Karachi is a heart of Pakistan
carrying multi cultural values from all over the subcontinent and the economical
hub, finance generator of Pakistan, generating 68% of revenue for Pakistan.
Sudden and rapid growth of problems are taking place in the city due to which
citizens from all walks of life are suffering, from business men to school
children and students. Main cause of sudden growth may be the result of
political rifts and differences amongst the political parties due to which
citizens are largely suffering.
Pillion Riding Ban:
Pillion riding ban was imposed for 3 days last year in November which is still
imposed. It has greatly increased the problems for the citizens and they are
forced to travel in rickshaws, busses and taxies unwillingly paying unfair
demanded fares. Knowing the problem that they cannot travel on bikes, drivers
and bus conductors ultimately demand unfair fares and rents to their destination
and due to which they often misbehave with passengers knowing that they
(citizens) do not have any other option for travel.
Besides the demand of unfair fare, other hitch is the increasing robbery and
looting in busses. It is becoming the usual that armed robbers get in the
busses, rob people without any hesitation and then get off from the bus at the
next stop, no prominent cure is provided for this problem.
New fashion of transport strike (wheel jam) is increasing and it is not wrong to
say that these strikes are being backed by the political party and mostly
strikes are called for political motives. Yes! The motives are political but
citizens suffer. A person who is earning on a daily basis won’t be able to earn
because transport is not available due to strike and cannot travel on a bike
along with his friend because there is a ban on pillion riding in the city and
the same goes for the students and citizens from all walks of life.
Citizens, who were caught doing pillion ridings for some reasons, were caught
and convicted in police stations and then later on released on bail. Youngsters
and students suffered the most from this as they were forcefully criminalized
and convicted to the lockups of local police stations with handcuffs on.
Literate citizens of Karachi especially youngsters and students are treated as
professional criminals in the name of pillion riding and by convicting and
locking them up, impression is given that the citizens including youngsters and
students are professional criminals. Instead of terrorists, murderers and
robbers, police lockups seem to be filled with literate citizens.
Few days ago, a student of 1sy year (intermediate part1) missed his exam when he
was getting towards his examination center at gulzar e hijri on a bike along
with his brother and he was caught and convicted for pillion riding and missed
his examination on that day.
Artificial Load shedding
Another core issue of Karachi is the lack of electricity, which is mostly an
artificial crisis increasing the problems of the citizens and frustrating them.
Karachi being an economical hub with thousands of industries and factories,
traders and businessmen all over the city is suffering due to the lack of
electricity as load shedding is being done during working hours due to which the
economy of city is getting down rapidly. Persons responsible for the artificial
load shedding should know that Karachi is earning 68% of the total revenue of
Pakistan. Enmity with Karachi is enmity with Pakistan and its economy.
Not only traders and business man are suffering but citizens from all walks of
life are suffering due to artificial load shedding especially students. Nowadays
there are examinations of all boards underway including Intermediate, Post and
Pre Graduate and students are suffering from long lasting load shedding and
their studies and examination preparations are suffering greatly. Besides all
these prominent problems due to load shedding there are many domestic problems
occurring which are becoming the cause of mental torture for citizens which is
increasing the frustration among the citizens. In this extremely hot weather,
lack of electricity is increasing. The lack of water and water supply in
domestic and industrial areas is being affected, further increasing the problems
of city and citizens.
The related officials are being silent and careless, with regards to the
artificial crisis. It is a clear indication that this artificial crisis has some
reason and might be a part of political feud from which citizens are suffering.
In this regard, City council Naib City Nazim and City Nazim extended their hands
towards KECS and offered them that they are ready to cooperate on any thing for
the solution of the crisis but KESC officials did not respond to the offer, may
be due to political pressures.
Land Grabbing
Land grabbing is another issue that is creating a fuss and disturbance in the
city. Land mafia seems to be very powerful with complete political backing,
taking away the lands owned by citizens and also government’s land. No one can
dare to resist them as they are heavily armed and have political backing.
Different gangs of land mafia clashing with each other disturbing the peace of
city and if someone tries to resist, mafia excellently give it the ethnic color.
It is right to say that these land grabbers and land mafia are using the ethnic
excuse to create a fuss in a city and are responsible for the ethnic tension in
the city. This entire circle of land mafia, politicians and officials of law
enforcement agency are responsible for the ethnic rifts in the city in order to
save the illegal lands.
DRUGS:
Use of drugs is increasing in the city and good number of youth is being
targeted by drug mafia.
In Karachi, some 2 million youth and children are at the risk of drug addiction,
as prevalence of drug addiction in very high in this mega city. A Karachi-based
NGO working on the issues of street children and youth reported to a reputable
news agency (The Nation) that in Karachi over two million youth are addicted,
and rest of the youth and children are at also at a high risk of drug addiction,
as drug trafficking is prevailing in every part of the city.
In Karachi the main addiction is of Hashish, because this drug is easily
available at every nook and corner of the city. The main trafficking areas of
hashish are Sohrab Goth, Banaras, Pahar Ganj, Azam Basti, Frontier Colon, Qaida
Bad, Chanessar Goth, Dhobi Ghat and Massan near Keamair, Umer Farooq Colony,
Mango Per, SITE, Muzafarbad Colony, Bilal Colony, Pehlwan Goth, Nata Khan Goth
and Bhitai Colony.
Drug mafia also seems to be operating with a political backing and law
enforcement agencies have failed to stop the rapid growth of the drug
trafficking in city. Drug mafia also has taken the ethnic cover and under the
ethnic cover their drug business is flourishing with the backing of some
personals of law enforcement agency and some prominent political figures.