Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 4th Day – Sindh govt. under fire

There was no letup in the COVID-19-positive cases in Sindh as the province reported 2,438 new cases during the last 24 hours on Tuesday. 12 patients lost their lives in the province.

Despite a very loose and partial lockdown and other preventive measures, the Sindh government is still facing backlash from the federal government’s coalition partners including MQM-Pakistan and of course, the PTI minister.

The MQM-P’s leaders along with the city’s traders held a press conference in Karachi in which they, as usual, termed the lockdown as “discrimination” against Karachiites.

Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui was saying in Shahzeb Khazada’s programme on Geo News that in the Urdu-speaking dominated areas there is the strict imposition of the lockdown, whereas in posh localities like Clifton and Defence the businesses are open.

Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Information at a press conference in Islamabad blamed the provincial Sindh government for the worsening Covid-19 situation in Karachi and Hyderabad. According to him the percentage of vaccinated people in these two major cities of Sindh was lower than in other major cities of the country.

However, the Sindh government brushed aside all allegations. The provincial health department announced that it has converted 12 mobile hospitals in Karachi into vaccination centres to reach citizens in various areas of the metropolis and help them get vaccinated with ease.

Two of each such mobile vaccination centres would be sent to districts South, West, East and Keamari, three to district Central and one in District Malir.

A total of 19,427 coronavirus tests were conducted in the province in the last 24 hours while 548 more people recovered from Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the provincial government has started vaccination of those adults who do not possess CNIC due to various reasons. A large number of Bengali and Burmese origin people live in Karachi’s Katchi Abadis and shanti towns and do not possess official documents. The minister pointed out that any document like a school certificate, B form or a personal guarantee would be acceptable for getting COVID-19 vaccination. Mobile vans would also be sent to localities where such people live in large numbers.

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 3rd Day – No Respite to Public

It seems the provincial government has further tightened the lockdown restrictions as the main departmental stores in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal Karachi remained shut down on 3rd day of the partial lockdown in Sindh.

Even one of the major cash-and-carry -cum- departmental store Metro remained closed down despite the fact it remained open during the first complete lockdown in 2020. The security guards posted outside Metro said it will remain closed till the end of the lockdown.

Only Street grocery stores, bakeries and medical stores are opened. Those medical stores, which are also selling grocery or general items have closed that section with curtains. For example, the famous Seven86 medicos at Jauhar Chowrangi is opened but it is selling only medicines. 

Due to the closure of the major stores, where a majority of people do shopping due to discounted rates, families feel frustrated in these localities.

Despite the announcement of 11 new round-the-clock vaccination centres in the metropolis, a large number of people were visiting the Expo Centre’s largest vaccination point in the city. Today the government has deployed Rangers and Army personnel to discipline the long queues at Expo Centre. According to reports, a similar rush is witnessed on other major vaccination centres including JPMC, Civil Hospital and Khalid Dina Hall in district South. Meanwhile, the traders’ bodies demanded the government to set up vaccination centres in major shopping points in the city.

The federal government-run National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) after a weekly meeting in Islamabad on Monday announced further restrictions for other cities of the country including, early closure of markets, resumption of 50 per cent work-from-home policy in government and private offices, operation of public transport with 50 per cent occupancy, two-day holidays in a week, restriction of indoor dining and marriage halls etc.

Sindh reported 1,847 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours (down from 2,549 yesterday). Moreover, 36 deaths were reported by bringing the total deaths to 6,057. In Sindh, a total of 13,107 Covid-19 tests were conducted in the province.

Meanwhile, the district administration in Hyderabad has started a survey of vaccinated people in the district to ascertain the vaccination situation.

 

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 2nd Day - Further Relaxation

Despite being a weekly holiday, Sunday remained quite calm as people remained at home on the second day of the 10-day COVID-19-related partial lockdown in Sindh. All markets remain closed on Sundays and only weekly make-shift bazaars are organized on weekends in different parts of the city. Those Bachat Bazaars were not organized this Sunday.

There were reports of heavy rush at the Karachi’s Expo Centre’s vaccination centre since morning, however, it remained operational throughout the day without any intervals. No untoward incident happened in this round-the-clock largest COVID-19 vaccination centre in Karachi.

