KARACHI: Most of the households in Karachi lack essential amenities like water, electricity, etc., according to a survey report of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.

The shortage is equally serious in the matter of community facilities, such as schools and hospitals.

There are about two hospital beds per 1,000 persons as against five per thousand, the required standard.

Per capita water consumption is above 30 gallons as against 35 gallons worked out by the experts.

Persons per household and per inhabited dwelling for Karachi district work out to be 5.3 and 5.1, respectively.

The middle residential and commercial area constitutes about 4 per cent of the City, but it covers about half the total households. On the other hand, the rural area claiming three-quarters of Karachi’s area, covers only 4 per cent of the households.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies from Lahore,] Maulvi Farid Ahmad of the East Pakistan Nizam-e-Islami Party said today [Dec 6] that the results of the recent Bar Council elections had proved beyond doubt that the intelligentsia was capable of making a right choice.

Maulvi Farid Ahmad, now in town, was addressing a Press conference. He said the success of the present regime to remain in power for so long had not been because it had performed some creditable feats but because the opposition parties were incapable of forging unity amongst themselves.

He said, however, that some sort of formula was being worked out so that the present opposition parties could arrive at some agreement and launch a united front for the restoration of democracy and the economic well-being of the masses.

Maulvi Farid Ahmad said the Islamic pattern of life and Socialism were two contradictory things and those who spoke loudly of Islamic Socialism had no motive other than misleading innocent people.

Published in Dawn December 7th, 2016