Sanity must prevail over the greed of a few because innocent human lives are being lost
LAHORE: The blast on February 23 in what was supposed to be a residential housing society in Lahore should awaken from deep slumber the authorities concerned and the city government to the dangers involved in unregulated growth. Who is responsible for the loss of human lives, apart from terrorists, for the lack of diligence in giving permission to the unregulated expansion of commercial areas, far more expansive than required to meet the genuine needs of residents? Can anybody justify granting permission for building petrol pumps surrounded on all sides by residences in DHA?
There should be some sense in determining the legitimate requirement of commercial areas in a residential society to serve residents and not become popular food streets attracting people from all over the city. How can competent authorities justify giving permission to a popular fast food chain within an area declared a community park (Sheeba Park) restricted for exclusive use by DHA Lahore residents?
When officers who are required to perform the role of housing society regulators have conflicts of interest and are blinded by greed for commercial gains to acquire multiple plots, security become a casualty. No lessons have been learnt from the terrorist attack in the commercial area near Wagah border in 2014, frequented by citizens and tourists to witness the daily border flag ceremony before sunset.
Why has permission been given for private housing societies owned by powerful members of the land mafia in areas which are in the proximity of the border with India? Some of this area was what constituted our second defence line near Lahore in the 1965 War where valiant sons of this soil, like Major Aziz Bhatti, laid down their lives. The security of Gaddafi Stadium and Hockey Stadium in Gulberg have been compromised by the emergence of eateries and caterers open to the general public. Residential plots on main roads, like Gulberg Main Boulevard, are being re-designated as commercial plots without evaluating whether the road infrastructure can meet the demand. This is the mess being witnessed in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad. Greed and conflict of interest of DHA Karachi showed its ugly face in allotment of over 220 plots in Phase 8, later converted to commercial areas. Sanity must prevail over the greed of a few because innocent human lives are being lost.
Malik T Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2017.
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