Divisive local government history of Karachi

It is difficult to sum up any metropolitan' historical overview in few lines, but on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day of Pakistan it is important to analyze and debate on the dismal reasons of past that never allowed the society and state altogether to attain stability and prosperity.

Despite the fact that Karachi provides 70 percent revenue to the national exchequer and shelters more than 10% population from all over the country irrespective of cast and creed, it's share is meager on national benefits and policy-makings. In fact lots of socio-economic gains could have been attained from the magnitude and potential of the city by investing sincerity, dynamism and devolution of authorities, yet the fact is both provincial and federal governments kept the powers centralised, therefore as a result people here have always been deprived from their rights, civil institutions remained at halt from functioning and the local resources always exploited by the politico-feudal class of Pakistan.

After 70 year, Karachi is unable to shape up any real local government. There are reasons; at one hand the local government elections were hardly and irregularly held, while on the other hand the various local government systems that have been promulgated via ordinances, constitutional bills and amendments were politically motivated which have always kept the city more in a state of depriving rather to develop it. 

On 14th August 1947, Karachi inherited the Karachi City Municipal Act 1933 introduced by the British Raj. Through this Act the Municipality of Karachi had been given the status of Karachi Municipal Corporation with a Mayor, Deputy Mayor and 57 Councilors. Besides, the city had been made the capital of Sindh province in British India and later on after Independence was chosen as the capital of Pakistan. The history of local government elections inside Pakistan  begins from the regime of Gen Ayub Khan when (after abolition of 1956 Constitution) he held non-party local government "Basic Democracy" elections via an Ordinance in 1959. With 80,000 elected Basic Democrats he introduced a 5-tier system, however it was aimed more towards strengthening his Presidential form of government and concentration of civil authorities, rather empowering the grass-root class. As Municipal Corporation of  Karachi was demoted to divisional level and administratively subordinate to the West Pakistan Department of Basic Democracies and Local Government. Besides, the status of Karachi as the national capital was taken away under his regime and Islamabad was made the new capital of Pakistan.

After the Separation of East Pakistan, new legislations were being devised for the Constitution of 1973, when the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto  introduced the Sindh People's Ordinance of 1972 in which Karachi Municipal Corporation was officially restored and through an amendment in 1976 it was upgraded as the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). The administrative area of Karachi was also established as Karachi Division, which was subdivided into five districts; Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi South and Malir. But he didn't hold local bodies elections during his 8-year reign and the Corporation was run by civil bureaucrats. Also, the city witnessed serious ethnic marginalisation in his tenure because of introduction of quota system and language controversy.

General Zia ul Haq, after coming into power reviewed the system of local government in his martial law regime and vowed to establish this system on strong footings by launching the Sindh local Government Ordinance 1979 that lessened a bit the role of Mayor in civil functions compared to 1972 Sindh Peoples' Ordinance. Also, the local bodies elections he held were non-party basis which saw Abdul Sattar Afghani as Mayor twice in 1979 and 1983, and Farooq Sattar in 1988. These elections helped the city to, at least, evolve some shape and form of  local governance on modern footings.

However, after the end of Farooq Sattar' tenure as Mayor in 1992 the successive federal governments of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif didn't hold local bodies elections and Karachi was kept being run under the Administrators system, largely civil bureaucrats.  

 

General Pervaiz Musharraf after taking the reins of the country through martial law in 1999, tried to establish his authority by focusing on grass root governance and prioritising urban political management. Therefore he passed the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001, which aimed at a new devolution of financial resources and responsibilities back to Karachi city from spatial planning and development facilitations to municipal services. It also merged the five districts of Karachi into a Karachi District that had a City District Government of Karachi overseeing the administration of the area, with 18 Towns and 178 Union Councils, each governed by elected officers. Under this system, fresh local government elections were held and Karachi saw better civil amelioration under the Nizamat of Naimatullah Khan and large-scale development and civic progress under Mustafa Kamal respectively.  

After the departure of Gen Musharraf, the Asif Zardari-led Pakistan Peoples Party' government repealed the 2001 Ordinance and passed the Sindh People's Local Government Ordinance (SPLGO 2012) in Sindh Assembly, restoring back the Metropolitan Corporation and five District Municipal Corporations in Karachi.  Further on, the Sindh Assembly approved the Sindh Local Government Act (SPLGA 2013) that adds another District Korangi and two District Councils of rural Karachi in the city administrative fold. According to Sindh Government spokesman, the SPLGA 2013 mirrors the Sindh Peoples Ordinance 1972, but in practice it isn't. As the 1972 Ordinance empowered the Mayor and Metropolitan to have oversight in many areas like city planning, development and etc but under the SPLGA 2013 not only the above functions have been curtailed, also some important departments within the KMC such as KWSB, KDA, KBCA, Solid Waste Management and etc are taken away from KMC to merge with Sindh Provincial Government.

