Uplift projects under way

ELECTED City Tehsil Council having replaced the age old municipal corporation under the new set-up of the district government, city uplift is now much visible. Two big projects viz construction of service road on both sides of the GT road between Aziz cross and Gondlanwala Adda and reconstruction of Kutchery Road are in progress.

Private buildings, close to old GT Road, were demolished to provide space for service lanes. The part of GT road passing through the busiest business spot between Sialkoti Gate and Gondlanwala crossing on the other side has been left untouched because there is no room to expand the road. On one side is the overhead bridge with shops underneath while on the other side is the railway station, telephone exchange and GPO. They are situated just on the road and it would not be possible to carve a space for expansion of GT Road.

Work on the service road emits clouds of dust. The traders have voiced protest against this atmospheric pollution. This grievance was redressed and municipal lorries now regularly sprinkle water to lay the dust. Business activities, therefore, continue there.

Reconstruction of Kutchery Road is also in progress. A net of iron bars is being laid beneath this road. Because of its low level and inadequate drainage it has been a source of nuisance to people. This road leading to the district courts and passing along the Civil Lines is washed away during the rainy season every year. It remains submerged under water for days. Sometimes water overflows from gutter pipes and inundates it. Costly repairs go waste in less than a year. Now the road is being given a new shape with improvement in the drainage system to solve the problem permanently.

Citizens now look to other promises for city uplift. People need overhead bridges and underpasses along the railway line running parallel to GT Road through the populated areas. All development packages announced by previous governments ended with change of government without seeing the light of day. People have to put up with false promises and hollow claims. Now garbage is lifted regularly. The city tehsil council is headed by Nazim Babu Javed who has been a popular mayor of the municipal corporation and had first-hand knowledge of civic problems. One can hope for the better but it depends on receipt of promised government grants. Scores of city roads are full of cuts made by the utility services and left uncovered. They have developed pits here and there. City tehsil council has to overcome paucity of funds. Otherwise rhetoric would only cause distrust and frustration.

THE Gepco (Gujranwala Electric Power Company) claimed to have recovered Rs236 million in excess of the target during the first four months of the current fiscal year.

This was stated by Gepco chief executive Brig Mushtaq Ahmad Chaudhry in a briefing in his office here the other day.

He said that Rs5,706 million target was fixed for the recovery of outstanding dues from the private sector while Rs5,942 million were recovered — an increase of Rs236 million. He said that the pace of recovery from government functionaries was slow as Rs348 million could be recovered against a target of Rs710 million. He was of the view that consumer complaints were also being redressed on priority basis as 10,099 complaints have been disposed of during the first four months of the current fiscal year.

He said that more than 40 Gepco officials have been compulsorily retired, 27 were removed from service and 26 were demoted during this period after scrutiny of their cases. They were issued show-cause notices by the competent authority some months ago. He said that efficient and hard working officials would be awarded prizes and commendation certificates.

The other Ms Bhutto

AN interesting interview of a Pakistani politicians was broadcast the other day by Indus Vision. PPP (SB) chairperson Ghinwa Bhutto appeared in this Pakistani channel’s version of BBC’s Hard Talk, a no-holds barred interview carried out by Mujahid Barelvi, known for his pro-PPP leanings. The programme called Do Toak which lasted well over 45 minutes, was engaging in many ways. First of all, it was not being shown on PTV and this meant that viewers could expect some fireworks since the editorial policy would not be as inflexible and controlled. Other than that, it had an attractive and pretty articulate woman coming on screen, and talking about probably the country’s best known family — best known obviously not necessarily for the right reasons — with an insider’s perspective.

The murder of her husband, Mir Murtaza Bhutto, in September, 1996, put Ghinwa in an unenviable position. Very new to the domestic politics, she initially got a lot of media attention but with time, the sceptics began to doubt her leadership abilities pointing to the party’s dismal showing in the 1997 elections (although we all know how elections can be ‘engineered’ in our country).

