Published in Daily Times: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Flooded towns, broken roads, politicised police, extortion, worst law and order, robberies, mobile snatching, unavailability of clean drinking water, no proper drainage system - welcome to Sindh. The second most populated province of the country with rich natural resources, culture and history is unfortunately facing terrible negligence of the government.
It is really very awful to know that the flood-hit areas of the province like Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and other districts are still flooded. Indeed, floodwater from the land of influenced people has been cleared but the land and houses of less influenced are still under water. Broken roads, displaced families, destroyed villages and towns themselves tell the state of negligence by the government. International aid agencies also question Sindh government’s credibility of aid distribution and doubt that a chunk of aid goes into the pockets of the government officials. The Sindh government should pay serious attention and take firm steps for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood-hit areas and internally displaced families.
The law and order situation of the province is getting onto a horrifying track. We see, read and listen about increasing rate of robberies, kidnapping, ethnic and societal violence. Trend of extortion is also increasing which indeed is an alarming sign for the local business community. Police and other law enforcement agencies should stop behaving like an ostrich and work actively with open eyes to maintain peace and order in the province. They, however, are equally responsible for growing bloodshed.
Growing violence and use of force by the influential and feudal lords increases the sense of deprivation and insecurity in local middle class, especially in minorities. Hindu business community has a great contribution in the economy of Sindh but now unfortunately the Hindu families are leaving for India as they have serious security concerns here. Their children are abducted regularly for ransom; their girls are forcibly converted to Islam at gunpoint and their men receive death threats for extortion. This educated, professional and peaceful community needs government’s and right groups’ attention at the earliest.
Situation of education in Sindh is also not satisfactory; hundreds of schools have no physical infrastructure and faculty. Many schools are run by a single or coupe of teachers, while others enjoy the salaries in agreement with higher education or administrative authorities. Cheating culture in our education institutes is also worrisome; it is very shameful to see our public education system is deteriorating so badly. Since education after 18th Amendment became a provincial subject, and we cannot and should not blame the federal government of all the mess in it.
Former capital of Sindh, Hyderabad, is rapidly transforming into a metropolitan city. This should be the reason of wariness for the city management; however, no long-term policies have been introduced to govern this city properly and peacefully. People who live in Islamabad and Karachi would get surprised to know that there is only one functional traffic signal in this huge city, and perhaps that too is practical because nearby is the Hyderabad Saddar Cantt. Condition of roads is most horrible, broken roads full of sewerage water and squeezed traffic are even worst. No renovation projects have been witnessed by the people since very long.
Intentionally or unintentionally people are unheard at the higher level while the province has been ignored terribly. People complain against this neglect of the government because the expectations from their favourite government were unduly high. Perhaps, those who were elected to serve their people haven’t stopped over in cities or possibly they have no more interest to solve the problems of the people of their constituencies.
Honestly speaking, the dilemma with the Pakistani politicians is that they forget their constituencies once they get elected, they actually get busy in power politics and number games but unluckily they have to go back to their constituencies in 2013.
The writer is a political research analyst in a research-based organisation in Islamabad
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