The writer is Editor of The Express Tribune
I am very fond of Dr Arif Alvi, who happens to be my MNA from the now well-known NA250. I have heard good things about him in his capacity as a dental practitioner and welcomed his election as my representative in parliament. I wish he spoke more on issues that confront this multi-ethnic constituency, but that would be digressing.
We need more professionals like him in parliament. I must confess, however, that the whole controversy surrounding the voting from that constituency makes me wonder who actually won that seat.
Given this, I was pleasantly surprised to see him take a stand against the blocking of a main road in Clifton, an up-market Karachi locality, which comes under his constituency. I support his point that public thoroughfares should not be blocked in the manner in which this road has been barricaded, that too at public expense. It takes me extra time to take de-tours when I am in the vicinity because the high and mighty have deemed it within their right to block this road on account of security threats. The residents of the area suffer on a daily basis.
I am all for doing away with such illegal encroachments on our public thoroughfares. I have been a strong supporter of our diplomatic missions being put into one place like has been done in Islamabad so that city roads are not blocked as a consequence. Then we have our politicians. I remember how Zulfikar Mirza had the road in front of his house blocked some time back and was only opened after the DHA took a firm stance against this. Or at least this is what we were told.
Two comparisons come to mind. I recall walking to a park in DHA Lahore and passed a row of houses that were the residence of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The road wasn’t blocked. There was just extra security on the sides. Similarly, no one actually knows where the Karachi residence of president Mamnoon Hussain is, except possibly his neighbours. More so, because the road outside his house hasn’t been barricaded.
Doctor sahib has gotten the principle right. The problem, however, starts with who he has chosen to apply this. I have seen Bilawal House evolve. For many years, the house with high walls remained unprotected from any attack. In fact, I recall when Benazir Bhutto returned to Karachi in October 2007 and her convoy was attacked on Sharae Faisal. The next day Benazir Bhutto told us that her house had also been attacked by unidentified persons. The house was very vulnerable. Given this, one can expect the house to be barricaded when the party came to power. Bilawal House is also the rallying point for the PPP Jiyalas, or what is left of them. Now this issue is being turned into an attack on the house itself. But there is more to it.
Bilawal Bhutto’s recent speech shows a stance to take the militants head on. It was a brave speech he made at Garhi Khuda Bux. Possibly that also makes him a target and given that he lives at this place when he is in Karachi, maybe it makes sense for some extra security. Neighbours tell me of underground bunkers now at the place. Lets hope they are.
I would be happy to see the wall go down and the road opened to traffic. But not just at Bilawal House. We should also make this the case in other parts of the city. For example, there is a street in PECHS where a courier company operates. This too has been blocked for reasons best known to the government.
A part of Clifton has been barricaded because of the consulate of a friendly country. Maybe we can also break down those fences too. There are also gates and barricades on streets off Sharae Faisal. What about the media? One media house has actually eaten up an entire city road.
But is this all politics we are seeing ahead of the local bodies elections? Maybe that is indeed the case. Either way, in all this, a middle ground may be the best way to move ahead. Security should not come at the cost of public convenience. And a comprehensive plan should be in place so we ensure compliance by all, not just a few.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (31)
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As no mention is made anywhere,am I correct in deducing that Altaf Bhai has prohibited erection of barricades in his strongholds?
@salman: and that reading too from behind bullet proof glass :) and he needs a wall to protect himself after calling himself brave. what a joke Bilawal!
So when is Dr. Alvi going to start paying "personal" income taxes. Our city desperately needs more funds to provide people with basic necessities. When I checked on the election commission web site for his nomination papers I was shocked to see that he had not payed personal income taxes for the last 3 years. Zilch ... nothing ... nada. The only tax entries were pertaining to earnings or taxes paid on his famous clinic. Nothing paid against his NIC or salaries or profits drawn from that business.
To clarify this point by using an analogy, suppose Bill Gates (when he worked at MS) filed his annual taxes and showed the corporate taxes that Microsoft payed that year and not show any taxes paid on personal income. I am pretty sure he would have gone to jail real fast.
I was expecting more integrity from the champions of change than what I have found so far, regarding taxes, fake degrees etc. Oh well ... these people are still a cross section of our corrupt society.
Writer missed the main point. The wall declared illegal by Sindh High court & Pakistan supreme court.
How can you miss this point?
I wish this movement starts and remains alive until every road in Karachi is opened for public!
@Shahid Kinnare:
What tragedy of Bhutto family are you talking about? Do you mean those of their own making? Nobody knows of any other tragedy. Yes Pakistan has been through tragedies of this family's making and we are paying through our noses till today. When will the people learn. While the Grand mausoleum of Bhuttos was lit their followers still rot in shanti towns without any light
Circus must go on. While IMF puts us further into debt, these parties in power are protesting petty issues.
Buddy do not disclose where you live unless you have already barricaded your residence.
@Shamy: Thanks for clarfying the address. But you still haven't clarified if there is a court judgement against the clinic? And please don't make me laugh...if the courts were capable of implementing thier decisions, then we wouldn't need to be protesting on the streets.