The provincial government announced to open 11 more round-the-clock vaccination centres in the government hospitals in six districts of Karachi. These centres would be located at Dow Ojha Hospital in the East district; Khaliqdina Hall, JPMC and Lyari General Hospital in the South district; Children Hospital, SG Hospital New Karachi, SG Hospital Liaquatabad in the Central District; Sindh Government Qatar Hospital in the West district; SG Hospital Murad Memon Goth in Malir district; and SG Hospital Saudabad in Korangi district.

Keeping in view the traditional inefficiency of the provincial government’s machinery, it is really hard to believe that these new 24/7 centres would be functional from the first day for 24-hour service. Except for Expo Centre, the other government-run vaccination centres in the city often function between 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. According to a report, the government is setting up new counters at NED University’s grounds. The mobile vaccination vans are also been sent to different localities in the city.

The poor performance of the health authorities in Sindh can be gauged from the fact that it has recently established a state-of-the-art new COVID-19 isolation/treatment centre at KMC’s Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in Nazimabad, but its healthcare staff including doctors held a protest demonstration against the non-availability of PPEs and other facilities to them. Karachi’s Administrator had recently inaugurated the intensive care centre.

Pl. click to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ocJRtY7_k

The federal government continued its criticism of the Sindh government’s decision of imposing partial lockdown on the entire province instead of clamping smart lockdowns in selected areas. The Prime Minister in his public address on phone also criticized the provincial government’s decision. “We had a small problem between the federal government and Sindh,” the PM admitted. “Sindh government wanted to impose a lockdown, which is the correct decision and will curb the spread of the virus. But on the other hand, the thing to see is that will we be able to save the economy from the lockdown? Then there is the issue of hunger … the daily wage earners and especially the poor section of our society … how will they make ends meet during the lockdown?”

A high-level meeting of NCOC would be held in Islamabad on Monday to further discuss the pandemic situation.

According to daily statistics of the National Command Operation Centre, 62 people lost their lives in Pakistan during 24 hours on Sunday with 5,026 new cases in the country. Sindh has reported 2,549 new coronavirus cases; 20 more people lost their lives, with the death toll rising to 6,021 in the province.

A total of 18,618 Covid-19 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, while 368 more patients recovered from the disease.

Feature photo: Courtesy dawn.com website (Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1638177/pakistan-reports-more-than-5000-daily-cases-for-first-time-since-april)

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: First Day of chaos

The first day of the “partial lockdown” in Sindh was a panic day at least in Karachi. There was a hue and cry of businessmen in the media on the closure of markets and non-export industries and those still un-vaccinated people had thronged to vaccination centres to get their jabs to avoid any harassment by police for not producing vaccination cards.

Incidentally, there was the 2nd jab date for my son so we have to go to the Arts Council vaccination centre for the vaccination. At Rashid Minhas Road and then Shara-e-Faisal, there was normal-day traffic and jams at one or two places as usual and we were asking each other where these people were going in cars and motorcycles as offices and markets are closed. At least at 2 places, the police had erected barricades, which caused jams and slowdown of the traffic at Shara-e-Faisal.  

Outside Arts Council, we realized that there would be a rush inside as a large number of cars were parked outside the building. And that was the fact. An unusual number of people were standing in queues at the registration desks on the terrace.

Thank God, due to a better arrangement by the management of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, we went through the entire process and came out within one and a half hours.

But the situation at the largest vaccination centre of the city, Expo Centre was even worse. The media reported a large number of people had gathered there to get themselves vaccinated since early in the morning and due to the rush some people had broken the entry glass door, therefore, the vaccination process was stopped for many hours. There was also a report of a strike by the staff as they were not paid salaries for many months. I received a live report from Expo Centre as a brother of mine also went to get his first job and was standing outside the main hall in s long queue.

There was a report in the media that the government’s computer system to record the vaccination has also crashed due to heavy rush.

Even though the government had allowed the opening of grocery shops, police forcibly closed down major departmental stores in my area (Gulistan-e-Jauhar). I was buying some groceries at Al-Jadeed departmental store at main University Road, and the management suddenly started making announcements to vacate the store as soon as possible. The entry and exit gate shutters were pulled down in a panic as a Police officer at a petrol van told me that there was a violation of SPOs in the store so the Assistant Commissioner ordered to close it down. Two other major stores in the area – Bin Hashim and Bin Safeer were also closed down in the afternoon (much before 6 pm).

