KARACHI: Ours is a welfare state. That’s what our political figureheads claim. Some leaders suggest we aspire to be one. This means that it’s the welfare of the people of this region that Pakistan was made for.

Leave aside the debate that’s been going on for a few months about what the provincial government should have done and the federal government should do to look after the demographically largest city in the country. When a calamity strikes, it’s the institutions of a state that respond first. Not in the case of Karachiites, it seems. The torrential and fear-inducing rains that lashed the city on Thursday required an efficient and quick response from the administrators and the institutions of the city. Unfortunately, for Karachi, it never rains but it pours.

As soon as the downpour became unstoppably thunderous, most parts of the city suffered power breakdowns. That can be understood; we don’t want people to be electrocuted – the thoroughfares, such as at I. I. Chundrigar Road and 26th Street in Defence looked like raging rivers. But for power to remain off for more than 24 hours in some localities is mind-boggling. Shouldn’t KE have immediately taken steps and kept its staff on alert the moment things began to look perilous? The same applies to the provincial government, the KMC and others who express their pain for the Sindh capital on the media with all their heart and soul — swift and effective action.

Four or five young men trying to cordon off a ditch saved several vehicles from falling into it

To boot, the next day, Friday, was the last working day for banks before the regular Saturday and Sunday holidays. It was also the last week of the month. Therefore the salaried class couldn’t have afforded the banks to give a no-show on Friday. Much to their chagrin, the ATMs stopped functioning and some of the banks had their shutters down for a few hours in the morning.

One can realise the technical difficulties that everyone was going through; but that was the time to roll up your sleeves and make life easy for consumers and customers. Not in Karachi’s case.

On the other hand, the extremely tricky travelling way back home from the office on Thursday, once again, revealed how Karachiites try and manage things on their own to the best of their capability.

At Seaview, about 200 yards before the mall, as vehicles moved forward in line on the right side of the road because there was less rainwater there, suddenly the traffic slowed down. Cars took a slight left turn to avoid four or five young men who were trying to cordon off a ditch created by the heavy showers with big stones and pieces of wood. Had they not done that, there was likelihood that vehicles would have fallen into it.

That’s the spirit with which the people work here; and that’s the spirit that our governments and organisations should invoke when they set out to do their jobs aimed at facilitating the people. Will that ever happen? At this point in time, and with the current political dispensation, it seems highly unlikely.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2020