Spring with joy
Now lush green trees and verdant grass can be seen almost all over the city. Various species of birds can be seen and their mellifluous chirping can be heard at the Polo Ground, the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam, Hill Park, Aziz Bhatti Park and the numerous other parks in Clifton and Defence.
However, the best time to witness birds, especially if you happen to be an ornithologist, is early in the morning when the birds are out to get a hearty meal for themselves and their offspring who are resting in their nests.
But at the same time you are extremely disheartened to see city government personnel chopping down trees on Sharea Faisal. You find it extremely ironic when signs on city roads proclaim “Keep your city clean” and “Keep your city green” while the government itself keeps on chopping down trees year in and year out, even though it is well aware of the fact that these are a source for providing oxygen as well as lessening pollution.
Besides, when these trees are chopped down birds, squirrels and many species of insects lose their habitat. Many of these also lose their source of food as birds and bees get their honey from flowers and the squirrels their nuts.
It simply means that we are getting rid of all these living species with simply one blow of the axe. Human beings, too, are deprived of fruits.
The city government should brainstorm with environment officials and seriously look into the issue, lest Karachi is totally rid of its foliage, trees, bushes and greenery.
Anyway, it was good to learn that red roses and tuberoses had a good harvest in the interior of Sindh and Malir and were brought to Karachi to be delivered to all the flower shops and phoolwalas, who make bouquets and garlands from these. Somehow the look of roses and their smell is so soothing to the senses. All is not lost yet. We can still spring with joy.
—Mohsin Maqbool Elahi
Crime capital
In one of the recent issues of Newsweek magazine, Pakistan was declared a more dangerous country than Iraq and honestly speaking, with the rampant crime spree in Karachi, I will not be surprised when the city is declared the crime capital of the world in the imminent future.
There was a time in my sojourn around the world when I used to dread walking the streets of New York, Chicago and Philadelphia after sunset. But now it seems that one should exercise extreme caution when venturing out in broad daylight in this coastal city.
Just last week my roommate and a good friend went to withdraw a substantial amount of cash from a bank located in Defence Phase V. Upon leaving the bank premises and crossing a side lane, he was suddenly waylaid by a gang of three men riding a 125cc motorbike.
Two of the villainous characters got off from the pillion, took out TT pistols and held them to my friend’s back and front. They politely asked for his expensive cellular phone and cash which, obviously, under the given circumstances he had to yield.
The sheer daring of the trio was amazing, keeping in view that it took place in broad daylight.
Life and limb are not safe in Karachi and those who work outdoors are at perpetual risk.
Similarly, in another incident a friend’s niece was receiving obnoxious calls from a jilted admirer who had the gall and audacity to tell the girl’s brother that he would abduct her from college.
Lastly, in this same week yours truly lost his old and obsolete but very much cherished cellular phone to a quick thief who displayed a fast sleight of hand to whisk away my mobile from the counter of a PCO while I was attempting to read out a few words of Dawn to my friend.
In my case I attribute the cause to clumsiness – which does not absolve the thief of his crime – but what of the other two cases?
Is this why we pay our taxes? To be humiliated and looted by thieves and scoundrels? Two colleagues in the office have also been looted – one of them three times – of their mobile phones.
The government is responsible for protecting the lives of its citizens. But the way things are going I wouldn’t be surprised if vigilante groups are formed to quell the crime wave. I wouldn’t mind taking a scene from Charles Bronson’s Death Wish series of movies to become a self-proclaimed vigilante myself.
It is pointless to spell out the inadequacies of our law-enforcement agencies for
I have noticed that those who serve to protect end up as perpetrators of the crime, as in the case of bank security guards recently involving the theft of millions of rupees.
They say that God helps those who help themselves. In the case of Karachi, I would add God protects those who must learn to protect themselves.
I, at times, seriously think of abandoning my worldly pursuits and moving to the mountains and living a peaceful life as a hermit. But then again, if “wishes were horses beggars would ride.”
—Syed Ali Anwer
Hostile crow
Till recently, every time I walked through a street under a cluster of trees, a crow swooped down and touched my hair threateningly. I became scared and extra cautious while passing the street, but somehow the crow still flew towards me menacingly.
I asked myself what harm I could have done to a bird in which I had no particular interest. It’s a harmless sort of bird, generally a friend of man as it scavenges for a living. Only occasionally, when it is in a group, it may disturb your peace with its noisy chorus singing.
