrial area.
Rs.250 M per day
For the whole year it would be
250 x 365 = Rs.91,250 M
Ratio of this amount to be spent
on Korangi industrial area.
1000 M / 91,250 M =0.0109
In percentage terms
0.01019 x 100=1.09%
Normal Zakat amount
2.50%
Karachi
YOUR special report “Earthquakes — how safe are our cities” (Nov 10), discussing the way building regulations have been violated in our big cities, exposing lives and property of the innocent residents to serious threat, has sent a chill down the spine.
Even a city like Quetta has not been spared where the “Quetta bylaws” prepared after having experienced the devastation of 1935 have been put on the back-burner.
The developed countries after acquiring knowledge of seismology have developed such a well-planned system of construction and enforced them so faithfully that their edifices withstand jolts of magnitudes greater than that of October 8. Japan, which is located in the seismically most active region, is a case in point. We have also a “building code” but, as stated in the editorial “A revised building code” (Nov 10), it has always been observed more in violation. A revision of the code is of course overdue but what is more important is to ensure that the bylaws are strictly implemented.
Immediate measures are required to conduct a survey in the vulnerable areas to unearth fragile structures and necessary procedures adopted to either make them quake-resistant or consider them for demolition. Besides, we have to educate our children right from school about the measures to be adopted in case of earthquakes.
Karachi where many tremors have been felt recently has also been declared near an active fault line. However, being a city on the seashore, it requires more attention as, God forbid, an earthquake can also create a tsunami-like situation, for most of the coastline has been deprived of mangroves, the natural barrier against tsunamis. Steps are, therefore, urgently required for not only preparing a revised building code and ensuring its implementation but also prevent illegal encroachment on the remaining mangrove habitats. Planning is required at the national level to enforce artificial plantation where these trees were mercilessly hacked.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
TURKISH Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has linked the riots in France with the French law that prohibits female students in France’s public school from wearing headscarves.
This link may very well exist, but Mr Erdogan has no moral standing to raise a voice against this law because his own country has a similar draconian law. Turkey’s female public servants are legally bared from wearing a headscarf while at work.
Freedom to dress as one pleases is one of the basic freedoms that no law can or should try to abridge. To its great credit, Turkey espouses secular democracy, but by instituting a law that regulates citizens’ dressing habits, it hashashas dampened its image of openness and modernity.
Some French politicians have made no secret of their aversion to Turkey’s admission to the EU on the basis is is is that Turkey does not come up to Europe’s standards of democracy and human rights. Meanwhile, they themselves ignored adhering to such standards and led their own country towards disrespect for human rights by enacting the headscarf law.
Turkey should repeal its own headscarf law, and then suggest France’s expulsion from the EU with the argument that no country with laws that infringe upon human dignity should be allowed to retain its EU membership.
SIDDIQUE MALIK
Louisville, KY, US
THERE are reports suggesting that the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) is planning to build a water fountain jet at a cost of Rs225 million. How can the president allow so much money to spent on such a useless venture when the country is going through its worst ever crisis?
Simultaneously, it has also been reported that those who have lost their homes in the earthquake are being given a paltry sum of Rs25,000, while those who have lost family members are being given Rs100,000. How can someone rebuild his or her house in Rs25,000? While the government is being so niggardly towards the quake victims, it seems very generous towards spending on projects that serve no purpose. What good is a water jet? What practical use does it have? How will it have any positive affect on our economy or image? Obviously there are personal interests at stake here.
The government should scrap the water-jet project and direct the money thus saved towards earthquake relief
ABDUL KHALIQ
Islamabad
APROPOS of Mr Shakir Lakhani’s admission (Dawn, Nov 4), I too am not an expert on religious matters. The fact remains, however, that humanity has remained on the horns of a dilemma while seeking to reconcile pre-destination with natural calamities and their scientific (rational) understanding, between natural selection and scientific determination.
There is no denying the fact that predestination is one of the basic tenets of most if not all religions. So is the fact that punishment did descend upon sinners after they disobeyed and martyred prophets for communicating to them divine revelations. No punishment came without prior warning and manifest indication.
The Oct 8 earthquake continues to invite contentious arguments. Traditional doctrinaire scholars of religion attribute it to Divine fury arising from sins of commission and of omission, without an iota of consideration as to natural selection. Many of the casualties were innocent children and women fasting and menfolk toiling for their livelihood. Obviously the victims of earthquake were no sinners extraordinary to invite the calamity.
The gulf between science and Islam is fast closing and it is time religious scholars pulled up their socks and opened their minds to the winds of change.
Islam is lofty enough to accept all sciences within its fold. In fact, the very first pioneers were Muslim scientists of whom these scholars are so proud and yet they ignore the scientific perspective when giving their judgment concerning matters like earthquakes. The West has built upon sciences acquired from Muslim scientists and made epoch-making inventions not irreconcilable with the religious dimension.
Nothing is perfect in this earthly existence and the earth itself is tormented by its fault lines the study of which is the subject of geology.
From the scientific point of view, earthquakes are a natural phenomenon and they occur around geological faults. The Oct 8 earthquake was consequential to the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates colliding with each other in the region — long forecast.
It is encouraging to note that numerous scholars of religion gave a verdict that the victims of the earthquake having died as martyrs as a result of an act of God and in the month of Ramazan, should be seen as “shaheed”, entitled to exemption from shrouds and from funeral prayers — a breath of fresh air. Such are the differences between religious scholars, a breeding ground for sects.
AKBAR KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letter “The real moral lesson” (Nov 4). We have not learned any lesson from disasters like the 2001 Bhuj (India) earthquake or even the fall of Dhaka.
In Islam, “taqdeer” and “tadbeer” are two separate things. “Taqdeer” cannot be avoided but the latter is in our hands. We cannot blame the sins of the people and God’s wrath for the earthquake that happened.
We owe it to ourselves to accept our mistakes and should not let the corrupt builder mafia — which is responsible for the high death toll — get away without any blame or punishment.
An impartial inquiry must be conducted to take to task all those builders who were involved in making the substandard buildings, especially schools. That is the lesson we need to learn and which we need to teach such criminal elements in our society.
KHURRAM & DR JAVED SHAIKH
Hyderabad
I WOULD like to draw attention the incident of Oct 13 in Gilgit in which four civilian were killed in firing by the Rangers. They were demonstrating peacefully against the illegal detention of a schoolboy. The incident disturbed the whole area after which curfew was imposed (since lifted).
The government should empower the local people because they can handle a situation better than outsiders. Non-locals always try to impose their own theories and decisions without considering the socio-cultural and other factors of the region. How can a person who does not have any knowledge of the area and is posted just a day before to the region be expected to take far-reaching decisions in everyone’s interest?
When local police officers were posted in Gilgit the law and order situation was much better. The blame for what has happened in the city and its surrounding areas in the past few weeks lies squarely on the government because it sees nothing wrong in posting incompetent non-local officers to the area who have little understanding of its problems.
M. ALI SHAFA ROUNDUVI
Karachi
I am surprised by the leniency shown by the French government towards the rioters involved in incidents in the Paris suburbs. It seems that those indulging the rioting want to carry on with illegal activities such as sale of drugs and preaching of hate. These immigrants want to avail of all the benefits of the French economy without fulfilling any of their legal responsibilities.
Had these people done the same thing in their countries of origin they would been either shot dead by now or sent straight to prison. If these people do not like French society or its laws then they should leave France and head back to their respective countries of origin. Their actions only create problems for those immigrants who are staying legally and are honest and hard working.
ABDUL REHMAN
Karachi
On almost every busy street of Karachi one can see big speed breakers. They are very high from the middle and not very wide which means that when a car crosses them its undercarriage can be affected. They aren’t painted either and it is difficult to see them in the dark — a real problem given that so many roads have streetlights which do not work. The speed breakers should be made of a height and width such that passing cars are not damaged.
NAYAB SIDDIQUI
Karachi
KHALID Khan’s letter of Nov. 8 is sadly mistaken with regard to the facts. No, the US does not have trillions of dollars in reserves. We have trillions of dollars in borrowed national debt we can’t even pay the complete interest on. But, the US has shared and continues to share in theatre and additional helicopters and mobile, field hospital teams and units, whole field hospitals, deployed in forward positions in AJK.
I have personally given to your earthquake relief effort through our United Methodist Church World Relief Fund, as have many other Americans through their various church affiliated funds.
We have no prejudice when it comes to choice of religion. We only insist that others have the same respect for our faith system as we have for theirs. God bless and keep all those harmed and damaged by these awful earthquakes. Keep your spirits up and trust in God.
Your mental health will be stronger and better the more you think and act positively instead of backsliding into petty gossip of an untrue nature. Pakistan Zindabad.
COL (retd) GEORGE L. SINGLETON
Hoover, AL, US
TWO ministers who recently went to Dubai as part of the president’s entourage were presented two Rolex watches. All such gifts are government property and are supposed to be promptly deposited in the state ‘toshakhana’.
Both honourable ministers, however, did no such thing and tried to manipulate things so that they could retain the gifted watches. The price determined for each watch was around half million rupees. The ministers, however, requested that they be allowed to keep these watches by paying a lower price and their request was agreed to — by the competent authority of course — and they managed to retain the fancy watches.
Needless to say, the price that they paid was a small fraction of the actual price of each watch. What a shame — especially at a time when the nation has been hit by the biggest calamity in its history.
DR A. P. SANGDIL
Lalamusa
I WONDER if the mobile US army surgical hospital recently shifted from Germany to Pakistan for relief work is the same on which the famous TV serial Mash was based. I am curious to know if the characterization of the serial was inspired by the real Mash.
N.A. KHAN
Karachi
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