I own it, do you?
It is needless to say that we, the people have lost all hope from the city and those who have ever been in charge of it. One straightens something and the successor twists and turns it and the result is what we see in shape of ill-planned and mismanaged projects. Broken roads, choked drains, vehicular chaos on roads, slow pace of developmental work and what not - the rant can go on and on but it won’t take us anywhere.
What we need is a strong initiative from the general public to resolve its own problems. Stand up and get things done if you really want to. The I own Karachi project launched around Eid-ul-Fitr by the City District Government Karachi aims to provide a platform for people who want to play their part in the city’s uplift. The idea is quite simple: you take up any area of your interest or which you think needs attention and then take ownership of it which entitles you to take care of it as if you really own it.
For example, you think your neighbourhood park is in a sorry state and no one does anything for it. What you do then is to give a chunk of your time every week and start working on it yourself. It can be anything; a busy traffic intersection that needs assistance, a park that needs attention, a dump that needs clearing or a barren patch of land in need of some greenery. The CDGK is also giving out special I own Karachi jackets and badges to its volunteers.
The idea behind the whole thing is quite good but one need not to have a pink badge or a yellow jacket to assert one’s ownership of the city. It is as much yours as anyone else’s who calls it ‘home’.
—Tooba Asim
Circus in Gulshan
In the present times of world-weariness when a fun-starved society has turned to news channels for entertainment, it is encouraging to see the country’s biggest circus in Gulshan, enthralling Karachians.
The troupe, Lucky Irani Circus, has come all the way from Lahore to pitch a tent in the midst of several high-rise apartment buildings.
Being an affordable recreation the show has attracted large crowds from different parts of the city over the past some days. Animal show, flying trapeze, walk and cycling on wire and the spine-tingling wall-of-death ride are the major attractions not only for children but also for grown-ups. Besides, one of the most brilliant performances is that of a juggler who plays with balls and fiery torches while balancing himself on a rolling cylinder.
On a recent visit I came to know that the circus was initially owned by a family migrated from Jalandhar and settled in Nawabshah after Partition. Later it changed hands and got fame for acrobatics from Iranian gymnasts who remained part of it until a couple of decades back. Started with a 60-member crew, the troupe used to travel from villages to towns in a single truck to put up shows. Now with hundreds of performers and lots of animals and vehicles the troupe stages circuses across the country round the year.
However, the journey to a fully-fledged circus company was not easy in the absence of any official patronage. But then, I wonder what really binds a joker to the circus if it’s neither remuneration nor respect that society offers him. Maybe just a noble act to please people? —HA
Crime spree
They say there are only two types of Karachians, those who have been mugged and deprived of their valuables and those who are about to be mugged. Fortunately, I belong to the latter category although recently I did lose my mobile as I forgot it in a rickshaw (onset of senility).
There seems to be no end to the random crime spree in the urban jungle where it is the survival of the fittest. The irony of the whole thing is that these despicable thieves, upon discovering that the victim neither has money nor a mobile, give vent to their frustrations by thrashing him.
Everyone is a potential victim these days. There are several colleagues who have fallen victim to these petty thieves and all of them narrate the same ordeal: that is the modus operandi of these gangsters is the same. They ride up in motorcycles and stop in front of their victims in groups of threes or twos and brandish firearms openly terrifying their victims. Then they quietly ask for valuables, including of course hard cash and cellphone, and calmly walk away.
Moreover, the hapless victims, when they go to block their SIMs and have new ones issued, are told that they have to pay the same price as the first one without any balance.
Karachi has become a city where life and limb are not safe. Most cases never get caught as police fail to even register a case much less investigate it. —Syed Ali Anwer
Who’s more deserving?
Suppose your car stops at a traffic light. Two small children rush towards your car. One of them is selling tissue paper packs worth Rs10. The other is narrating a sob story to you, pleading for money. What will you do?
Many Karachians face this dilemma on a daily basis. And quite a few of them simply roll up their windows and wait for the light to turn green so that they can speed away. There are others who take pity on the small child begging for money and hand him/her some change. How many actually buy the tissue paper they don’t need?
