Jinnah’s birthplace — flooded and forgotten

Like every year, Wazir Mansion surrounded by rainwater, sewage in absence of proper drainage

KARACHI:

As the second spell of monsoon rains lashed Karachi on Friday, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's birthplace, Wazir Mansion in Kharadar, lay forgotten amid rainwater and sewage, telling a tale of neglect.

The heavy downpour submerged the Father of the Nation's stately home, sinking it in not just rainwater but also sewage water, and presenting a revolting picture giving off a foul smell.

Relevant authorities, however, seemed least bothered by the putrid condition of the heritage site.

Neither Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah nor Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar have issued any orders for the immediate draining of the water flooding the surroundings of Wazir Mansion.

In the face of this obliviousness, the Sindh government and local authorities' claims of taking required measures to deal with monsoonal rains fall flat.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Haleem Adil Shaikh visited the site and slammed the Pakistan Peoples Party-led provincial government for neglecting the upkeep of Wazir Mansion.

Throughout the year, Jinnah's birthplace rests amid piles of garbage and streets inundated by sewage water, reeking of authorities' neglect.

According to area residents, the situation worsens during the monsoon season due to the lack of a proper drainage system in the locality. Consequently, monsoon rains result in the flooding of the landmark.

Besides, in 2007, a portion of the second-floor balcony of Wazir Mansion reportedly collapsed after weakening due to seepage.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2020.