However, in this interview Ms Bhutto seemed to have come of age. For one thing, and this is commendable (and being said at the risk of sounding patronizing), she was trying to talk in Urdu as much as possible. And she was quite animated trying to assert herself in a manner that one would not have normally associated with her more reserved, and perhaps measured, public persona. However, at times, she was forced to switch to English to make her point in a more forceful manner. The man conducting the interview, Mujahid Barelvi, at times asked questions that some thought seemed to betray his affinity for Benazir Bhutto’s PPP. For example, he asked Ghinwa what she would say to people who said that the PPP (SB) was not run democratically and that tickets to seats at election time were given in an arbitrary manner. As he asked this, Mr Barelvi made it a point to mention that the PPP had always given tickets to many of its members who had “suffered” for the party. This, to say the least, is a very debatable point since everyone knows just how most of our political parties hand out tickets, and the PPP is certainly no exception.

Asked a question about the issue of dynastic politics, probably with a general reference to the PPP and the PPP (SB) as well, Ghinwa Bhutto said that it was time for political parties in Pakistan to move beyond that simply because that was quite an undemocratic way of going about trying to run your party. And clearly, if your own party is not run in a democratic manner then to stand in an election can seem quite hypocritical to voters.

The other telling parts in this interview related to her husband’s tragic death. Asked if she felt any sense of solidarity or sympathy for Benazir whose own husband has been in jail for quite some time, Ghinwa said that she could not really feel much sympathy for people who had the blood of half of Karachi on their hands. And a question on Nusrat Bhutto also seemed to elicit quite a revealing answer. Ghinwa said that she had seen her mother-in-law cry when even her own children were not around, because they were busy playing politics with each other.

As for the court case against the alleged killers of Murtaza Bhutto, Ashiq Jatoi and five others, it has been going on for almost five years. A three-member inquiry body, headed by then Supreme Court judge Nasir Aslam Zahid, set up right after the tragic Sept 20 incident said that the murders were carried out according to a well-thought out conspiracy but failed to mention who the conspirators were. As for the case itself, it has been bouncing back and forth from the court of one judge to the other, with quite a few expressing their inability to hear it. Even five years, three months and nine days after the deaths of these seven people, the case is no closer to being solved than it was the day the sordid episode happened. As for Ghinwa and her family, it came across from the interview that despite the endless delays they still had confidence in the legal system. And this given the fact that one of the suspects in the case, out on bail, was a few months ago named to be the inspector-general of Balochistan Police! In any case, it is shocking and quite tragic that family members of all the seven men who died that day, and not just Murtaza Bhutto or Ashiq Jatoi, have yet to see this case reach anywhere near a conclusion. — OMAR R QURAISHI

Northern Bypass and Lyari Expressway

THE Northern Bypass was proposed by the Karachi Master Plan 1975-85. If the bypass had been built, all port related traffic, which now passes through the city, would have been redirected through it to the Super Highway. Since this traffic consists mainly of heavy diesel vehicles, their bypassing the city would have helped in removing congestion and pollution in Karachi. However, the bypass, for a variety of reasons, was never built and over the years the volume of port-related traffic has steadily increased congesting and polluting the city further.

In 1989 a group of public spirited citizens proposed the Lyari Expressway as an alternative to the Northern Bypass. The Expressway was to be an elevated one built over the Lyari River from the port to Sohrab Goth. Subsequently, the local government changed its design and it was decided to build the Expressway along the banks of the Lyari River.

Many professionals, NGOs and citizens of the Lyari Corridor, objected to the building of the Expressway. They were concerned that there would be large-scale dislocation of communities living along the corridor along with the destruction of business, social facilities and physical infrastructure. The number of families to be affected was calculated at anything between 12,000 to 25,000. It was felt by opponents of the Expressway that the government did not have the financial and technical capacity to finance and manage a relocation project of this scale for the affected people and nor did it have developed land at appropriate places for such a project. It was estimated that the relocation project would cost many times more than the Expressway itself. The opponents also pointed out the large-scale corruption and victimization of the poorer affected people that had accompanied all relocation projects in the past.

Another concern was that since the Expressway was passing through the centre of the city, it would increase environmental pollution along an already congested and polluted corridor. The proponents of the Expressway pointed out that port-related traffic was not large enough to cause any major increase in pollution. However, the opponents pointed out that such traffic would increase in the future as it had done in other cities where heavy traffic passing through the city on expressways built for it had been banned.