Sindh government on Friday (July 30) announced a “partial lockdown” in the entire province effective from July 31 till August 9 as COVID-19 cases have shot up to around 30% in a single day in Karachi city alone. Export-related manufacturing industries, medical stores, bakeries and grocery shops were allowed to open in specified times. Later, the provincial government amended the notification twice and announced further relaxed conditions like it allowed inter-provincial transport movement and plying of rickshaws and other passenger transport within the city limits by following standard operating procedures (SOPs). It also lifted a ban on pillion riding on motorcycles. 

Local businessmen’s bodies, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Anjuman-e-Tajran rejected the closure of the business. Even the federal government and its ruling party Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf severely criticised the Sindh government for closing down the businesses to prevent the spread of the Delta variant of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sindh, especially in Karachi.

Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab and later PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari censured the federal government for its unrealistic criticism of the Sindh government on COVID-19 lockdown.

Federal government ministers Asad Umer, Fawad Chaudhry and Shaikh Rasheed opposed the lockdown and Asad Umer said the lockdown in India has pushed the economy of India on a backtrack and even it went down by 7% and still has not recovered. So the only solution is a smart lockdown. They said instead the provincial government had to focus on the implementation of SOPs. On the other hand, the Sindh government said it had no option but to impose restrictions to control the spread of the pandemic variant Delta. Murtaza Wahab emphasized the need for continuous engagement in dialogue with the federal government

Thanks to Google!

Today I lost my phone on my to the office in the morning. When I reached my office, I could not find it in my pocket or in the car. I called home, but it was also not there. Then I recalled that I stopped at two places — at an ATM of a bank and at a petrol pump to fill the fuel in the car. When I called on cell number, it was closed down.

My son, who is a software engineer suggested blocking the phone via Google. I did not know how to do it. I went to Google’s website and at the timeline, I found the map route of my phone, which showed it from my home to the petrol pump (here is a screenshot).

I went back to the petrol pump and the guard at the station informed me that he had found the phone when I left the filling station in car. He said he had deposited it in the office and I can take it. I recalled that I had stepped down from the car while checking the filling meter.

I heaved a sigh and collected it from the office with a lot of thanks to the management. My friend Imtiaz Chandio also met with me, said with a pride that it proves the honesty of Chandios (the owner of the petrol station is a Chandio).

After paying gratitude to the Almighty, I also thanked Google for telling me the exact position of the cell phone.

When I inquired I found that my cell phone was at aeroplane mode, that is why the call was not going through on the opened phone. In any case thanks to the Android technology I got back my phone very easily.

Thanks to Google!

Year 2020: A topsy-turvy year

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For many, the year 2020 was not good as the entire year was mainly affected by the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19), which started in Wuhan city of China at the end of 2019 but spread over the entire world at the start of the New Year. In the initial months, Iran and Italy were the two major countries, which were worst hit by the pandemic COVID-19 after China. These affected countries, however, were controlled soon with the imposition of strict lockdowns.  

Soon, the virus spread over to the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Africa as a forest fire. Pakistan received the virus through Pakistani pilgrims who returned from Iran and Saudi Arabia. The first patient who tested COVID-19 positive had come from Iran.

Pakistan has to impose a lockdown in March, which continued till August, but it was not so strict as people did not completely observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The working class especially daily wage earners were the worst-hit section. Although the federal government had announced a one-time cash grant of PKR 12,000 to support the poor from the economic shocks of lockdown, this support could not reach to the majority of the population as the Prime Minister himself admitted that the government did not have data of 80 per cent workers.

The government also failed to impose SOPs due to a lack of cooperation from the masses. Media reported skirmishes between people and police, especially when police restricted people from going to mosques to offer Friday prayers.  

The virus’ intensity declined in July, but it suddenly increased again by the end of October and more people tested positive and the average number of deaths due to the virus increased manifold. This intensity of the disease still prevails on the last day of the year 2020. New norms of working from home, wearing masks most of the time and social distancing have now become part of our daily lives. We also worked from home till August when the government lifted the lockdown.

