Helpless residents of Karachi's DHA cry for help

KARACHI:

First came the spell of heavy monsoon rain that left much of the port city waterlogged. Then came the endless suffering.

After rains lashed Karachi last week millions of residents were exposed to urban flooding. While some areas have recovered and others are on the path to recovery, the residents of the city's upmarket Defence Housing Authority area are still waiting for help.

Home to those who operate in the top tier of the pecking order, including the President of Pakistan, the current provincial chief minister, and a long list of power players in the city, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) can easily qualify as a disaster zone after the rains that paralyzed much of the city.

Irked residents, who claim they pay the highest property taxes in town, said the area is neglected by those who are at the helm of affairs at DHA and the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC).

"The house that I've lived in all my life, the house that I've paid heavy taxes for, the house that has all our memories, is flooded today," said Sughra, a resident of DHA Phase 4. Sughra is an elderly woman, who suffers from a chronic respiratory condition that requires extra oxygen to meet breathing needs. Her daughter said their house is flooded and everything at ground level is damaged.

Across much of DHA, streets and homes were flooded with rain and sewage water last week. The drainage and sewage systems, residents believe, was either already clogged or never functional. A realtor who operates from DHA Phase 2 commercial market said the sprawling upscale area, which spans over 9,000 acres, has the most expensive properties in town but fewer facilities for its residents. The majority of its 81,500 residents are retired armed forces officers, politicians, bureaucrats, and capitalists.

Ghazala Dar, a resident of DHA Phase 6 said, all she could see around her house was water. "Water level in the area was waist-high at one point. Vehicles were submerged and most houses were flooded," claimed the upset DHA resident.

Taking jabs at the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC), which governs the DHA area, Dar said, "You can never meet any senior ranking officer at the CBC and DHA offices. It seems they are above everything, everyone, and of course accountability doesn't apply." Dar is a regular visitor at the CBC office. She pays for the CBC tankers because the water supply in her area is inconsistent and barely meets the monthly requirements.

While the DHA serves as the administrative authority only, the CBC is responsible for cleaning storm-water drains, Nullahs, de-silting of the sewerage pumping station, and cleaning of choked sewerage lines.

On her last visit to the CBC shortly after the first downpour, Dar said the office was flooded. She had to wade through knee-deep water to get to the bank inside the office.

Scenes of residents wading through the waterlogged streets of DHA are still common. In some areas, the water is still waist-high and has not receded. Residents claim they have received no help from the CBC, which along with DHA is responsible for the upkeep of the area.

Aerial footage, shared by Usama Qureshi, an active Karachi-based Twitter user, shows vast swathes of DHA are still flooded. Captured by a drone, the footage shows the extent of damage caused by the heavy downpour that battered the city last week.

Talking to the Express Tribune, Qureshi, a resident of Phase 6, Khayaban e Muhafiz, said most areas still need help. "The situation is not under the control of authorities which is the most worrying factor for the residents. I have not seen serious efforts by the CBC and DHA to clear the roads from water or to help residents," said Qureshi, Vice Chairman Pak-UK Business Council.

Qureshi, who also served as the CMO and Chief of Staff of at Karachi's power distribution company said: "Residents of DHA pay onerous taxes and in return, all they expect is that these authorities should at least be there for them during trying times."

Taking a potshot at DHA and the CBC, Qureshi said: " Both DHA and the CBC are only interested in commercial projects or discovering new land to sell."

While troops and rescuers were seen evacuating people from flooded residential neighborhoods with waist-high water, residents of DHA received no help. "To be honest, I did not see any machinery or teams anywhere. Only regular cleaners were seen trying their best without any equipment. We, in our own capacities, tried to help neighbours and people who were stranded," claimed Qureshi.

The CBC has a large screen-size pop up on its website which displays a huge banner message ' In case of an accident during the rain -- Just a call away'. Despite calling those phone numbers listed on the website, residents claim they have not received any help.

"I tried their numbers to seek help to rescue people who were stuck at Nishat Commercial area, but there was no response," said Qureshi.

Elected officials

While talking to the Express Tribune on Sunday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker, Shahzad Qureshi said: “PTI representatives are working with CBC and DHA.” He claimed the situation in the area has improved significantly.

“The CBC and DHA administrators have assured us that all necessary actions will be taken to prevent flooding in DHA,” the lawmaker added.

Qureshi, who serves as the PS 111 representative in the provincial assembly, assured his constituents that he was working closely with the CBC and DHA management to address all complaints.

Sumeta Afzal Syed, a former provincial lawmaker, who served between 2013-18 said no one at CBC was paying any attention to the complaints.

Sumeta, who is a resident of DHA Phase 5, also owns a property in the upscale Khayaban e Shahbaz area, said both her properties were flooded. "All basements in the Khayaban e Shahbaz area are flooded," the former lawmaker claimed. Sumeta shared a copy of her complaint in the CBC register. She, like most residents, is still waiting for some help from the CBC. Complaints about rainwater and flooding, residents claimed, appear to be falling on deaf ears.

Protest

According to details shared by Usama Qureshi, residents from all over DHA assembled outside the CBC office on Monday. The former Karachi Electric CMO and Chief of Staff said, residents, gathered for a peaceful protest and urged CBC administration to fix the drainage system, review the construction and repair of roads, ensure accountability and audit of taxes collected in the name of flood relief, and ensure regular water supply.

Urban planning

The CBC also received flak for poor planning and maintenance of the area. Talking to the Express Tribune, Muhammad Toheed, a Karachi-based urban planner said: “The urban flooding is clearly due to the negligence of CBC because it’s their job to maintain DHA’s storm water drains.”

Toheed added that the drainage system in DHA is not very old, but has lost its capacity due to sludge that has accumulated over time.