Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of Bagh-e-Ibn-e-Qasim, a modern park in Clifton area of Karachi, President Pervez Musharraf also gave the tidings of construction of a 1947 feet high building in the metropolis, one of the tallest in the world.
It will be noted that he made this heart-warming observation while referring to the projects planned for development of the beach and islands in the city's coastal firmament. Viewed in the perspective of world-wide thrust on catching up fast with high-rise buildings in the advanced countries of the West, understandable should be Pakistan's aspirations in this regard.
This has reference, in particular, to the example already set by Dubai in our near neighbourhood, as well as to the fast developing countries in the Far East. As for our quest for seaside skyscrapers, it can be attributed to the fascination for the Dubai model which has come to be followed the world over, more so in the developing countries.
Needless to point out, it is already discernible in the schemes linked to the development of the Gwadar deep-sea port too. The reason for this should not be too far to seek either. For one thing, it will be noted that imposing high rise coastal buildings, with most modern features, are apt to attract foreign investment, among other things, from ideas of assured profit generation.
This may be why the President pointed out that land for the project would be reclaimed from the sea, while stating that Pakistan must show the world that it is a progressive, dynamic country and that "we are second to none...and know what progress and prosperity mean."
Reference, in this regard, may also made to his observation that with the development projects like these, Karachi will attain a higher stature in the world not only for Pakistan but also for the region as well as internationally.
Of course, the convincing manner in which he elaborated on the scheme should go a long way to inspire confidence among discriminating investors.
This should be all the more so because it will appear from his other remarks that he is not unmindful of the consequences of neglect of basic prerequisites of such prestigious projects.
He assured that in places trees have to be cut during the development process, twice more would be planted. More to this, he also said that because of development there would be no problem for the environment, pointing out that treatment plants are being installed so that the water drained into the sea becomes clean. In the same context can be viewed his stress on recovery of the mangroves forests and advice to environmentalists to have their focus duly corrected.
However, there is a great deal more to threats from hasty construction than would meet the eye in safeguarding environment alone. For, as the President also noted, environment safety must be ensured but without interfering with nation's economic growth or retarding the pace of development and its adjoining areas. It will thus bring to the fore the need for putting in place the appropriate infrastructure as warranted by the complexities of the projects in focus.
It will be recalled that the Islamabad Police had registered cases against the builders, contractors, and the architect, besides concerned CDA officials, in the aftermath of collapse of the newly built Margalla Tower. The builders, contractors, and the architect were alleged to have used substandard material in its construction.
However, indifference to building laws, from the very beginning of emphasis on vertical approach to housing for the homeless, way back in the 1970s, has come to stay as a tradition rather than deviation. For although stray efforts have been made from time to time to curb this tendency, they left a great deal to be desired.
The need for making necessary changes in the building laws and regulations was felt in early 1970s in the wake of collapse of two prestigious high-rise apartment buildings in Karachi, followed by other similar tragedies.
Thankfully, it prompted formation of a building code with a marked focus on seismic zoning and stress on preliminary requirement of soil testing. However, that initiative remained confined to Karachi, and no thought seems to have gone into extending it to other parts of the country.
Worse, even Islamabad remained deprived of any well-defined building code until the 2005 disaster that flattened even Muzaffarabad, the capital city of Azad Kashmir. The only consolation, in this regard, was the federal cabinet's decision to review the building rules and regulations. How far it has been pursued yet remains to be seen.
For strength and safety of infrastructure has a distinct role of its own in the economic development of a country. Encompassing a whole wide range requirements, including those related to water, communication, drainage, electrification, and environment safety, an integrated system of infrastructure building and its after-care, has to be evolved on priority basis.