The year made a big impact on my personal life as I lost my mother on June 26. She suffered a stroke attack on 24^th June but could not survive and breathed her last within two days in the hospital. It was a big setback for my entire family. My father had already left the world in 2006.

Our family also witnessed some happy moments as well on the occasion of the wedding ceremony of my nephew Mairajuddin who got married on 12^th December.

The year 2020 would always remain in our memory with a lot of changes in the world’s politics. It was also the US elections year, in which Joe Biden won the election and in February he would become President of the world’s only superpower.

Politically, in Pakistan the opposition parties formed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a grand alliance to topple PM Imran Khan’s government, which according to them has failed to deliver as the economy is in shambles and prices of essential items have skyrocketed. A series of public rallies were held across the country despite strict COVID warnings by the government.

The government stuck to its anti-opposition stance and many politicians were put behind the bars by National Accountability Bureau, which it has never proven. Nawaz Sharif had to leave the country to get his medical treatment in the UK, but he refused to return due to the government’s policies. He was already convicted of his corruption and was behind the bars.

Pakistani economy continued to suffer amid COVID-19-related lockdowns when common people suffered a lot. People witnessed a steep rise in prices of all essential goods when sugar and wheat prices went higher due to scandals in these two commodities, involving powerful personalities of the ruling political party. The government failed to provide any relief to the people and it continued its anti-public decisions like increases in petroleum, gas and electricity prices. It seemed the government machinery was not concerned with the common people’s problems.

With the dawn of the sun of the New Year 2021, it is hoped that situation would be improved in Pakistan and in the entire world.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Mir's Mini Forest

Just drive about 17 kilometres from Fateh Chowk Hyderabad towards Tando Muhammad Khan, and you can find a small green spot known as Mir’s Mini Forest along the road on the left side. A canal carrying fresh water drawn from Indus’s Kotri barrage is irrigating the land forest. An oasis between the agricultural lands of big landlords of Hyderabad, the Mir’s Mini Forest is a piece of green pastures, where an ecosystem is developed for growing trees and natural habitat for birds.

Spread over about 5 acres of land the Mini Forest is also a display centre for urban forestry.

With a variety of trees (about 400 different trees), the mini forest is a brainchild of a progressive landlord Mir Shah Mohammad Talpur. Although this forest is not designed on the pattern of the Urban Forest method of Miyawaki on which our other friend Shahzad Qureshi has already established an Urban Forest in Clifton Karachi, Mr. Talpur has also planned to utilise the Miyawaki method in the future expansion of his current forest.

Invented by Japanese Doctor Akira Miyawaki, who is a botanist and professor since 1980, urban forestry has an edge to grow trees rapidly in a natural environment. Using the Miyawaki methodology, one can create native urban forest ecosystems much more quicker. 15 to 30 different species of trees and shrubs are planted together, and the Miyawaki method suggests that each plant helps others to grow in a much faster speed. This plant community works very well together and is perfectly adapted to local weather conditions. It would take about 200 years to let a forest recover on its own, but with the Miyawaki method, a similar result is achieved in 20 years.

Mr. Talpur has learned the Miyawaki method from a trainer who came from India and he has also set up a small display at a piece of land of 3 by 3 meters by planting different types of trees by digging three feet and then replacing it with different grades of earth. “It requires a lot of investment and manpower for using the Miyawaki method and for the time being I have only two employees to look after this mini forest so this mini forest is grown on the traditional method,” he said.

He has imported many varieties from different countries and grown a number of local fruit trees as well.

Mr. Talpur allows families and groups from Karachi and Hyderabad and other parts of the country on a prior booking system to visit and explore the mini forest, where local fruit trees, honeycombs, birds and flowers are grown in a natural environment and environment lovers can spend their day time to be with nature.

A group of nature lovers from Karachi at the platform of The Linkers visited Mir’s Mini Forest on Sunday, November 22, 2020, and explore its natural beauty. Pl. click on the link below to look at some pictures taken by the writer.