Then there were other concerns. Traffic by the port and inner city wholesale markets and manufacturing units (Dhan Mandi, Metal Market, Chemical Market, to name a few) required cargo terminals and warehousing which have developed informally in the narrow lanes of the inner city and wherever space was available.

This has congested the inner city and caused large-scale environmental degradation of which the Karachiites are only too well aware.

The Lyari Expressway would not provide space for cargo terminals and warehousing, or for the shifting of the markets which is essential if the enormous problems of the inner city, and of Karachi for that matter, are to be addressed. Such space could only be provided by the building of the Northern Bypass. Also, the Expressway was joining the Super Highway at Sohrab Goth. Sohrab Goth is already congested. The Expressway would congest it further, clogging up their main exit to the city. The Northern Bypass on the other hand, joins the Super Highway beyond Sohrab Goth.

Proponents of the Expressway have also pleaded that by building the Expressway they will remove the drugs and land mafia from the corridor. The opponents have argued that the mafias will simply move to other areas of the city if at all. Sohrab Goth was bulldozed in 1987 using this logic, but drugs and arms have increased manifold since then and much of it in the same location.

Many public hearings and discussions were held on the two alternatives and in 1998 it was decided by the then mayor that the Northern Bypass alternative was a better solution.

After coming to power the present military government took important steps to undertake the building of the bypass alternative. However, in June 2000 it decided to build both the Bypass and the Lyari Expressway. Consultants on the Expressway project are on record that 1.5 million square yards will be reclaimed from the building of the Expressway and on this the affected people are to be rehabilitated. In addition, it has been stated, though not categorically, that the Expressway will not be used for port related heavy traffic (thus it will not be an environmental hazard) but that it will be developed in a manner similar to the Canal Bank in Lahore.

Most of the previous objections of the opponents to the Expressway still stand but a new concern can now be added. The Lyari Corridor is really the spillover of the economic activity and related residential requirements of the old and inner city where due to a lack of space much of this activity is now taking place on the pavements and roads. If 1.5 million square yards is to be reclaimed for the affected people by the building of the Expressway, the affected people will sell this to the market operators and transporters of the old city since in the corridor land values even for informal possession can be as high as Rs15,000 per square yard. Projects for Karachi have shown again and again that the market is stronger than government agencies and there is no reason at all to believe it will be any different this time. Thus, if the Expressway is to be built, it has to be a part of a larger rehabilitation plan for the old city. It should be preceded by the building of the Northern Bypass and the shifting of the markets and related activities in the inner city and the Lyari Corridor to the Bypass. This will decongest the inner city (something its residents have been demanding for years) and make its rehabilitation possible.

A spokesman for the National Highway Authority (NHA), in a letter to the press has stated that these concerns, including the inner city issues, are all being addressed in the Lyari Expressway Plan. However, the market organizations, the people living along the corridor, the transporters, relevant academic institutions and the Karachi NGOs who have a track record of serving this city, are completely oblivious of these plans.

Karachi has a history of failed plans simply because the involvement, knowledge and considerable research work of various interest groups was not only solicited but their advice was ignored. Their concerns have always proved to be correct. It is therefore important that the NHA plan is shared with the citizens, academia, press and NGOs of Karachi and public hearings held around it before it is finalized. If this is not done then who will bear the blame if the Plan ends in yet another disaster for the city and for the affected and projected beneficiaries of the project?

A poetess of fragrance

LAST week I mourned a poet who died at the age of 82 but this week my mind goes to one who died at almost half that age, and that, too, so tragically. I am talking of Parvin Shakir, the budding poetess, in every sense of the word, who gave us a lot of fragrant poetry and would have given a lot more had not fate intervened so cruelly.

A drive down to her office on the morning of Dec 27, 1994, brought an end to her promising career. I have driven around in Islamabad and found the traffic well controlled as everyone seems to be observing the rules of the game, but, unfortunately, not in this case. It was at an intersection that her chauffeur crashed into a rashly driven car.

