Not made in Pakistan

This refers to the news story, ‘ML-1 railway project cost may hike beyond Rs1,543 bn’ (Feb 26). The nation has become such a rotten lot that no project gets implemented without the technical assistance and financial support of foreign countries. It is now being proposed that the running and operation of the railway after completion of ML-1 project be handed over to the Chinese as Railways personnel are incapable of assimilating the newer technology. What a joke! Tomorrow, we may suggest handing over the operation of airplanes and airports having newer systems and technology. This may be followed by handing over management of ports, DISCOs and dams.

Even the rehabilitation of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), a mere 40-45 kilometers of track, is dependent on technical and financial help from the Chinese and a mammoth amount of $2 billion has been quoted as the cost of rehabilitation. There is something terribly wrong with the less educated leadership of this nation which puts faith in everything foreign and distrusts indigenous effort and initiative. Training and passion for learning is not part of our lifestyle. Self reliance is abhorred while ‘made abroad’ is adored. This mania is leading us to disaster.

Erum A Baig

Karachi