Karachians up in arms

“To arm or disarm?” is the question confronting some well-meaning security-conscious members of our society.

It seems that my childhood fantasies will soon come true and I can now don a cowboy hat and strap on a double holster with two guns and act out the role of Wild Bill Hickok, Buffalo Bill Cody or the Lone Ranger sans Tonto.

Better still, I can now brandish a Magnum like Dirty Harry and tell my detractors “Go ahead … make my day” with complete impunity and within the purview of the law.

My grapevine tells me that a group of elite citizens of our city, along with members of the civil society (which makes me question: how civil is our society?) has approached the home secretary and stressed upon him that in view of the forthcoming elections and the prevailing law and order situation, the local government should allow people to apply for gun licences to enable them to protect themselves. The Sindh government may open its arms to the arms applicants and soon guns will be blazing like Tombstone until the local Wyatt Earp moves in.I am not an expert on the constitution, though I know that the right to bear arms is one of the amendments of the US Constitution. But then again, the crime rate in major US cities has no parallel, so comparisons cannot be made.

It is the same Sindh government which, a few months earlier, launched an incentive scheme to give cash rewards to political parties to turn in their unregistered firearms under the ‘de-weaponisation’ scheme.

During the Cold War, the Soviets and the Yanks (the USA) followed a policy labelled MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction), which prevented both countries from launching their nukes, which were pointed at each other’s major cities for over five decades, as both had more to lose than gain in the event of a nuclear strike. The closest they came was when Khrushchev locked horns with President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early sixties. It all stopped when the wall (Berlin Wall), like Humpty Dumpty, came crumbling down and the Cold War started thawing out to the relief of the world.

Back to the future and modern day Karachi: it is clearly visible that every person worth his salt already carries more than his share of firearms, not to mention the hoard already stacked in the arsenals of our leading election contenders.

Besides, we Karachians, or at least most of us excepting yours truly, tend to be extremely fiery-spirited and now, minor disputes will be settled by a gun duel. I fear for my local paanwaala if he puts too much masala, or whatever they put to spice up the paan, in the paan of the fastest draw of the mohallah.

Proponents of the law will argue that more arms will serve as a deterrent, whereas opponents such as a coward like me will rationalise that we are not responsible enough to carry firearms for it will create nothing but more problems.

Pakistan, Iran and India have nuclear arsenals which, although they have every right to keep, are a nightmare for the West for they fear that they might fall into the wrong hands. Similarly, too many weapons will boost the black market in arms giving rise to crime manifold.

So enough is said and done: thank you, but no thank you. I, for one, will carry on with sleepless nights or take sleeping pills come election time.

—Syed Ali Anwar

Gone swimming

Considering the icy northern winds that have been blowing across the city over the past few days, swimming isn’t exactly the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about recreational activities. For this is the season when people would rather curl up at home, wrapped in blankets munching on an assortment of dried fruit (even though this is a luxury considering the ungodly prices of cashews, pine nuts, raisins and other goodies).

However, this winter (of discontent) will one day end, and the sweltering summer of Karachi will return and make its presence felt. And one can be sure the KESC will try its level best to ensure Karachians live through another blazing summer with as little electricity as possible. Keeping this rather gruesome scenario in mind, swimming in clean waters is one of the best pastimes to beat the heat, while it also gives the body a thorough workout.

But alas … the status of swimming pools in Karachi leaves a lot to be desired. Of course there are pools at five-star hotels and elitist clubs, well beyond the reach of an average Karachian. On the other hand, the vast majority of privately-run commercial swimming pools leave a lot to be desired on the hygiene front and seem to always be packed with half of the city’s male population. But what about the beach-front? After all, this is the city by the sea! Well, the waters of this polluted corner of the Arabian Sea leave a lot to be desired. If you do decide to go for a dip at Seaview or Hawkesbay, chances are you’ll end up glowing in the dark due to all the wonderful things floating around in water.

However, if an unpolluted patch of sea can be found far up along Karachi’s coast or an affordable, clean swimming pool, there’s nothing like a refreshing summer dip. Just make sure the waters aren’t too rough and a life-guard’s on duty.—QAM

The unsung heroes

The white-clad officers called ‘traffic police’ have to confront hostile traffic all day and push themselves to the limit trying to tame it. I can’t recall any of them receiving an award, medallion, or even a word of praise in a public ceremony.

Unfortunately, we are too busy to appreciate the unsung heroes who work hard to make our lives easier, only to find themselves being conveniently ignored in the rapid-paced life of a metropolis as large as ours. We take away the self-respect from these human beings and then we are quick to complain on several occasions when they can’t live up to our expectations or get enticed by a few bucks because of their financial condition.

