The question of Karachi

The problems of our only mega city, Karachi, have reached such a dismal a situation that they have caused concern across the country. Over the last few days there have been a series of meetings between political parties in Sindh including the ruling PPP, the MQM and the PTI as well as the head of the head of the National Disaster Management Authority to determine how to pick up the pieces and resolve Karachi's myriad governance issues. The political parties had, according to reports, agreed to work together for this purpose. But at the same time there have been reports that the federal government may be attempting to take over Karachi and gain more direct control of the territory. In a strong press statement, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has stated that the law of the land does not allow for any authority apart from the elected government to run the affairs of a province and that no constitutional alteration would be permitted to make room for it. He has also said that one of the reasons for Karachi’s collapse has been the failure of the federal government to release funds promised for the province.

This is obviously a problematic situation for Karachi’s people. They desperately need respite from their ever-growing civic problems. But for that what is needed is for governments and local authorities to all take responsibility. Meanwhile in Islamabad during an accountability case hearing against Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto too asserted strongly that the PPP would make no compromises on the 18th Amendment or other laws which granted provinces a degree of autonomy. CM Murad Ali Shah has meanwhile spoken of development work carried out by his party.

This is an issue that could develop further and go either way. The current mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar has also been involved in the talks and has said he lacks the resources to clean up the city on his own. Former mayor Mustafa Kamal is also being consulted. The ruins that Karachi has fallen into are a result of bad management by successive governments including the MQM and the PPP. The best outcome for Karachi would be to ensure laws are in place for local government elections scheduled by next month to go ahead in an orderly fashion so that local bodies can take charge of the city and play the principal role in determining what needs to be done to make it a place that is livable for its people. Karachi deserves a lot more care than it has received over the past decades. Let's hope all parties at least agree on this point.