Yes, it takes a huge heart to actually buy that tissue paper – or comb or whatever small items there are being sold at traffic signals. Why? It is because even though the person inside the car doesn’t need that item, he buys it simply to give a message to the one who’s begging that earning one’s keep is more honourable.
Actions always give out a stronger message than words. And imagine for a second that maybe your action inspires someone to start selling things instead of begging for them. That would be a great boon for this city.
One might argue that even those who are selling something can get on your nerves. They might come to recognize you or your car, especially if you frequent the same traffic signal a lot of times.
And they might make it a point of making a beeline for your car only, and then try to get you to purchase the same thing you bought from them the day before. There are others who might, at times, take money from you and then refuse to hand over whatever they are selling unless you insist on it.
Most Karachians have numerous complaints about the menace of beggary. Here is one small chance to actually do something about it.—Hafsa Ahsan
Compiled by Syed Hassan Ali
karachian@dawn.com
Illegal fees
Sir,
My sister has done her matric from the same school this year. At the time of issuing admit cards to the students, the school administration took the fees of June and July from my sister. Just three days before her board examinations, the education department termed the fees of June and July from the students of matric as ‘illegal’.
I demanded that my sister’s ‘illegal’ or ‘extra’ charges be adjusted into my monthly dues of August and September, but the school authorities rejected it by saying that they have contacted the government, and it said that the restriction was only for government schools.
I have the reports of Mr Azizullah Sharif published in Metropolitan on this issue, as record. According to the reports, all private schools have been directed to stop their illegal activity of charging extra fees from students of 9th and 10th standard.
The school administration regularly humiliates many other students like me, and refuses to return the amount. I request the authorities concerned to kindly contact the school administrations of private schools and ask them why they are rejecting government directives.
MARZIA RAZA
Gulshan-i-Iqbal
Transport problem
Sir,
The private transport running between Merewether Tower and Gulshanhas strangely reduced with the passage of time, creating manifold problems for thousands of commuters, particularly those who are travelling for their jobs as well as business.
Previously, at least one private bus, namely Green Bus No 8, and two other coaches, Muslim and Mehran, with a sufficient number of vehicles were running between the two points to cater to the needs of the commuters.
The population of the said area is increasing day by day, but instead of allowing more coaches to run on a direct route between Tower and GulshanHadeed, the same has strangely been curtailed.
It is said the owners of one private coach service, for their vested commercial interest, have managed to have the services of others closed down and curtailed.
I suggest the authorities concerned in the Sindh government take measures to introduce new direct coaches between Merewether Tower and Gulshanto mitigate the sufferings of the commuters.
AN AFFECTED PERSON
Karachi
Roadblock
Sir,
I was on my way to Seaview and what do I see: the main road, where the Bilawal House or Zardari House, or whatever house it is called now, stands, had been blocked by barriers. As a result, cars going towards Seaview need to cut into the parallel main road and take the wrong way.
Thus, effectively we are left with one road where the traffic flows in both directions. I normally get mad when I see such roadblocks, but in this case I just started laughing.
The president of Pakistan doesn’t care about the convenience of his citizens; he doesn’t care that this could lead to an increase in the number of accidents; he doesn’t care that there is an awful rush on that particular road, especially on weekends. Mr President needs to safeguard his own interests!
I, as a lowly commoner, do not appreciate this ‘highly strategic security measure.’ All I want to say is that for God’s sake, at least be concerned enough to put some traffic police on duty on that road to aid us, the lowly commoners!
KIRAN AMIN MOHAMMAD
Via e-mail
Shanti Nagar
Sir,
Shanti Nagar consists of over 2,000 houses. The entrance to this big colony is from two sides: one from Dalmia road through Mujahid Colony and the other from behind the old power house, entering Block 19 of Gulshan-i-Iqbal.