However, under the 2014 orders of Supreme Court "to restore Local Government System", the Sindh government conducted local government elections in 2015 with Waseem Akhtar elected as Karachi Mayor with depleting power and authority. That's why in the new set-up under SPLGA 2013, Karachi is the victim of ongoing administrative tussle between Mayor and Sindh Government. The civil and municipal infrastructure of the city has been ruined, and Karachi is in sever grip of multifaceted problems like shortage and poisonous of water, outdated sewerage and drainage system, poor air and hygiene quality, inadequate transportation and massive traffic jamming, pollution and depleting urban forestry, power and housing shortages, ruination of coastal biodiversity and etc.    

In democracy, the level of local government comes before provincial and federal governments. The basic services for citizens are provided by local governments and that's also a opportunity to the locals from all walk of life including poor people, minorities and women to contribute in the development of their communities and influence the decision-making processes that are directly relevant to their lives. Ultimately, that strengthens local institutions for better governance. But as far as Karachi is concerned, unfortunately that neither happened in the past nor seems likely in near future.

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Celebrate with Flags, yet Planting a Tree is more Patriotic & Far-reaching

The 14th August is surely a day to celebrate. At government level a range of diverse national programs, fireworks and shows are staged, while public at individual level love to invest their love in purchasing a series of independence day items.

According to last year news report published in DAWN on August 13, 2016, a sum of Rs 5 billion was spent on these goods including flags, stickers and etc.

On an online shopping website yayvo.com, 16 diverse independence day products are queued for selling, from Pakistan flags, flag pins, balloons, greeting cards, caps, goggles, arm bands, T-shirts to face painting supplies. However, the most important product is obviously the national flag which is hoisted in government offices and public places. While individuals buy and hoist these national flags at their houses making the numbers of flags buying in millions each year.   

In a word the zeal of nationalism is at its peak, because it is the best time to  show your love to your country. But keeping in mind the challenges ahead it is also a time to care about your country too specially about climate and environment. How about if alongside hoisting flags at home if each family plants also a single tree in or somewhere near their house on this independence day. Just guess how many millions of tree we can add on our land and environment and ultimately how much amount of pollution can be averted from the national climate sphere.

There is no harm to do that as a part of Independence Day celebrations. People have every right to buy and hoist as many flags on independence day but if they just spare the money for only one flag and spend it to purchase a single tree to be planted in their city, it will not play down their patriotism and loyalty to their soil. In fact that will speak their sincerity to their family, land, inhabitants,  wildlife, environment and socio-civics of the country.  

Also, a Pakistan flag costs nearly a Rs 100 in these days while a common plant either of Neem, gulmohar or any other indigenous category has much lesser price. Even, if anyone doesn't have space to plant a tree he/she can buy a small flower pot where an indoor plant can be raised, which is also highly beneficial.

The government should also adopt that theme as a national campaign on each 14th August. However, individuals are best judge of themselves. They should realize what is more beneficial and far-reaching to them, numbers of flags or a single tree ? And, what express their devotion and loyalty to their land more, the Green flag or green plantation ?     

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88% Karachi water is hazardous; Chlorine as remedy

Even after the alarming revelation by Water Commission under Justice Iqbal Kalhoro, that the potable water being supplied to Karachi contain particles of human waste, the citizens are left with no choice. Water is must for living and life on earth, how can be left out of human' basic needs, services and utilizations.   

On the orders of Supreme Court, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) collected samples from throughout Sindh, including all the six districts of the city i.e. Karachi Central, East, West, South, Korangi and Malir. The samples were tested for a detailed physiochemical and bacterial analysis, besides their results were compared with the World Health Organisation and the National Environmental Quality Standards on safe drinking water. And, its findings are devastatingly hazardous and dangerous for Karachi, where 88% water has been found unfit for human consuption.

The Commission report not only clearly states water being supplied to the city without sense of responsibility but also tells that clean drinking water is not available across the mega city. That ignited a  sense of insecurity in the city and citizens are worry while using water.

It is advised therefore people of Karachi must drink or use water now with considerable care.  Even if you drink water out of bottles, it is still not safe to wash yourself or brush your teeth with contaminated water. It can cause skin rash and allergic reactions because of microscopic parasites.