Parvin Shakir’s first collection, Khushboo, appeared in 1977 when she was still in her 20s. The spontaneous expression of youthful feminine aspirations in it attracted the attention of readers and won her acclaim. As a critic said, her lyrics are the reflection of the emotions of an eastern woman. Unlike some other female poets who rejected the idea of gender differences, Parvin Shakir not only accepted it but rather took pride in it. However, her poetry is not only about romance but also against regression. As Aitzaz Ahsan said at a function held in her memory in London, the change in her outlook and poetic expression was induced by the regression (in the late ‘70s) of the liberal, progressive and democratic traditions in Pakistan.

In the last year of her life, Parvin Shakir turned to writing prose and contributed a regular column to a prestigious Urdu daily. It shows her skill as a humorist and satirist.

However, Parvin Shakir would always be remembered as the ‘poetess of fragrance’, a term coined for her by her admirers. Like Shelley, she had a short span of life but left a lasting impression.

NOVELIST Ashfaq Rasheed, one time office-bearer of the Halqa Arbab-i-Zauq, and now the moving spirit behind Chaupal, a venue other than the Pak Tea House for literary gatherings, arranged a tea party last weekend to enable the local writers to exchange Eid greetings and welcome the New Year. He managed to gather quite a number of them including Raja Rasalu, Yunus Javed, Salim Shahid, Kazy Javed and Rubina Jilani. However, with dark clouds hovering over the country, the mood of the participants was anything but festive. The former banker and literary bug, Shahid Bukhari, who was also there, went to the extent of saying that under the prevailing conditions he felt choked while saying ‘Eid Mubarak’. May others also expressed similar sentiments. In any case, it was thoughtful of Ashfaq Rasheed to avail the opportunity of bringing the writers together and help them let off steam.

I HAVE just seen a book entitled Jalti Aankh Mein Bujhti Shaam. It happens to be a selection of poetry from the times of Wali Dakhani to the present day, of course, with some gaps. But I fail to understand how that title has been selected for the book; it makes no sense either way.

The person doing the selection is some Rehana Bostan who, I understand has an Iranian background. That she has laboured hard to produce this book is evident from the variety of her selection. Moreover, the poems included, at least most of them, are of acceptable standards. I particularly give her credit for discovering that excellent poet, Qabil Ajmeri, who died unsung in Sindh.

The poems selected by her, mostly ghazals, have been arranged in alphabetical order keeping in view the first letter of the opening line. Another plus point of the selection is that she has given the dates of birth and death (wherever applicable) of the poet whose work she has reproduced. (However, I have my reservations about the date of birth of Munir Niazi. It is shown as 1923 although I think it is 1927.)

And now about a minus point which Rehana Bostan has earned by including some poor compositions. For example, the geet by Dr Qamar Ara has no rhyme and did not deserve to be there. But I know that Dr Qamar Ara has a strong PR.

The book has been well composed and printed on quality paper by T&T Publishers of Lahore. The proofs seem to have been read with both eyes open as the typographical errors are almost negligible. It is also surprising to find a hardbound book of 176 pages priced at only Rs100.

NOW a clarification.

In my last column when I mentioned the name of Begum Haji Maula Buksh, my mind went straight to my friend and schoolmate, the late Ahmad Mian Soomro, who was her son. Now since the present governor of Sindh, Muhammadmian Soomro, is the son of Ahmad Mian, as such Begum Maula Buksh happens to be his grandmother, not his mother, as it appeared in my piece. I realized the mistake soon after it was published and now offer my regrets for the lapse.

Pakistan cricket suffered due to Afghan war, Indian obduracy

KARACHI: Anyone associated with Pakistan cricket would not like to remember the year that has just passed as the 1992 world champions found themselves trapped in crossfire in the backdrop of Indian obduracy and war in Afghanistan.

India cancelled a scheduled tour in January-February for three Tests and three one-day internationals and then broke the promise of visiting Lahore in September for the Asian Test Championship match. To rub salt on the wounds, in the aftermath of Sept 11 terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, New Zealand cricketers returned from Singapore on Sept 13 to temporarily put on halt their three-Test and as many one-day internationals commitment.

Thus, Pakistan’s appearance in international area was restricted to tours to New Zealand in February-March, a much debatable tour to England for two Tests and a tri-nation one-day series in the first half of English summer, an Asian Test Championship match against Test greenhorns Bangladesh and two trips to desert city of Sharjah. Ironically, the April competition in the Sheikhdom went ahead without India who pulled out because Pakistan was one of the participating teams.