Click on this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LKK7cg8FH5QAsjcB7

Baba Island: Still Thirsty

Despite having a population of over 15,000, Baba Island near Keamari in Karachi is devoid of almost all basic facilities. Water is a nightmare for the people, who have been thirsty for years now, despite the fact a pipeline was laid by the former City District Government of Karachi led by Nazim Mustafa Kamal and a non-functional RO plant is there.

Named after Haji Ebrahim Shah Baba, the island is mostly inhabited by fishermen of Katchi-speaking Sindhis, whereas trading shops owners are from other communities as well like Urdu-speaking, Punjabis, Pushtoon, Balochs and even Bengalis.

Twin with another island Bhit, the Baba island comes under a constituency of PPP’s Karachi President Abdul Qadir Patel, MNA, who had promised to provide basic facilities at the time of each election campaign, but after the elections, he forgets the island and voters as usual. The island has a number of schemes (like a water tank, an RO plant etc) with an inauguration nameplate outside inscribed with the name of Abdul Qadir Patel.

Some private NGOs, however, have taken the task to provide education and health to a section of the population. For example, an NGO has adopted a government school to run it efficiently, and another NGO is running a medical dispensary with doctors and free medicines. But Baba island’s people buy water from private water suppliers who bring water in launch tankers from the Native Jetty hydrant.

A plastic drum with a capacity of 210 litres is sold at PKR 120 and if a porter drops it at one’s doorstep from the jetty it costs PKR 220 (PKR 100 labour cost). For a family of 10 persons, at least 2 such water drums are required. Most of the income of people goes to buying water. The majority of children suffer from malnutrition and adults have weaker physiques.

Dr. Yousuf, a local social worker and a former Union Council Nazim (2002) said a local company had installed a huge water purifier or Reverse Oasis (RO) plant, which ran for a while, but it is now laying idle as there is no staff to run and machinery has developed faults. Fresh investment is required to properly operate this RO project.

“The water pipeline installed during the Mustafa Kamal period had supplied water to the island for a brief period and right now there is no water supply through pipes,” said Dr. Yousuf.

An NGO of Navy’s retired officers is running a primary-cum-secondary school, which has constructed a beautiful building of over 20 classrooms and another Turkish NGO has recently provided quality furniture to the school. Dr. Yousuf supervises the school, which was being run by a Government employed head teacher. In fact, there are only three government primary teachers posted in this school, with over 800 children. The other teachers are employed by the ex-Naval staff NGO. 

The headmaster of the school claimed that his school is top in enrollment of children in the primary section in the entire Sindh province. “We have 10 classes only for Class-I,” he says with pride. It is in fact dedication of the headmaster who comes daily in the island from the central part of the city.

Similar is the situation in healthcare facilities. A dispensary with only one male medical doctor right now and a lady doctor who was on leave these days, is providing healthcare facilities to the entire island’s population. The NGO charges PKR 20 as an Out Patients Department fee to each visiting patient and provides medicines prescribed by the doctor free of cost. A maternity labour room and pathological laboratory is also part of this medical facility. Regular vaccination under Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) is also available in the dispensary.

Dr. Yousuf claims proudly that Baba island is now a Polio-free area as his NGO aggressively took part in each Polio-vaccination campaign. The girls of the island volunteered to administer the vaccination drops and no case of Polio is reported from the area this year.

When will Thatta Museum be opened?

An almost complete edifice and some replicas inside the “under construction” Thatta Museum are gathering dust as no one knows when it will be completed and opened to the general public.

One can still visit the brand new “City Museum Thatta” as an employee of the provincial Directorate of Archaeology, the only official, who is acting as a curator can welcome and show you the incomplete museum. He told me he also did not know about the fate of the museum.

“Due to the COVID-19 lockdown the work on finishing the inside remains unfinished,” the official said adding that the head office in Hyderabad can tell when it will be opened formally.

A brainchild of a veteran archaeologist Dr. Kaleem Lashari, the Thatta Museum is an attempt to depict the history and culture of the historic city since the invasion by Arabs of Sindh in 712 AD. It has placed some replicas of coins, clay potteries and dresses of ancient times.

