Poor infrastructure in Pakistan is one of the obstacles in the path of development and progress
KARACHI: Isn’t it astonishing that 72 years have passed since independence, yet we have failed to construct proper roads and sewerage systems? This is attributed to the inefficiency of the officials who ignore complaints all the year around only to pay heed to them right before the announcement of the upcoming budget.
Proper infrastructure is important for industrialisation for the development of a nation. Poor infrastructure in Pakistan is one of the obstacles in the path of development and progress. Billions of rupees of taxpayers’ money and foreign aid are spent annually ostensibly to maintain proper roads and sewerage systems. However, little rain washes away billions of rupees that were invested in the maintenance and construction of roads and drainage. In developed nations like Hong Kong, the worst rainstorms cause minimal damage to the infrastructure.
It’s quite astonishing that it takes aeons to construct roads and install drainage pipes in Pakistan but in merely weeks or months that they are destroyed or clogged up. Have you ever noticed that many recently built roads get destroyed prior to the announcement of the budget be it on the excuse of installing a new gas, telephone, electricity or water lines? Ever wondered why is that so? Well, many times, the contractors and officials themselves destroy the roads and help in choking the drainage system so that they can have new allocations in the new budget. This, in turn, leads to the deplorable conditions of the infrastructure, especially the roads and the drains take the hit particularly during the monsoon season.
Muhammad Ahsan Shafi
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2019.
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