To cater this serious problem, citizens start use chlorine tablets. Although, boiling of water specially for drinking is must -- universally recommended -- but before that use of chlorine in water storage tank can sizably lessen the contamination in water. If one cannot get chlorine , just use ordinary commercial bleach which contains approximately 5% chlorine. For calculating the volume of chlorine use, keep it in mind that for every 1000 gallons, add 12 table spoons (180 ml) of ordinary bleach you use to disinfect in house. And, how one can calculate tank storage gallons, it is by multiplying Length x Width x Height of your tank to get cubic feet. I Cubic feet = 7.5 US Gallons.

There is no doubt that the shortage and quality of water in the city has been worsened due to illegal water hydrants, water theft, illegal connections and untamed constructions of high-rises. But most of the water supplied to Karachi have not been treated as out of 420 MGD just 50 MGD treated at the Pipri plant, 100 MGD at the North-East Karachi K-2 filter plant and 80 MGD at the Hub filter plant, whereas four filter plants at Gharo, Bil, Pipri and North-East Karachi with a capacity of 200 MGD could not treat water due to lack of maintenance. While chlorination to COD and Hub filter plants has reportedly been long stopped and ever since long and germ-infested water is being given to the people of Karachi.

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What is to commemorate World Population Day in Karachi ?

Over Population leads to numerous socio economic problems but the most drastic one is the environment degradation and climate change, which demands an equilibrium between population and resources so the basic needs of humans like food, health and other social necessities on earth can be fulfilled.  According to the modern rules of economics, there is no yardstick of population in any state specially after the rise of China as politico-economic giant. Important is the government' check on population growth, so the resources and means are accordingly managed, and  services and amenities are adequately extended to people.   

 

The UN and affiliate countries commemorate World Population Day (July 11) to enhance awareness on population issues particularly related to family planning, gender inequality and women empowerment. However in Karachi city, the Population crisis has diverse outlooks and drastic consequences. The phenomenon of population growth here is in the shape of rapid and unchecked urbanisation which is affecting environment and development sector.

Some years ago international institution Economic Intelligence Unit did a survey of 22 megacities of Asia. A part from Karachi, the other cities were Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Banglore from India, Beijing, Shanghais, Taipei and Hong Kong from China, Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka from Japan, besides Bangkok, Hanoi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Seoul were also included amongst the megacities. Thereafter the institution released the "Asian Green City Index" in which Karachi was declared the last in the list of "Environment Friendly" cities precisely because of poor air quality, inferior sewerage system and improper transport facilities.

Besides the other indicators that were cast in the Green City Index were energy consumption, emission of CO2, land use and high-rise, waste management, water accessibility and environmental governance in these 22 cities.  The report further insinuated the trend of urbanisation in the region and said that by 2026 half of the Asian population would become urbanised. The study said that Karachi being one of the world 'fastest growing metropolises ranks well-below average in the Index.

How and why Karachi reached to that level? The answer is given by another study that titles " Urbanisation, Gender & Violence in Millennial Karachi", and was conducted two years ago. The study termed the over population and unchecked urbanisation of Karachi as the mother of all evils which mainly leads the city to crimes and law and disorder. The study pointed out that in 1998 the population of Karachi was 9.8 million which went to 21.12 million in 2011 at a sizable rise of 115% and that drastically deteriorate the political economy and metropolitan government in the city. The displacements after the Afghan civil war and army operations in Waziristan, migration from rural Sindh and Punjab, flood affectees were all the main contributors of quick population growth in Karachi, and that changed out and out the social and demographic fabric of the city.

Their accommodation was an unresolved phenomenon and that further led to the growth of Katchi Abadies from 200 to more than 500 in a short span. Still, it is estimated that more than 60% of city population live without shelters. According to Study this insecurity generated lawlessness, weaponisation, ransom, extortion, gang war, street crimes and target killing in the city and in the due course the government played a role of facilitators of lawlessness rather controlling the law and disorder.   

Today, Karachi population is estimated at nearly 25 million, which may be doubled in 2050 if not checked. Experts says, thereafter administration and government in the city would become impossible for both provincial and federal government because this over-populated city is already facing the problems of traffic jam, shortage of water and electricity, poor sanitation and sewerage system, while still a sizable amount of people in the city are deprived of food, health and education facilities.  It is a high time on July 11, 2017 for state authorities to seriously think about Karachi before things get out of control.          