A model of a carpenter’s shop with a model/sculpture and original utensils are placed at the entrance hall and a big boat depicting the love story Noori Jam Tamachi tale of Keenjhar lake is placed at the main hall. Some ancient manuscripts of the Holy Quran and religious books would be placed in viewers’ windows. Grave stones with inscriptions, Kaashi (glazed tiles) and carpet weaving loom can also be seen.

Pictures with profiles of Thatta rulers during the period of Mughals, Tarkhans, and Samas periods. Profiles of some major personalities like Doleh Darya Khan, and Makhdoom Muhammad Hashim Thattvi are on display.

According to the curator, the aim of setting up a separate museum in Thatta city was to educate people about the rich culture, traditions and history of this ancient city, which was once famous for religious educational institutions, trade and rich culture.

Necropolis of Malki, the largest graveyard of Pakistan is located juxtapose to the museum.

Another major museum in the district is also located in Bhambhor, which is an ancient city famous for famous folklore of Sasui Punhoo. The first mosque of Pakistan was said to be found here which was discovered from the remains of Bhambhor.

Jan Khaskheli: Poet historian of pain

By Muhammad Habib Sanai

Jan Khaskheli earns his bread by working as a full-time journalist and as a reporter he writes on very innovative topics such as birds and their habits, hidden aspects of ecosystems, plights of artisans, common men of rural areas, fisherfolk, agricultural workers, water situation, crop situation, environmental degradation etc., mostly in English and also sometimes in Sindhi. However, his first passion and love remained in Sindhi literature. Almost twenty years ago his first book of Sindhi short stories “Gum thiyal Manoo joSafarnamoo”, (Travelogue of a missing /disappeared person) was published that contained a collection of his short stories.

Now after a long break, his second book but first book of poetry entitledKhawaben je mosam jo hik geet (A song related to the season of dreams)has been published.  

This anthology contains 62 prose poems, which mostly were written during the eighties and nineties when he was living in Karachi. As a result, most of his poems are related to Karachi, which is in itself a big departure, especially in Sindhi poetry because prior to him no Sindhi poet has written about Karachi in that fashion or manner.

During his stay in Karachi from the mid-eighties to mid-twenties, he mostly worked with Sindhi newspapers, but he remained attached to Sindhi AdabiSangat’s Karachi branch, which was at that time, the most vibrant branch of Sindhi writers and literary leaning leftist and nationalist political workers. But he also remained active in Urdu literary circles and attended regularly meetings of Awami Adabi Anjman, the Literary committee of Karachi Press Club etc. Jan has now shifted in Hyderabad,

Some poems are long and some are short. The recurring theme is not personal wins and love longings, but socio-politico-economic situations and events occupy his poems. Manoj Kumar, who has written the preface of this book, has termed him as poet historian of pain.

The book starts with a poem about the poor women who got trampled while taking Eid gifts in Joria Bazar, Karachi on 14 September 2009:

To Moon

Attraction for wheat flour forced poverty to join a crowd….

Suddenly laughter of death frightened poverty

Hope got trampled …

Wheat flour got kneaded with bodies…

Now after a long break, his second book but the first book of poetry entitled Khawaben je mosam jo hik geet (A song related to the season of dreams) has been published.  

This anthology contains 62 prose poems, which mostly were written during the eighties and nineties when he was living in Karachi. As a result, most of his poems are related to Karachi, which is in itself a big departure, especially in Sindhi poetry, because prior to him no Sindhi poet has written about Karachi in that fashion or manner.

During his stay in Karachi from the mid-eighties to his mid-twenties, he mostly worked with Sindhi newspapers, but he remained attached to Sindhi Adabi Sangat’s Karachi branch, which was at that time, the most vibrant branch of Sindhi writers and literary-leaning leftist and nationalist political workers. But he also has remained active in Urdu literary circles and attended regular meetings of Awami Adabi Anjman, the Literary committee of Karachi Press Club etc. Jan has now moved to Hyderabad.

Some poems are long and some are short. The recurring theme is not personal woes and love longings, but socio-politico-economic situations and events that occupy his poems. Manoj Kumar, who has written the preface of this book, has termed him a a poet historian of pain.