The cancellation of tours inflicted two body blows to the cricket administrators. First, they were denied the right to generate revenues. According to an estimate, the PCB suffered a $30million loss.

Nevertheless, the PCB have put up a “brave face” and have not shown any signs of cash struggle as the lavish Gaddafi Stadium lifestyle continues despite claims of an austerity drive. But while the PCB have made little use of most of the precious funds, their commitment to infrastructure development remained on target.

The second and most important setback was Pakistan’s preparations for 2003 World Cup were derailed in the entire scenario. Home series’ would have meant more opportunity for the players to hone their skills, earn more exposure and experience. At the same time, the selectors and team management would have been better positioned to gauge the fitness and form of the players before forming a pool for the South African competition.

Individually, the loss was far from repair for players like Wasim Akram and Saeed Anwar. The excellent and match winning duo, who are in the twilight of their careers, were restricted to token Test appearances. Saeed managed to add a century to his brilliant record while scoring 162 in five innings whereas Wasim’s illustrious career almost came to a dead end after he managed just five wickets at 59.20.

If many suffered from limited cricket, at least, Shoaib Akhtar benefited. In the eight limited overs games and one Test he played, he was reported twice for suspect bowling action. The PCB, as ever, went full distance in protecting the career of the Rawalpindi Express. But as situation stands at present, Shoaib faces a one-year suspension if he is reported in the coming year.

The PCB has gone over-board in investing on Shoaib who has spent more time in the cosy atmosphere of the dressing room rather than performing in the field. And it hurts. In the year that has just passed, Shoaib made just one appearance despite touring New Zealand and England. That was a similar story on the 2000 tour to the West Indies. However, in eight one-day internationals, he took 17 wickets. Overall, Shoaib remained a problem child for the supportive PCB.

The year 2001 was also a year of contrasting fortunes for Moin Khan and Waqar Younis. Moin, appointed captain until the World Cup, was dumped amidst controversial circumstances. Initially, he was overlooked on fitness grounds but later it transpired that he was sidelined because of reasons other than cricket.

Moin’s loss was Waqar’s gain who emerged as an inspiring leader ever-since stepping in Moin’s shoe after the controversial tour to New Zealand. Waqar, who was not considered good enough by the selectors to make the playing lineup in the last assignment of 2000, recorded his one-day best figures of seven for 36 against England on way to capturing 41 wickets in 21 games. In six Tests, he claimed 19 wickets.

As captain, Waqar inspired his team to reach the finals in Sharjah and England before his men ended their reputation of choking in the final by defeating Sri Lanka in October. In three Tests under his captaincy, Pakistan won two and lost one.

On more demoralizing side, legendary Javed Miandad was sacked alongwith Moin after the tour to New Zealand. It was the second time in three years that Miandad played in the hands of the players and the administrators.

Later, Miandad found himself on the receiving end as Justice Karamat Bhindari began his investigations into allegations that Pakistan threw 1999 World Cup matches to India and Bangladesh. It was an irony that while all the countries wrapped up their investigations in no time, Pakistan continued in its vigil to unearth the truth which todate has unveiled nothing substantial except making Pakistan a laughing stock.

South African Richard Pybus was reappointed but his contract was terminated after three weeks. Yorkshireman Geoffrey Boycott was hired for a 15-day coaching assignment which triggered a heated debate. The purpose, as expected, was not achieved but the Englishman returned with pockets full of pounds sterlings.

The only light in a dark tunnel was the emergence of Taufiq Umer, Faisal Iqbal, Naved Latif, Mohammad Sami and Danish Kaneria as youngsters who, though it maybe too early to predict, have shown the capacity, potential and talent to take over from the ageing stars.

The present PCB hierarchy completed two years in office. But except the development work, there is nothing exceptional that can help them to move with their heads high. In fact, this year there was more confusion, contradictions and communication gap amidst the top officials. No serious consideration has been given to audit of finances.

On the domestic front, National Bank won the Patron’s Trophy title while Peshawar clinched the National Juniors Cup.

The 44-team Quaid-i-Azam Trophy became significant after Afghanistan made a surprise appearance.