IN terms of areas of operation in which Pakistan has failed to do anywhere near enough, there is no dearth of points of indictments. Let us take up a mere two: the state’s lack of commitment to the welfare of the majority of its population, and its apparent insensibility to what must be done now for sustainable well-being. Examine the sad realities of Clifton Beach, the iconic face of Pakistan’s financial lynchpin Karachi or the ‘City by the Sea’. The subject was taken up in a long-form article published recently by this newspaper, detailing the findings of an advocacy group. Given the pandemic’s challenges, questionnaires and remote interviews were used to gather the public’s views (though a good number of interviews were conducted in person too, with visitors at the venue). Respondents included persons across politico-economic divides, gender, age and occupation.

The lack of safety measures and amenities such as washrooms, gazebos, and lockers, as well as extreme land and water pollution, were overwhelmingly pinpointed as major deterrents to a pleasurable day at the seaside. But also significant were issues of access: large chunks of land are being given over to housing/commercial schemes, and luxury recreation spots, preventing a huge number of the city’s some 18m to 20m residents from visiting what is rightfully Karachi’s jewel in the crown. Ironically, given the fears voiced over safety (muggings, the harassment of women and the lack of lifeguards and buoys delineating safe swimming areas), also rife were complaints of over-policing, lower-income visitors being questioned for entering posh areas, the erection of walls and barriers and the sale of tickets to what ought to be a venue free to the public. Add to this the ‘development’ that fails to keep an eye on the future, achieved through the collusion of state authorities, real estate players and wealthy vested-interest parties, and you have a toxic mix where the welfare of the city and its residents are cynically being sacrificed at the altar of Mammon.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2021