For the last few months, Karachi has been in the grip of some so-called development projects, probably as part of an election campaign related to the local government polls. These projects have made the city of Quaid even uglier and even more painful for the commuters.
Five or six months before any sort of elections, such development work gets started, making the people think their fortunes are about to change. But the reality is different. People with the ‘right’ connections mint money through such projects, and the politicians get votes on election day.
As for the people, they are left high and dry as the ‘development projects’ are stopped midway almost as soon as the elections are over, leaving a mess for the common man to bear. Or, if the projects ever get completed, some utility service or the other dig up roads for one reason or the other, destroying whatever ‘development’ had taken place.
The solution is that all development work should be done by the municipality so that they may work sustainably, and the responsibilities may also be determined when things go wrong as they often do.
SYED HASNAIN MOSIVI
KARACHI