And by the way, peaceful protests are not taking the law into your own hands, it is part of democratic process. And I don't agree that we should break both walls down, only the ones against which are illegal. The day a court deems Dr.Alvi's clinic illegal, I will call for that to be demolished as well.
@salman: Please grow up...the address is D-32 block 4 clifton...Just because i wrote somewhere in defence clifton and could not remember the exact address at that point in time still does not justify the question around illegalities. And to answer your question, you talk about the justice system and insaaf, there is a justice system in the country so take all those accountable and file a contempt of court against them for not implementing orders of the high court, instead of taking the law on the streets. Typical PTI supporter you are...stuck up in a superiority complex where you yourself are at a fault..i say break both walls down.
As writer comes from the same constituency where DR. Alvi lives, I am from Peshawar where DR Saheb party is in power. The roads around Governor and CM house are blocked in such a manner as these roads never existed. The Mall, Ford road and the roads around American consulate are out bound for the civilian and general public (by the way Peshawar High Court has passed orders for removing these blockades as well). I hope MPAs from Peshawar will also be brave enough like DR Saheb and his MPAs to start the agitation for clearing the roads of Peshawar as well. PTI supporters and leaders should fulfill the demand of their leader IK in clearing unlawfully occupied public properties at Peshawar.
A Peshawary
Why do people take the law in their hands? Its only happens in Pakistan. What messge is being sent to the international community?
@Shamy: Somewhere in defence? You're not sure where the clinic is being built, but you're sure it is illegal? Tell me, is there a court judgememt against the clinic? Because there is one against the wall.
The writer is mistaken when he says the roads around the president's residence in Karachi are not blocked. They are in fact blocked. The road that runs alongside his house off Saba commercial is blocked both by containers as well police pickets and mobiles.
I read views of Mr. Kamal Siddique, published on 29th Dec'2013 in daily "Tribune". I appreciate his points and strongly support he has mentioned " I have been a strong supporter of our diplomatic missions being put into one place like has been done in Islamabad so that city roads are not blocked as a consequence." I recall to scene till 1973-1974 when all the diplomatic consulates were on Main Shara-e-Faisal PECHS Side. It is all after that when Jiallas start emerging into this clean city and the social & political as well as traffic situation start emerging into now present days Karachi, thus diplomatic missionaries start shifting to defense & Clifton area which resulted in blocking of their surrounding roads also. So I will suggest Sind Govt. must take this point into consideration and allot an independent area has been allotted to Malir development authority, and this diplomatic area should also be to touch both side to shara-e-Pakistan and super highway to make it easily assessable from both sides. Also it should house both the missions and their dignitaries’ residences as well.
Asad Mansoor,Karachi.
So, after all this wordsmithing, are you for or against the PTI effort to remove the illegal wall? You must come out of the closet!
Dr Alvi is doing what he can in his constituency that is NA 250. He cant go and breakdown walls all over Karachi. Think.
What about tearing down the blockades at Lahore and Raiwind?
"I would be happy to see the wall go down and the road opened to traffic. But not just at Bilawal House." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Your happiness is completely irrelevant. The Court has demanded the opening in Sep. The Ex President is in violation of the Law.
Why can the Wall not be located on the Bilawal House Premises? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Indeed why? Then no one can have an issue with the height width or lenghth of the wall. Maybe it will laso become a tourist attraction.
I think the writer is unaware of the illegal Alvi clinic that is being opened in a residential area somewhere in defence/clifton.
Why everyone is mum about Azizaabad where all streets and roads around nine zero are blocked by a party putting barriers around over there. I will suggest this writer to say some words about it too. Thanks
You should have mentioned that there is a court order for the road to be opened..........and that order remains a scrap of paper. So in fact its the rule of law ( people may laugh ) that is in question here as well.
"Bilawal Bhutto’s recent speech shows a stance to take the militants head on. It was a brave speech he made at Garhi Khuda Bux."
dear writer pleas correct your record. it was a brave reading not speech :)
i am just laughing on approach of writer that how they find logic to justify injustice.
ET always has to find some fault in PTI
i dont get why PPP gets sympathy from karachiites who have seen complete neglect and more than 1000 dead every year. Its the anger people have against these democratic dictators and maybe Dr Alvi is not an exception. As a resident of na 250 i am fed up of this bilawal house. they should relocate or unblock that road. As if karachi didnt have enough traffic and political problems.
The only balanced article ive read so far!
Writer forget Bhutto family and PPP tragedy of unnatural deaths were as PTI does not have such history. Few MNA that died after winning on PTI was not because they were PTI member but for different reasons in KP. It seem that writer is not satisfy with the tragedy of Bhutto family but want some more corpse from this family. Road block is not big price to pay to safe guard this family from open threat of TTP and right wing party like JI and PTI.
Both PTI and PPP are trying to be in news of Karachi and fact remains that none of these two carry significant vote or representation of mega city. Looser is Karachiites - many got injuries and lost valuables today.