KU shows up

The recent flooding of Karachi University’s academic and residential zones, caused by the rupture of an 84-inch water pipeline, starkly exposed the city’s crumbling infrastructure and administrative dysfunction. As a resident of the campus, I witnessed firsthand how a thriving academic environment was swiftly drowned by bureaucratic neglect. This catastrophe cannot be blamed on nature as it was the direct result of the municipal authorities’ chronic and damaging ineptitude. Their track record of leaky lines, unplanned maintenance and a glaring disregard for preventive infrastructure speaks for itself whenever such incidents take place.

Yet, where the authorities have failed, Karachi University rose. Maintenance teams, administrative staff, and faculty members rallied without waiting for directives. They drained water, restored services and upheld order. KU’s unsung responders exemplified institutional dignity in the face of abandonment. This moment revealed who shows up when systems collapse. While KWSB delivered excuses, KU delivered resolve. And in a city increasingly betrayed by its guardians, that quiet resolve deserves to be remembered.

Dr Intikhab Ulfat

Karachi