The entrance from Mujahid Colony is very narrow and congested because of encroachments. The whole road remains encroached and the traffic often gets jammed. There is no check on this from either the union council nazim, nor from the residents’ associations, unions and social and political groups.
Nobody dares ask the encroachers to stop encroaching upon the road so that the entrance to the colony may not be disturbed.
DR ALI AKBAR DHAKAN
Shanti Nagar
Good work CDGK
Sir,
The recent ‘Green Karachi’ drive initiated and successfully implemented by the CDGK has no doubt changed the face of our city. Lush green landscaping, properly manicured saplings and cleaner and wider roads have started giving the citizens of Karachi something to cheer about. If this progress continues, we will be able to compare our city with Kuala Lumpur in the near future.
ARSALAN AHMED
Gulshan-i-Iqbal
city@dawn.com
Gulf widens between PBC, Frontier lawyers
Soon after the decision was made public by the PBC, the recently elected president of Supreme Court Bar Association, Ali Ahmad Kurd, announced a countrywide strike of lawyers on Nov 17 (Monday). The vice-chairman of NWFP Bar Council, Qazi Muhammad Naeem, has also announced complete boycott of all the courts on Monday.
While condemning the act of PBC the NWFP Bar Council has directed the entire bar associations in the province to abide by their decision and not to appear before courts on that day.
“The decision of Pakistan Bar Council regarding the suspension of licence of Lateef Afridi was illegal and unconstitutional and we do not accept it. This decision was aimed at sabotaging the ongoing lawyers’ movement launched for the restoration of pre-Nov 3 judiciary,” said Qazi Muhammad Naeem.
He has warned that the PBC office bearers should note that the lawyers’ movement could not be fizzled out with such tactics rather it would further enhance their resolve for the independence of the judiciary.
There is growing impression among the lawyers at the high court, except those attached with People’s Lawyers Forum, that some members of Pakistan Bar Council loyal to Federal law Minister Farooq Naek and Attorney General for Pakistan Lateef Khosa have been actively trying to influence the lawyers’ movement.
It was expected that the victory of Ali Ahmad Kurd as president of SCBA against the government backed candidate Muhammad Zafar would force the said members to mend their ways but the move to suspend the license of Lateef Afridi proved that they have still been working against the elected office bearers of different associations.
The PBC has claimed that Mr Afridi has used inappropriate language in a show cause notice issued to the vice chairman of PBC, Syed Rehman Khan, who is also former president of Peshawar District bar Association (PDBA). The PHCBA has few days ago in a general body meeting condemned the attitude of Syed Rehman Khan and decided that he should be given a show cause notice over the issue of suspension of license of PDBA’s President Fazlur Rehman Khan. In the said notice Syed Rehman Khan was asked to clarify his position within seven days failing which his membership of PHCBA would be terminated.
Following the suspension of the licence of Mr Fazlur Rehman, a meeting of NWFP Bar Council was held on Oct 16 which expressed no-confidence in Syed Rehman Khan and asked him to resign as a member of PBC. The NWFP Bar Council had claimed that as the Electoral College for the election of member of PBC was members of NWFP Bar Council, therefore, after they withdrew support form Syed Rehman Khan, therefore, it was ethically binding on him to resign.
The NWFP Bar Council had also charged Syed Rehman of taking away record of the plots meant for lawyers in Regi Lalma Township (RLT). Later on, the PDBA also suspended membership of Syed Rehman.
However, Syed Rehman claimed that he was the head of the lawyers’ society established for the RLT. He added that the bar council got nothing to do with the affairs of the township and it was the society responsible for those affairs. He had also claimed that he had criticized the releasing of huge money to a member of the NWFP Bar Council for medical treatment due to which the bar council was opposed to him.
As the NWFP Bar Council, PHCBA, PDBA and other bar associations in the province remained in the forefront of the lawyers’ movement, therefore, they have been looking at the decision of PBC with suspicion. It appears that these bodies would fully resist the decisions of PBC and their relations would further worsen.