The book starts with a poem about the poor women who got trampled while taking Eid gifts in Joria Bazar, Karachi on 14 September 2009:

Lyari, which is now a hotbed of gang wars, was once peaceful and cosmopolitan part of Karachi. He laments its present plight in one poem:

Pain is like bell  When it tolls in streets of Lyari,Leva dance is started. 

In another poem he talks about Manora and its surroundings:

 This sea and temple of Manora …
 And that church ….
 Oh Time come and use your full strength
 To quieten the violent sea
 And wipe out smell of hate. 

In various poems he has tried to depict the torment and anguish of Karachi and its residents:

Rose blooming season

 Today in our motherland
 Bullets are freely playing in streets
 … At city circle
 Along with heroes of stories, history,
 Songs and poems,
 Our longings are also burnt. 

Relations

 All dogs of city
 Have become guardians of hate
 And for wishing to dream
 Today have developed friendships
 Once again with stars. 

Story of a city

 Hundred kissable damsels  
 And branches of roses
 Fell down after getting injured
 Get trampled
 For their crime of love for life. 

He also speaks about the various ills afflicting our society such as honour killings, hunger, poverty, draught in Thar etc.

Hunger Either in Cold or in Hot Ways and markets give him a place Across the hub river, His Mother, Along with another minor son,  Peeping from the door holes  Will be waiting for son Might be she so hungry. 

Drought

Hearing crying of children,
 Prior to issuing of red milk
 From breast of any mother
 Feeble eyes shed tears 

Some poems discuss international events or personalities. Below are excerpts from a few poems having an international bent:

Tamil girl

 Over emaciated boat of longings
 A Tamil girl with gun
 Is following track of silence            
 Suicidal death is calling her. 

Nelson Mandela

In eyes of Mandela
 Those dreams still unfulfilled 
 Will dance in the streets
 After draping jewels of realization 

In the end, I am giving excerpts from some of his poems so that you can enjoy a variety of themes and images portrayed in them:

Short story of a long journey

 We singers of songs
 In the season of sorrows 
 Instead of laughter,
 Are humming Nohas/dirges
 Still
 Have not lost despite barking of dogs at every nook and corner
 Have not wavered
 We are travelling. 

Keenjhar

 From afar breast of Keenjhar 
 Seems like a desert
 Or a play ground
 Children get on boat and run
 Take fishing net
 Swing and sing
 All day they play in water
 At dusk boats are like nests 
 Of river birds. 

Bahrai Town Karachi & Supreme Court

Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday ordered to hand over the money, provided by Bahria Town to an 11- member Commission, which is being formed to look after its disbursement on development projects of Sindh (half for Karachi and the remaining half for the entire Sindh). The money is being deposited by Bahria Town as a fine for illegally purchasing land from the provincial Sindh government in instalments.

According to the latest verdict on a petition for the implementation of an earlier verdict by the apex court the proposed Commission would be headed by a Chairman nominated by the Chief Justice of Pakistan and comprised of five voting members who are permanent residents of Sindh and have no political affiliations and six non-voting members. Who will decide about political affiliation is not specifically mentioned.

The Sindh governor and the chief minister would nominate one person each as a voting member, the attorney general for Pakistan and the attorney general for Sindh will also be included in the body.

Non-voting members will be the Sindh Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, a senior member of the provincial Board of Revenue, senior officers assigned to Sindh in the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan, the Accountant General of Pakistan and Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

The SC implementation bench had on March 21 last year accepted Bahria Town’s offer to pay PKR 460 billion on account of the purchase of the land measuring 16,896 acres controlled by the Malir Development Authority (MDA), but with certain terms and conditions.

The SC accepted the offer on May 4, 2018 judgement, which had held the grant of land to the MDA by the Sindh government, its exchange with the land of private developer Bahria Town and anything done under the provisions of the Colonisation of Government Land Act 1912 by the provincial government illegal and of no legal existence. The land was granted for launching an incremental housing scheme, but the MDA exchanged it with Bahria Town to launch a scheme of its own, the SC verdict had regretted.

A villager narrates the ordeal of his family and relatives whose homes were destroyed by Bahria Town with support from Malir Police https://twitter.com/AwamiWorkers/status/1312408413129891845

A mixed reaction is coming from Sindh as the PPP supporters were happy that money is received for development projects in Sindh, however, the legal experts and rights activists believe this was tantamount to legalising Bahria Town’s illegal actions.

