Missing governance: Fix your area with new app

With the #FixIt app, residents of Karachi can upload photos of their neighbourhoods where they see government missing

KARACHI:

Before you celebrate the arrival of Netflix in Pakistan, rejoice that an application has been launched for you to be more constructive on your weekends.

With the #FixIt app, residents of Karachi can upload photos of their neighbourhoods where they see the government missing in action. From piles of garbage to open manholes, snap a photo of areas that need the government's attention and join the movement to wake up the authorities.

The idea was brought forth by Alamgir Khan, the man behind the campaign to stencil the chief minister's face next to potholes, broken roads and garbage piles. Khan and his friends have developed a mobile phone application to spread their campaign to all parts of the city and help get civic issues resolved. "The application will help us collect complaints from all over the city," Khan told The Express Tribune. "The app will have its official launch very soon," he added. The app is already available for download on Google Playstore.



Khan's unique campaign to draw the government's attention gained significant media attention since he first took to the streets last week. It certainly caught the attention of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, who reprimanded the city administrator for failing to do his job. "Is it my duty to fix manhole covers?" Shah had asked.

The government has yet to spring into action but Khan and his friends are done relying on the authorities to do anything. On Friday, Khan called out to his supporters on Facebook to help him cover the manholes in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Over 100 people responded to his call. The group managed to collect Rs13,000 and cover 42 potholes on main University Road. "We waited for the Sindh government to take the action but, as expected, we were prepared to do it ourselves," said Khan.

Defending the government, CM House spokesperson Waqar Mehdi told The Express Tribune that the CM has issued orders to the local government minister to take action against open manholes and garbage piles. Work is under way and citizens will witness better infrastructure in the city, claimed Mehdi, adding that negligence by any department or any officer will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken if negligence is reported.



Meanwhile, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation spokesperson Bashir Khan shrugged away responsibility. The issue of solid waste management comes directly under the district municipal corporation, he explained, adding that fixing open manholes is the responsibility of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

Complaints of harassment

Wide support for Khan's campaign has upset officials in power and, he claims, tactics are being used to make him stop.

Two days ago, Khan's father received a call from a man claiming to be a Ferozabad police official. The imposter told him that a hit-and-run case had been lodged against his car and that he should report to the police station. Later, Ferozabad police officials clarified that no such case was lodged.

On Friday evening, a Karachi University student, Shaheer, who had been helping Khan in his campaign was allegedly picked up by police officials along with his car, claimed Khan. "The police picked Shaheer from his house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 13-D along with his car and later released him at midnight," he said. "We went [on Saturday] to get his car released from Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station as his class notes and books for his exams next week were in the car."

According to Khan, the police only allowed them to take the notes but did not release the car. The police claimed that an FIR, under Section 550 of the Criminal Procedure Code (powers to police to seize property suspected to be stolen) was registered against Shaheer's car.

Khan's enthusiasm has not been dampened. "I am once again saying that I am not at all interested in politicising my campaign," he said. "My only interest is my city Karachi."

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2016.