An annual disaster

Considering that Pakistan — as well as other countries in the region — experiences the effects of the monsoon every year we seem singularly ill prepared, both in the rural and urban environments. Two places exemplify this — Karachi and Chitral. One is the economic hub of the country and has the largest urban population, the other is a remote and beautiful valley that is thinly populated but suffers disproportionate damage every time there is a deluge. Raging torrents have swept away a hamlet near the Afghan border and at least 29 have died with another 26 missing, their bodies probably swept into Afghanistan. Altogether 37 houses were destroyed and another 48 damaged. The village of Ursoon may never recover such is the scale of the devastation, and short of completely depopulating the most vulnerable parts of Chitral, there is in reality little that can be done for the population beyond prompt response to this and future events.

The same cannot be said for Karachi. The monsoon arrived in the metropolis on June 28 and the traditional mayhem ensued. Rainfall tripped 150 feeders — 30 were brought back on line quite quickly — and there was localised flooding as drains and sewers backed up often blocked by uncollected rubbish that accumulates in many parts of the city. There were no reports of any fatalities unlike Chitral, but the damage to infrastructure was entirely avoidable. Simply put, the city does not keep itself clean. A part of the problem is that the city administration does not fulfil its duties adequately, and another part is an irresponsible population that cares not where it throws its rubbish, pollutes and eventually blocks nullahs and works hand-in-glove with an inept and badly managed administration to deliver a city environment that can only be described as squalid. There is no obvious sense of civic pride on the part of the inhabitants, and the administration is unwilling or unable to do anything beyond the very basic to keep the city running during the monsoon season. The people of Chitral are much to be pitied as what they suffer is not their fault, but perhaps less so for Karachi which needs to wash its face a little more regularly.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2016.

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