If we go by childhood schoolbook stories, it is gullible too. A fox, which was invariably cunning, swindled it out of its piece of cheese. You may, however, take pity on the gullibility of the genius who made a thirsty crow fly far off to collect rocks to fill the pitcher which had a small quantity of water at its bottom. In that story the crow – portrayed to be very wise – manages to quench its thirst.
I also tried to recall if I had ever molested other animals. I admit that once as a child I was amused to see a few street urchins tie a rattling tin to the tail of a stray dog.
The animal ran as fast as it could, with the pebble-filled tin rattling behind, across the open fields and far away out of sight.
I also confess that I enjoyed watching cocks fighting – usually over a hen – and bleeding each other before one of them surrendered.
However, they were never armed with lethal blades as professional cockfight organizers arm them these days. I never much feared dogs, however ferocious they may be. I wondered why a sensible animal would attack me if I hadn’t done it any harm.
My actual question about the crow was ‘why me?’ And I was satisfied with the reply as the bird made it clear that he was not particularly hostile to me.
I came across a man in the street and the crow swooped down the tree limb, but spared me and scratched the man’s bald head instead.
—Naseer Ahmad
Compiled by Syed Hassan Ali
Email: karachian@dawn.com
Illegal construction
Sir,
Take, for example, Gulshanqbal Block 1: the place is teeming with illegal construction of bungalows and multi-storey apartments in narrow lanes. They are a direct pointer to the working of the KBCA. Flouting all the rules, regulations and by-laws of buildings, the builders have used every inch of space to build as many flats as possible. All the enticements of gymnasium, swimming pool, play area, atrium and what not are thrown to the wind and massive illegal occupation of the required open area creates a cause of concern amongst the neighbours with regard to civic amenities.
At this point, the Supreme Court should take suo motu action against the builders, inspect each ongoing project and demolish all illegal construction.
CONCERNED CITIZEN
Karachi
Fruits of development projects
Sir,
A lot of development work has already been completed by the present and previous city governments. Although the situation has definitely improved, it is observed that people are not fully benefiting from these projects. The main reason is the violation of traffic rules and incompetence of the law-enforcing agencies to implement basic laws. Some problems needing immediate attention are:
The road between Lasbella bridge and Nazimabad Chowrangi was widened by at least eight feet on either track. No improvement in the traffic flow is observed as the parking of commercial vehicles is so haphazard that all the widening is blocked by them. One track is frequently blocked by buses, thus all the traffic has practically a single track for movement. Declaring it a no-parking zone at least in peak hours can solve the problem to a great extent.
The signal-free track faces a severe traffic jam from the Stadium flyover to Civic Centre. The two side roads joining this busy road at Mashriq Centre are the main cause of it. This road has also been widened but to no benefit. The traffic from the side roads should be given some alternative route to avoid traffic jams.
The COD flyover at Sharea Faisal has been criticized by a lot of people. There is nothing wrong with it. The problem is created by mini-buses stopping at its start. They block the traffic and cause consequential complications. Why can’t these mini-buses be stopped from picking and dropping passengers in the middle of the road?
Mini-buses have started stopping at the exit and entry points of each underpass. This should be discouraged immediately before it becomes a permanent feature.
Owing to the fact that the crossover openings in the roads have been reduced, people often drive on the wrong side to avail a shortcut. This is extremely dangerous. Police are watching all this without taking any action.
The traffic coming from the airport is blocked by a turning just as one descends the Sharea Faisal bridge. Millions of rupees were spent on a flyover interconnecting Sharea Faisal with the population across the railway track. Why can’t traffic be diverted through this route rather than crossing at its present location? This will give a straight route to the main stretch without any blockade.
ENGR DILAWAR HUSAIN
Gulshan-i-Iqbal
Clifton’s roads
Sir,
Sometimes one wonders what the Clifton Cantonment Board does with the taxes it collects from residents, which, if the size of the area is anything to go by, must be quite substantial. What, however, appears to be quite obvious, is that road repair is very low on its list of priorities.
One of the worst sufferers are the people who live and work on either side of the two streets that branch out from the main boulevard that flanks Bilawal House, arguably two of the worst thoroughfares in Karachi’s Orange County.
Here, what passes for a road snakes its way through an overflowing drain, a ditch, a small incision, a strip of track with the tar scraped off and another drain. This thoroughfare passes along a children’s school, a mosque and the Clifton branch of Karachi’s largest and most sophisticated hospital. As if this wasn’t enough, the hospital faces a stagnant pond infested with mosquitoes, which plays host to crows in search of refreshment.
It is time somebody on the board took note of this dreadful state of affairs and decided to do something about it. It creates an awful impression and is a health hazard.