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Say "No" to Plastic bags to mark Earth Day 2017

Every year people around the world mark the April 22 as the Earth Day and show their support for environment conservation. Festivals, parades and rallies are held in at least 192 countries to demonstrate support for environment protection. This year more than one billion people are expected to celebrate Earth Day.

Earth Day aims to encourage people across the world to get more environment friendly, which is to mean increasing the amount they recycle, volunteering for local green project or go for eco-friendly alternative source of energy like  installing wind mills or solar panels in their home.

The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970 in USA. It was founded by former US senator Gaylord Nelson after he saw the enormous 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California resulting in massive devastation. In 1990, the event of Earth Day went global with 200 million people in 141 countries celebrating it under the Earth Day Network.

Last year, the Paris Agreement saw 192 countries agree to cut their carbon emissions in an effort to keep the increase of average global temperature to well below 2 degree centigrade above pre-industrial levels. While this year, the March for Science occurs on Earth Day April 22, followed by People's Climate Mobilization on April 29, 2017.

Globally there are six ways to mark Earth Day:

1. Grow your own food (or buy locally-grown produce)

2. Go paperless

3. Plant a tree

4. Stop drinking bottled water

5. Start carpooling (or take up cycle).

6. Invest in a solar-powered phone charger.

These are simple ways to conserve the environment and arrest the adversaries of Climate Change. However, in an under-developed country like Pakistan not every man is able to follow these measures. But if people resolve on this Earth Day to do away with a basic yet common bad habit of using Plastic bags, that will be a great service to the planet earth where we live.

Plastic shopping bags, carrier bags or plastic grocery bags are a type of shopping bags made from various kind of plastics -- in Pakistan mostly from polythene. Though, in developed world modern plastic bags are increasingly recyclable or biodegradable but unfortunately polythene bags in Pakistan are not only dangerous for health but they emit hazardous effects in the environment.

As estimated, there are 120 billion polythene bags used each year in Pakistan. A substandard plastic bag takes hundreds of years to get decomposed and as long as it remains in the environment it causes adverse impacts on our daily routine and also on climate. As they emit carbon dioxide and various polluted chemicals in the environment on dumping. They can be dangerous to animals which might ingest then accidently. They fly in the dusty air, block the gutters and cause them to overflow.

The KWSB believes about 80% of the total litter is estimated to be plastic bags and above 80% of drain blockages take place because of plastic bags. Burning of plastic bags adds more pollution to the air around in the form of dioxins and furans. The material used in the manufacturing of plastic bags i.e. chromium and copper causes allergies. Many people who are in plastic bags business are at risk to have many diseases.

Notwithstanding, as shopping bags are an important means for carrying goods and different items, therefore the quality of plastic bags can be improved through using less toxic elements and addition of D2W(an Oxo-biodegradable bag) in order to reduce the hazardous effects of plastic bags on environment and human lives.

In almost 50 countries, the biodegradable bags have already replaced the plastic bags, but in Pakistan its usage is very rare. The government must run a campaign for biodegradable bags so we can reduce toxicity in the environment. They have short span of time and decompose easily. They affect neither the land' fertility nor cause pollution on land and sea, in the light or dark, in heat or cold, in whatever timescale is required, leaving no fragments, no methane and no harmful residues and help to preserve environment.     

To be honest, in Pakistan we are not doing justice with the planet earth where we live. So we have no right to celebrate any Earth Day. However, we can still serve the Earth. If we succeed only to reduce the usage of plastic bag in our routine. 

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Encroachments in Karachi, Becoming an Environmental Demon

With  the span of time encroachments across the metropolitan area has become a major nuisance in Karachi. Although, it is still not a permanent feature but surely look an unsolved and endless problem because of various reason. Many anti-encroachments drives at large and small scale have been carried out but every time these bothersome settlements resurfaced after their temporary disappearance.

There is no denying the numbers of running vehicles including cars and motorcycles is on the rise in the city however, analysts believe the roadside encroachments are the main factor, which has made the Karachi' traffic and environs outright chaotic. And, these encroachments have increased over the years because of two reasons The first is the sizable growth of commercial and residential activities in the city and the second is the deliberate lethargy on behalf of the civic authorities to let these illegal settlements unchecked.

Encroachments have turned today into a big mafia generating billions of illicit rupees annually, which is the actual reason for inaction on behalf of civic authorities. Police, traffic authorities, the KMC and Cantonments staff  remain irrelevant to take any action against these encroached settlements in their respective areas and in return they are paid with hefty monetary benefits to let them blossom.

