Karachi — The ‘hub for aliens’

No wonder if Pakistan's economic hub is vulnerable to terror networks. Karachi, the largest city, has now become the ‘hub for aliens’, with a staggering figure of 4.5 millions, excluding Afghans, official sources say. Yet, in the power corridors, neither anyone is serious nor ready to take the ownership of this so-called Mini Pakistan, though many still keep an eye on its rich lands.

The city will still be as challenging for the new army chief as was for General Raheel Sharif, because despite success in 'Karachi targeted action’, we are still far from resolving or even addressing its basics.

Unfortunately, the Sindh and federal governments have failed in fulfilling their responsibilities when it comes to planning and execution. With over 6,000 katchi abadies providing shelter to millions non-registered residents, it’s like sitting on a volcano, which could erupt anytime.

Karachi has no infrastructure and whatever it had is now history. Its rail track for Circular Train has been sold to mafias. From illegal water supply to electricity through kundas, all in the hands of mafias.

It may be a belated call, but if the commercial city continued to be treated in such unplanned manners, we may continue to see rise in street crimes, targeted killings, extortion and links between mafias and power elite, who often protect to see city remains unplanned as it suits them.

Karachi has multiple problems and since the city is divided into multiple civic agencies and no one directly control the whole city, it is getting bad to worse. The mayor is not the mayor of whole Karachi, but only controls 34 per cent area. In the absence of one strong civic agency, there is no authority responsible for checking or even keeping the record of massive influx.

Since the last census held in 1998, the growth rate recorded through a formula assigned to the authorities concerned is 3.7 per cent per year. The officials, who were approached by this writer, also admitted that beside aliens, there has been massive influx in this city from FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. But many are not registered as they live in katchi abadies, which are also expanding in large numbers allegedly in connivance with police and officials of civic agencies concerned.

Two important developments are taking place in the coming months. (1) Possible census, which is long overdue, and government still looked non-serious, and (2) the Election Commission of Pakistan starting the process of voters’ registration. 

Among the aliens, the highest number is of Bengalis, which according to their own organisation is over three million, but they said, it also included Biharis. Karachi population could reach the staggering figure of 30 million after census, but the growth of population of aliens is threatening the city's dynamics as most of them have not even been registered with National Aliens Statistic Authority (NASA).

Pakistan's commercial hub has never been planned for this kind of growth and the so-called planners had wasted billions of rupees in the so-called development schemes, which they keep changing and as a result make billions in these projects.

At times, the city's complexity scare you particularly for the permanent residents as there is a huge number of people living in the city, who have permanent residence outside and authorities are unaware of it.

The information, collected by this writer, revealed that in the absence of census, the growth rate of Karachi has been assessed by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and other authorities concerned at 3.7 per cent increase per year since 1998. The highest percentage was found in District West, which is 5 per cent, because of presence of Bengali and Pashtun population.

Officials say the population growth rate of Bengali, Pashtuns and Afghans are the highest and an average family has six to seven children. The forthcoming population census would not only have its far-reaching political and economic implications but could also surprised many with the exact population of this mega city, which may touch 30 million and it is slowly not only getting unmanageable but also ungovernable.

The census would be followed by delimitation of constituencies and massive increase in the National Assembly and provincial assembly seats could set the new political direction of Karachi.

In the absence of no strategy to check the rising influx in the city, either of aliens or temporary residents, the city has become very vulnerable for terror networks. While the only data collecting department, the National Aliens Statistics Authority is practically dormant for the past several years, the rough figures I got from NADRA revealed the presence of nearly 4.5 million aliens from 67 communities excluding Afghan refugees. The highest numbers are of Bengalis, followed by surprising influx of Iranian Baloch, Burmese and other nationalities.

NASA was close down after complaints of forced registration of aliens by the authorities but when the system of voluntarily registration was introduced, it did not get positive response.

It has resumed its work few months back and started registration process but, still finding it difficult in getting registration.

Another confusion is in the assessment of large number of Afghans, who do not have the status of refugees. Officials said it is very difficult to collect data of non-Afghan refugees, but they are in several lakhs.

The political dynamics of Karachi is such that even the national parties think in terms of its ethnic dimensions, which is dangerous.

Thus, every political party in this city protecting their respective ethnicity and not thinking like one nation, which has made this looks divided, not mini-Pakistan. Here, only money matters and if you have money, no law can stop you from doing any unlawful thing.

Thus, the city has to come under one umbrella and that too above political biases. Karachi also needs one Metropolitan Police system. No operation can give lasting solution and peace to Pakistan's largest city if we are failing in addressing its basic problems. The city is on ‘sale' or already sold, no one knows.

The writer is the senior columnist and analyst of GEO, The News and Jang. Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO