The Prime Minister has spoken about urban improvement and his aides at both the Centre and provincial level have given him a rosy picture. I invite the Prime Minister to come and spend a week in Karachi at a private house without official fanfare and see for himself the miseries of the people of Karachi. Let me give you a few examples of the ground realities.
ELECTRICITY: On an average the electricity goes off at least 3 or 4 times a day. And when it comes it is never the 220 volts, which the government had agreed with its consumers. It ranges from 210 to 230 volts, damaging most electrical equipment from refrigerators, air conditioners, musical instruments, computers and even lights. To break the citizens' back there was no electricity for two whole days, on the 26th and 27th September 2005 in the Clifton area.
All this KESC inefficiency is headed by an army brigadier. I ask you has the army done a better job?
WATER: The whole city of Karachi is expressing water shortages that have never occurred in any past civilian government.
Yet the whole city is supplied water through tankers but not through pipes. The tanker Mafioso consists of the tanker owners, valve men and the officials of the Karachi Water Board - right to the very top.
The head of the Karachi Water Board is another Brigadier. Has the army done a better job then the civilian counterparts.
ROADS: All of Karachi's roads are in a shamble. The roads in and around Clifton, Teen Talwar and Do Talwar are in chaos. The traffic has been diverted to peaceful residential areas with noise, dust and pollution galore.
The construction of the underpass by the last Nazim of Karachi was undertaken without pre-planning. He just wanted his name before he fades out.
CONSERVANCY: The roads seldom swept and garbage collection hardly exists. The cleanest city in the East has become the filthiest. Even streetlights are not on during the evening. I am not sure who is in charge. Hope not another Brigadier.
LAW AND ORDER: In the last week alone 4 or 5 people have been kidnapped. Half the number of dacoities are not reported, as the police themselves are the dacoits. There is no accountability in fact there is no governance.
Prime Minister for all this we pay through our nose. We pay water tax ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 18,000 per annum without any water.
We pay electricity bills in thousands of rupees without getting a regular supply at 220 volts as per KESC agreement.
We pay road tax by the millions yet there is not a single decent road.
We pay conservancy tax of about Rs 12,000 and over and yet we are forced to live in filth.
We pay tax to the government to maintain law and order. After all 70 percent of tax is collected from the people of Karachi. Do we not have the right of life and safety?
We know most of the subjects are provincial subjects but I must remind the Prime Minister he is the CEO of Pakistan and not Islamabad. Karachi too is part of Pakistan.
We know his plate is full and he has brought hard work with him but can he not transfer this to Karachi?
We dearly need his intervention. 'Do not believe what the problems of Karachi are, as they are told to you. Come to Karachi and talk to the citizens of Karachi at various levels and then see for yourself what is the truth.'
May Allah guide him to the path of righteousness.
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