Specialists only

The toxic gas leak that has so far resulted in the death 14 people in Karachi and over 250 admitted to hospital raises many questions about the competence of our local officials. Their initial response in the aftermath of any tragedy is almost inevitably to deny all responsibility. It is time that those charged with loading and offloading of sensitive cargo and dangerous goods realize that this is a specialized field, only fit for those well trained and qualified in the specific task they are assigned to handle. We live in a world where specialists alone can complete dangerous tasks without jeopardizing public safety.

Recruitment to sensitive and specialized jobs cannot be offered to political cronies and retired members of the security services unless they have an extensive background in such fields. In short, such high-risk jobs should be staffed based on merit alone.

Malik Tariq Ali

Lahore