Apart from an upgraded security model, advanced weapons and more benefits, what they actually need is a frequent pat on the back, a sense of dignity and respectful treatment coming from the administration and public. Appreciation is the most effective method for inducing self-respect into others that may bring a positive change in the lives of our law-enforcing servicemen and subsequently that of Karachians. I am sure that it won’t cost much.–Haris Siddiqui

Compiled by Syed Hassan Ali

Email: karachian@dawn.com

Crisis management

Sir,

This is with reference to an advertisement released by the Town Municipal Administration in Dawn on Jan 17, 2008, announcing the establishment of a crisis management centre, in which the landline telephone numbers of three organizations (police, town administration and the Rangers) have been mentioned.

Rather than establishing a crisis management centre at the town level and giving telephone numbers which would be very difficult to remember at the time of crises, it would have been much better to establish this concept at the CDGK level, along with its abbreviated emergency number. This number could then be periodically advertised for citizens to avail easy access at the time of an emergency.

NAZIM F. HAJI

Karachi

Loudspeakers

Sir,

Is there any law concerning the number of mosques permitted in a specified area? Is there any limit to the number and loudness of the speakers installed in the mosques?

In and around Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block 1, modestly speaking, each mosque is fitted with at least five loudspeakers on its minarets and quite a few on the rooftops of adjacent buildings. The loudness at the time of prayer is ear-shattering.

Would the authority concerned please look into the matter?

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Karachi

Gratitude to SSGC

Sir,

On Jan 18, 2008, the gas supply to the entire residential block of Bantva House, Azam Nagar, Liaquatabad was suspended, owing to what was later found out to be careless excavation work being carried out for the construction of the Lyari Expressway.

Immediately after lodging the complaint on the same day at ‘119,’ one of the SSGC’s public relations executives proved himself greatly helpful in not only directing their technical staff, but also intimating us about the work progress after every hour. His personalized attention significantly reduced the period of discomfort to nine hours, which, in normal circumstances, would have taken at least 8-10 days.

In parallel to what we tend to experience from other utility services, this standard of customer service from the SSGC is a breath of fresh air.

ZAHID YUSUF

Via e-mail

Election security

Sir,

Dec 27 was a nightmare. In view of all the mayhem that Karachi has suffered, for the maintenance of security and peace during the forthcoming elections, we request the government to:

a) Arrange proper police patrols one week before and long after the elections.

b) In case of violence, curfew should immediately be imposed, with shoot at sight orders.

c) Control prices of daily items.

d) Deal firmly with miscreants.

e) Use the media to pacify public emotions.

For all times, aerial firing should be banned at weddings. If the ban is violated, the hosts should be taken into custody for two weeks.

FATEMA FUTEHALLY

Karachi

Lyari water shortage

Sir,

We, the members of the Mohallah Committee and residents of D.D. Chaudhry Road, Bismillah Colony, and its adjacent areas once again would like to inform you that we are facing acute water shortage since the last two weeks. Not a single drop of water is being provided to us. We cannot afford to buy water from private suppliers.

It is, therefore, requested that the matter may please be looked into. It is also requested that necessary arrangements be made to ensure unpotable water supply to our area between 8pm to 5am in order to meet our day to day requirements.

ABDUL AZIZ KHATRI

Lyari

Pre-poll rigging

Sir,

I would like to let you know that reliable sources have informed me that our opponents intend to rig the upcoming elections. They have deployed their militant groups with all sorts of light/heavy weapons under the supervision of their town nazims and the city nazim. As per my sources, the affected union councils in my constituency, NA, include UC2, UC5, UC6 and UC7.

The plan of these groups is to take over the polling stations situated in the aforementioned UCs.

Considering the above, my advice is to immediately stop all the activities of city district governments all over the country and transfer immediately all those SHOs who were transferred a month ago to their last posting. Also, before polling day and on polling day, the Rangers and other law-enforcement agencies should be deployed at the polling booths.

ABDUL HABIB MEMON

Candidate NA-249

Karachi

Money order fee

Sir,

Money orders are one of the postal services used to remit cash to families living in other cities, especially in remote areas, at reasonable rates. The money order charges have now been enhanced. Previously, Rs10 was charged for remittance up to Rs1,000 and Rs5 was added for additional amounts.

The minimum charges have now been fixed at R50. This arbitrary increase will affect the users of this facility, who will be discouraged to use it, while it will also reduce the revenue of the postal department.

The postal authorities are requested to review the increase in the larger interests of the general public and postal department.

M. YASIN

Gulshan-i-Iqbal

city@dawn.com