LACK of continuity and consistency in government’s policies and functioning is a very serious flaw that adversely affects society, directly and indirectly. Kamran Lashari’s abrupt transfer as head, Lahore’s Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) to Punjab’s Environment Secretary is a living example to this effect.
In the short span of five years, in his capacity as PHA’s head, Lashari had embellished several ugly sites of Lahore like a bride, without demanding a single extra penny from the national exchequer. He was recently transferred to Environment Protection Department without any consultation. He learnt about his transfer through a local reporter’s telephone call who wanted a confirmation about it. Lashari was blank about it!
He was not given any farewell — a very common tradition in our society. He was not rewarded at all for his fabulous work — not even a single utterance of praise! He left PHA silently — without passing his rich knowledge, experience and institutional memory to his successor.
His transfer was sad news for the citizens of Lahore and the adjoining cities who were the beneficiaries of his arty work. They have now lost hope about the sustainability of Lahore’s landscaping since they don’t see the vigour, enthusiasm, conviction, commitment, leadership and management — a pre-requisite — in the new team.
“I was thoroughly enjoying landscaping, embellishing, and beatifying various corners, chowks, roads and junctions of Lahore. It was a very creative and innovative work. Although, I was not an expert in city landscaping, but after spending five years in it, I had started developing a sense of it. I could have brought more beauty and creativity in it had I been allowed to continue,” says Lashari.
I came to know about Lashari’s remarkable work as well as his frustrations at a presentation — Beautifying the City Environment — that he delivered in Islamabad on October 24 before the Fellows and Associates of an environment organization, Leadership for Environment And Development (LEAD) Pakistan.
Lashari was made redundant as an OSD (Officer on Special Duty) by Shahbaz Sharif for showing the audacity of removing encroachments in front of his house. Surprisingly, the same Sharif handpicked him for Lahore’s landscaping and beautification. For this purpose, Sharif set up a new department — PHA (in 1998) and Lashari headed it.
Lashari had a huge task. He was working with an ambitious and impatient Chief Minister — Shahbaz Sharif — who wanted to see Lahore green within twinkling of an eye. Lashari had to deliver while facing a plethora of social, religious and community challenges. He was opposed from various government departments. But he didn’t succumb to the pressure and opposition. “I generated my own funds through fees collected by billboard owners and through other fundraising methods. I spent the money according to my discretion. I must say that I received complete freedom and full support from Shahbaz Sharif, Governor Mohammad Safdar, Governor Khalid Maqbool and the Chief Minister Parvez Ellahi.
“I had to fight challenges like garbage, filth, dust, smoke, electricity poles, wires, posters/banners, arbitrary work of road, building agencies, katcha roadsides, over-spilling drainage, sewerage, encroachments, haphazard parking, harsh boundary walls, etc. I addressed all these challenges within the same amount of money that is allocated to Lahore Development Authority.”
Lashari’s landscape work focused on softscape (trees, shrubs, ground covers, grass) and hardscape (road, street light, parking, billboards, benches, dustbins, kiosks, kerb stones, pavements, fence, bus-shelters, sewerage etc.) He concentrated on roadsides, roundabouts and fountains, new parks, community projects, sports, heritage and entertainment/festivals and changed a slum like Lahore to a paradise. The Gwalmandi Food Street was his brainchild.
“I tried to emulate the concept of Gwalmandi Food Street at Mall Road and the Liberty Market, but I did not receive a positive response from the traders. Whatever success I have gained is due to the practice of consultation. I did not rely on my horticulturists, rather heard every stakeholder. I would not have been successful had I not taken into consideration the opinion of civil society.”
Lashari undertook landscaping work on Main Boulevard Gulberg, Park Lane, Jail Road, Mall Road, Zafar Ali Road, G. T. Road, Ferozpur Road, Ghazi Road, Shad Bagh Triple Road, Access Road, Satto Katla Drain, Gujjarpura Drain, Shalimar Link Road, Main and Boulevard Garden Town. These sites give one a spectacular panorama that one sees only in the West.
When Lashari initiated the project, there were 36 fountains in Lahore — all non-functional. He installed 37 more and made all operational. Lahore now looks like a city of fountains. Lahore’s parks have been revitalized with some pleasant changes e.g. re-designed canteens, security, fitness units, study area, benches, public toilets, phone booth, music/band, wildlife, and water coolers. Just before his transfer, Lashari had initiated the construction of 20-public toilets as per new, open-to-sky, smell free, design. The successful completion of this project now depends on the local administration. Realizing jogging is gaining popularity among communities, Lashari constructed jogging tracks at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Wasanpura Scheme No. 2 Park, Al-Madad Park, Ravi Road, N Block Model Town Extension, Liberty Park, the park near Lal Pul, Mogulpura, the park in Jubilee Town, G & H Blocks Gulberg, Ahmed Block, New Garden Town, T Block, Gulberg and National Bank Park, Gulberg.
Lashari’s case gives us several messages. One of them in his own words is: “Government servants are capable of delivering unbelievable tasks provided they are trusted and supported by the government and the political leadership. Whenever this country witnessed some good development, that was due to the combination of bureaucrats and politicians. The politicians invigorated the bureaucracy, and the latter delivered. Decadence of bureaucracy starts with the decadence of political leadership. It becomes sluggish, inefficient and corrupt when the political leadership is trapped by such evils.”
Will Lashari make a legacy in the field of environment? “The freedom to act in this department is very limited. At PHA, I had complete freedom. Here, you are dealing with enforcement. There is no culture of enforcement of civil laws. You have to fight with several Mafiosos. Environment is a department where you have to make other departments work. The problem is, the other departments may not necessarily share your conviction,” Lashari answers.
But this does not mean Lashari has no commitment. He will be working on “creating awareness” about environment. He has already set up more than 1,000 awareness clubs in schools and mosques.
Lashari’s impeccable work has reconditioned Lahore. Although, it has gone unnoticed by the government. But he is happy since his work speaks for his efforts. It has left long lasting fingerprints on the history of Lahore that would be remembered and recorded by the independent historians.
LACK of continuity and consistency in government’s policies and functioning is a very serious flaw that adversely affects society, directly and indirectly. Kamran Lashari’s abrupt transfer as head, Lahore’s Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) to Punjab’s Environment Secretary is a living example to this effect.