Just take the example of Sadder, Karachi. According to a recent reports a sizable amount of Rs. 450 million is collected monthly from the encroachment mafia of the town. In Sadder town there are reportedly thousands of regularised or legal shops, bound to pay government taxes and utilities charges regularly, benefitting state exchequer. However, there are much bigger numbers of irregular or illegal small business establishments where thousands of people come daily to shop old and new goods in cheap rates. These small business establishments is said to be nearly one lac in number only in Sadder Karachi, which include modular stalls, moving carts, footpath shops, roadside vendors and makeshift markets. Instead of paying any utility and tax charges, they just pay Rs. 150 daily at individual capacity for their space, which become Rs. 45 crore in total in a month, distributed in area police, traffic police and KMC authorities.  

The impacts of these encroachments and their illegitimate space are hazardous. Not only they occupy the roads which cause severe traffic jam and obstacles for pedestrians, but they also badly affect the environment and public health of the area, besides depriving government from a sizable revenue.

Though, the issue of road encroachments, particularly by vendors also a human face too, but urban experts are firmed that encroachment is a big problem in Karachi and is directly linked to traffic congestion. These businesses are a big nuisance as they seriously hamper traffic. According to the traffic police there are 26 "choke points" in the city where encroachments have made traffic management almost impossible. They include portions of Shahra e Faisal, M.R. Kiyani Road, Chand Bibi Road, Yaqoob Khan Road, Agha Khan III Road, Dr. Daudpota Road, Abdullah Haroon Road, Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, M.A. Jinnah Road, Nawab Siddiq Ali Khan Road, Business Recorder Road and S.M. Taufeeq Road. It is basically the responsibility of the traffic police and also the respective land-owning agencies to act against encroachments, develop proper parking places and implement them strictly.

Development and success of any mass transit project requires space' clearance and smoothness which is linked with removal of all kind of encroachments. The government must realise that making flyovers and underpasses cannot become a successful solution to improving traffic flow as the problem exists somewhere else.

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The 100-day Cleanliness Drive exposes City Mayor' futility.

After taking over the reign of city government, the elected Mayor Waseem Akhtar has so far appeared  legitimately unable and logically incapable to deliver the goods. Compared to his predecessors he has not given any significant performance and really exposed himself as an aimless rather powerless authority. However, for that he has to blame himself.

When the new Mayor took the oath some nine months ago he knew his limitations in terms of finances and administration. He should have realised that as the head of the city' premier civic body he first had to made his Corporation revenue-wise sustainable and functionally viable because in the absence of funding from provincial government for development works and municipal services, neither he nor the KMC can perform smartly. But instead in a hurry, he announced a 100-days cleanliness drive in city being fully aware of his capacity and resources. The result, the drive hardly bore any fruit after the completion of tenure today.      

 Mounts of garbage can be seen throughout the city. Almost all the main thoroughfares of the city, internal roads, green belts expose the un-removed garbage and wastes which is further growing on daily basis. Garbage bins are missing in streets and trash material was open before residents and commuters. The conditions of public and street parks are extremely pathetic and their serenity has gone away. The municipal performance of KMC was badly exposed in rainfall during December when the city was remained flooding with rain water for several days.

Not a single insecticide spray drive was carried out in the city because of which mosquitoes and other insects are rampant and causing diseases. Thousands of cases of Chickungunya were reported only in Malir for which hundreds of people lost their lives. Similarly in a sizable quantity, patients suffering from dengue fever and malaria can seen waiting in queue in every single clinic and hospital for medication and treatments. Overall the city is currently miles away from any health and hygiene standards

Several bitten cases from rabid dogs have been reported but the KMC never attempted any move to counter the rabid dogs and other infected animals. In four DMCs namely Central, South, Korangi and East citizens are reportedly feared rabid dogs in large quantity and complained several times to concerned authorities but no action has been taken.

Interestingly, when the KMC authorities foresaw that their 100-day cleanliness drive would not meet to success, they backtracked from their words and claimed that the drive was limited to a handful of selected Union Councils rather the entire city. Their excuse is hardly unacceptable.   

There is no doubt under the new Sindh Local Government Ordinance lots of civil functions has been taken away from the city administration and the powers of the city Mayor has been sizably curtailed. But still there are a lot of duties and responsibilities before him to perform and to assert his authority. The cleanliness drive from the new Mayor was a deliberate move to assert his authority. But to be honest, for the failure of cleanness drive the city mayor cannot be given any clean chit.  

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