The doctor-patient row
This was the message that came out from the uproar by the medical community in the twin cities over a recent case of physical assault on two doctors at the Federal Government Services Hospital.
The uproar took the form of protest demonstrations and sit-ins by doctors from various public hospitals in the twin cities. The Out-Patient Department of FGSH also observed a daily two-hour strike.
The doctors, under the Doctors’ Action Committee, threatened to observe the token strike in all public hospitals if justice was not provided to the doctors who had been assaulted.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), and the ministry of health were mum over the issue, whereas the Supreme Court acted and took suo motu notice of the FGSH assault incident.
Manhandling of medical staff by patients or their relatives has become an increasingly common sight, especially in public hospitals.
Although there are no statistics in Pakistan on the number of physical assaults on doctors and other medical staff by patients and their relatives, the number must run into thousands if not tens of thousands.
A major reason for the rise in abuse against doctors is because of the impunity to culprits, says an experienced doctor at Pims. Despite many known cases of physical attacks on doctors in hospitals, practically no one has been booked to justice, he adds.Rather, in many cases, the doctors who usually have no backing or support are pressurized to succumb to the demands of the families and relatives of the patient, especially when the latter are influential bureaucrats or politicians, as in the recent FGSH case.
While it must be realized that people are often under tremendous emotional and psychological stress within hospital environments, especially when death of a patient is involved, this is no excuse or reason to vent their frustration on doctors and nurses, who are usually overloaded with work and often misunderstood, continues the doctor from Pims.
It is time, he believes, PMA, PMDC and the ministry of health took serious note of the doctor-patient/relatives row and evolve measures to prevent assaults on medical staff, just like medical associations and health agencies in other countries have done.Britain, for instance, which has about 60,000 annual cases of physical assaults on doctors by patients or their relatives, has a health security management services looking after this aspect in all hospitals. There is a standard definition of physical assaults and a system for reporting them as well as cooperation between hospital administrations and local police to ensure prosecution of culprits who assault medical staff.
There is also legislation in Britain providing for up to a 1,000 pounds fine to those who cause a nuisance or disturbance to hospital staff. The legislation also gives hospital administrations the power to remove individuals from the hospital who are causing a nuisance or disturbance.
According to another doctor who works at the Social Security Hospital in Islamabad: Whenever relatives of patients misbehave with the doctors, it usually occurs due to one of the following reasons – negligence or delay in treatment, not being attended to properly by the medical staff, or death of the patient.
While we should ensure that doctors do not become victims of unjustified wrath, we also need to ensure that all genuine complaints by relatives of patients must be addressed and redressed properly, says the SSH doctor.
A housewife who was warded in Pims not too long ago for delivery of her first-born has this to say: The doctors themselves should exercise precaution and foresee the reaction, considering the circumstances of the case and the individuals involved.
Doctors should not only treat all patients in a just manner but also show their concern equally, irrespective of the identity of the patient, she adds.
According to her, some doctors don’t know how to behave with the public. Their dealing with patients, kin and attendants is often a major factor of misunderstanding. Many doctors do not share the severity of ailment with the patient’s relatives. They should act more humanely, not as mechanical persons concerned only with patients’ health and medicines, she says.
Some health institutions, e.g., Benazir Bhutto Hospital and DHQ Hospital in Rawalpindi, provide “ethical training” to their nursing staff and paramedics to enhance their communication skills and improve their behaviour with patients and their attendants.
But such training needs to be made a more regular feature and doctors also need exposure to such courses and training in human relations management, a doctor from DHQ Hospital was quoted as saying last March in an interview with a local newspaper.
In Britain, the health agency provides Conflict Resolution Training for all medical staff for the prevention and management of violence. This training gives staff the skills to recognize and defuse potentially violent situations.
While measures need to be evolved to ensure the safety of doctors in our hospitals, there is also a need to improve measures for the redressal of complaints of doctors by patients and their relatives.
In both aspects, the profession itself in the form of PMA, PMDC and the Doctors’ Action Committee should be actively involved in working out solutions in conjunction with the ministry of health.