Justice Hazik-ul-Khairi (Retd), speaking at the seminar on "Role of society in eradicating corruption" organised by National Accountability Bureau (Sindh) recently in Karachi, lamented the unbridled power of people with influence whom he termed as various Mafias.
In a speech laced with examples of his personal experience as Provincial Ombudsman (Sindh), he very boldly stated that these are forceful and tough entities who get away with just about everything.
The Hon'ble jurist mentioned the illegal jewellery factories in apartments and small stores in Karachi's Saddar area discharge lethal emissions causing asthma and tuberculosis incidents in the neighbourhood. He talked about mini Mafia groups at the old Sabzi Mandi which required a Herculean effort to get relocated on the Super Highway.
He talked about private school owners who do not care to register or give two hoots to the Education Department for fixing school fees and other charges. He cited many public places encroached by various sects to build mosques in a haphazard manner.
Moreover, or police officers who maliciously erect makeshift police stations wherever they want, without the property owners consent. To add to what Justice Khairi elaborated in his inspiring talk, may be added the Tanker Mafia. Who have irresponsibly ravaged the roads in SITE industrial estate and other areas, while charging top rupee for the usually contaminated water, they deliver, at their own sweet will.
There is the imported Fabric Mafia, a group so powerful, that even the CBR hierarchy is afraid of them, as evidenced by the various SROs issued by CBR having leaks as large as the Niagara Falls. Then there is a nexus of varied Mafia groups controlling the ten Dry Ports, whose wheels are lubricated by a highly-flavoured blend of oodles of money, lots of influence, and dosages of extortion and intimidation.
The government thinking that it is facilitating the businessmen, is actually causing loss of numerous jobs due to influx of under-invoiced, mis-declared, or smuggled goods flooding the country. Of course, in any urban area, innumerable members of different types of Mafia make life miserable for the harried citizens.
The so-called elected representatives duly chosen by the populace run the City District Government. But these untrained, unknowing, petty-minded representatives soon learn how to deal with the roadblocks erected by the Mafia, and play ball with the latter.
Once they assume the unanswerable role of rulers, the system starts working beautifully for the Mafia, of course there are billboards and hoardings everywhere, but how many of these are really legal and tax-paid? Go to KDA and try to get a file moved on merit. Without greasing the palms! The PTCL lineman still gives the same excuse the consumer got in the early Fifties that "pair is not available".
No use mentioning KESC and KWSB. Why regurgitate? Then there is the premier group known as the Qabza Mafia. Families have been financially and physically devastated trying to oust a Qabza group from their properties. Who also occupy graveyards, railway land and industrial estates. There are laws on the statute books but who cares.
The Mafia groups are the holy cow. Al Capone, the Chicago Don would have loved to be in Karachi circa 2005. With Eliot Ness, the US Federal Agent (who headed the team that made life miserable for Capone) as his partner and not his nemesis.