Even if Qingqis cause minor inconveniences to motorists, they should be willing to put up with it in larger interests.
KARACHI: With the recent ban in Karachi on Qingqi rickshaws, one must remember that they were first introduced in Lahore under the President Rozgar Scheme in 2001, so how could these vehicles be illegal, and if they indeed are illegal, action should have been taken against the people who cleared the scheme back in 2001. How come it took the authorities 12 years to decide that the rickshaws are illegal? Do all the private and public service vehicles plying the roads of Karachi meet legal requirements? How will the thousands of Qingqi rickshaw drivers, who suddenly find themselves jobless, support their families?
What about the thousands of passengers, men, women and children, who are suddenly left without a convenient and economical means of transport? Not many of them can afford to travel in taxis or two-seater auto-rickshaws, whose fares would go even higher, taking advantage of qingqis’ stoppage. As it is, the over-loaded mini-buses plying the city roads are too dangerous to get on and off from, and are also too few, forcing people to travel perched precariously on rooftops of buses.
For years, the government has been talking about surface and underground trains for the city, but nothing has been finalised yet, despite the fact that funding was made available by the Japanese government by way of long-term loans at negligible interest rates. If the government cannot create additional facilities for the people, it should, at least, have the decency to not withdraw whatever little is made available through the efforts of fellow citizens.
Even if the Qingqis cause minor inconveniences to motorists, they should be willing to put up with them in the larger interests of the community. After all, we are a poor country where people routinely bear lots of irritations, like excessive power cuts, insecurity of life and property, rising prices of all commodities and services, shopkeepers taking over footpaths, and even part of the roads, to display their wares, etc., making pedestrians’ lives difficult. So, why just pick on Qingqi drivers?
This poor country has been made poorer by our leaders, nearly all of whom are busy buying properties abroad and maintaining fat bank accounts there. While looking after their own interests and those of their family members, friends and associates, they should also spare a thought for others. Just how far are our leaders prepared to go in testing the nerves and patience of the people?
SRH Hashmi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2013.
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