ANWER MOORAJ
DHA
Dead phone line
Sir,
Despite my several telephonic complaints and personal visits to the Gulistan-i-Jauhar exchange, my phone number (461-3473) has been dead since October 2007.
In the meantime, I am still receiving bills, including line rent and charges for the Pakistan Package, and have paid all charges to the PTCL, but no one is listening to my voice.
Is there someone who can take immediate action?
SHAHBAZ AHMED
Via email
city@dawn.com
Of mobile phones, seat belts and headlights
The Islamabad Traffic Police, established in 2006, is probably the first police department in the country to have initiated the move for legislation on encouraging the use of seat belts and discouraging the use of mobile phones and full or high-beam headlights while driving, all for the sake of safe driving.
But the notification for such legislation, which the ITP has reportedly been pursuing with the interior ministry for the past several months, has apparently not materialised despite the very obvious advantages.
Is it because of strong resentment from motorists within and outside Islamabad who do not want such laws for a number of reasons, chief of which is what they see as unwarranted intrusion of government into private life and undue restriction on their freedom, whether it be buckling up or using the mobile phone and full-beam headlights, no matter what the consequences?
Or is it that some motorists view such safe driving practices as ‘too sophisticated’ or ‘western’ for us: why should we teach our people to behave as first world citizens when we are a third world country?
Or perhaps some question how we are going to implement, for instance, the seat belt ruling. Are we ready for this safe driving law? What about old cars that do not even have front seat belts, what to talk about rear seat belts?
But when so many other countries, both developed and developing, have already adopted legislation to ensure the above three safe driving practices, why shouldn’t we?
The ban on the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving was first introduced in some developed countries in the 1990s and this practice is now illegal in at least 47 countries. The ban has been adopted by these countries based on the conclusion reached by many studies that using mobile phone while driving impairs driving performance in a number of ways, and that it also increases the risk of accidents.
Among the developing countries which have banned the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving are Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Kenya, South Africa, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Zimbabwe, while in countries like US, Canada, India and Mexico, it is illegal in certain states and cities. In at least two cases, Portugal and New Delhi in India, the ban even extends to the use of hands-free mobile phones.
The mandatory use of seat belts is an even older piece of safe driving legislation first introduced in the 1970s in some developed countries, applicable initially to only the driver and front seat passenger. This law was also introduced because studies showed that wearing seat belts greatly reduces the risk of death and injury in the majority of automobile crashes.
As this legislation was adopted by more and more countries and states in the 1980s and 1990s, it also became increasingly applicable to rear passengers as well, with many countries now also requiring infants and children to be buckled up in special baby or child seats.
Some countries have even made the wearing of seat belts compulsory for bus passengers, e.g., France, Germany and Sweden, a stark contrast indeed to the dangerous practice still prevalent here in the twin cities of passengers sitting on the rooftops of buses!
The use of full-beam headlights is also illegal in many countries because they produce too much glare for safe use when other vehicles are present on the road, particularly vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.
Although full-beam headlights help to maximise seeing distance on some dark roads in Islamabad, this practically blinds the drivers of oncoming cars who often have to slow down and sometimes even pull over at the side to avoid any accidents.
Even if the ITP finally gets the okay to implement regulations on the use of mobile phones, safety belts and full- beam headlights, these traffic laws will prove ineffective if there is no visible enforcement.
There is no point if the new regulations, as with old ones like speed restriction rulings, are only enforced here and there with no proper follow up plan because in the end, we citizens will be on the losing side with the death toll from road accidents still rising.
To achieve long-term compliance on such safe driving practices, we need vigorous enforcement campaigns accompanied by sustained awareness and publicity drives like regular ongoing distribution of publicity materials to motorists at a wide range of outlets including petrol/CNG stations, mobile phone retailers, car sale companies, car hire companies, driving schools, clinics and hospitals, etc., issuing of press releases and giving of interviews over radio and television.
Enforcement campaigns, lasting for say a month each, need to be conducted periodically targeting at motorists who should be stopped for using a mobile phone while driving, not wearing seat belts or not dipping their headlights, and should be either cautioned or issued a challan notice.
There should also be some kind of record of motorists’ offences so that they can be fined more heavily for the second, third and subsequent times that they are caught for the same offence.
Until engineers can design smart safety systems in cars to aid drivers and prevent them from getting into accidents - which may not be too far off into the future as some companies like Mercedes-Benz are already working on such high-tech smart cars that can sense danger and react accordingly - we will have to depend on safe driving regulations and their enforcement by the traffic police to reduce and prevent fatal accidents on the road.