Malik Riaz of Bahria Town is still busy grabbing land from villages located around its huge real estate in Malir and Jamshoro districts and Sindh police is providing their all-out assistance to him and bulldozing the Goths.

Recently, Bahria Town in connivance with the local Police in the Malir district bulldozed Ali Muhammad Gabol Goth near Bahria Town. Villagers protested and civil society held a press conference at Karachi Press Club against the forcible eviction of villagers even a Sindh Minister stated in public that they would protect the villagers, but nothing happened and the entire village was razed. In the past, similar events happened in a number of villages.

The provincial Sindh Government is said to be a supporter of Bahria Town Karachi as PPP CO-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari is allegedly a partner of Malik Riaz in this project. The twin islands which the federal government is planning to offer for development are also said to be an extension of Bahria Town in Karachi.

Karachi Indigenous Rights Alliance has rejected today’s verdict and demanded the Supreme Court of Pakistan to refund back the money to Bahria Town and order the real estate tycoon to hand over the land to its old owners (villagers).

So far 44 villages have been destroyed by Bahria Town, which was early included in a topographic sheet of Karachi, prepared by Survey General of Pakistan 1965-69.

Gul Hassan Kalmati a member of the Alliance told this scribe that earlier the members of the alliance had met and they had a clear opinion on ownership of the land. They refused to hand over the land to the builder.

The Alliance members were of the opinion that this land was allotted illegally so should be taken back. “Some of our members were of the opinion that in case the money is eventually paid, this should entirely be spent on the development of Malir district.”

Sindh fails to protect honor of guests

Sindh government cannot absolve itself from the way its guest Cap. Safdar (husband of Mariam) was arrested by Sindh Police in a dreadful way early Monday morning.

It is after all Sindh Police have arrested him from the couple’s room in Hotel Avari Towers leave alone with allegations that some other forces had kidnapped the IGP to take this action (as the senior journalists Hamid Mir and Mubashir Zaidi‘s tweets state). Also, see this video

It is a scar on the face of the PPP’s provincial government as traditionally Sindhi people honour the guests at all costs. If such a situation arises they stand steadfast to protect the honour and lives of the guests.

We have many instances in the past were to protect the honour of guests, people have even taken weapons in hand.

PML (Nawaz) leader Zubair has confirmed his arrest and said he spoke to CM Syed Murad Ali Shah who has explained him.

https://twitter.com/FaizullahSwati/status/1318065055229947906?s=20

In this case, CM Murad Ali Shah and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari should have gone to the Police Station to get the guest released instantly. Imran Khan had once done this when PTI’s people were arrested in Islamabad when he was in opposition. Click for details

PML (N) Karachi leadership visited the police station to meet Capt. Safdar but they were not allowed

Shame on the Sindh government for its lame excuses!

Twin Islands on Sale

The entire Sindh is protesting against a recent move by the federal government to establish Pakistan Islands Development Authority (PIDA) apparently for the development of the islands on the Sindh and Balochistan coast. People in Sindh term the ordinance an attempt to take control of islands by the federal government, especially the twin islands near Karachi – Dingi and Bhandar located in the territory of Sindh.

President Dr. Arif Alvi had also chaired a meeting in Karachi in which top builders and estate investors including controversial builder Malik Riaz Hussain of Bahria Town also attended. The President had reportedly offered these two islands to national and international investors for investment and development. (Reported by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP))

Previously, these twin islands were also offered for sale on at least two occasions, but due to various reasons, the deals still needed to be finalised. The Sindh government had reportedly given official permission for the development of islands, which the provincial government later denied and also withdrew a notification issued in August in this regard.

Although the ordinance was issued on August 30, 2020, which needed formal approval by the Parliament to make it a law, the Pakistan Peoples Party has announced to oppose it at official forums.

The federal government has already advertised the post to appointment Chairman of the PIDA in the media and it is insisting to go ahead. These islands have also been taken over by Military authorities and common people are not allowed to access those islands, which are mostly inhabited. Local fishermen often use it as their halting spot and there is a Mazar of a Saint in one of the islands, where fishermen visit and an annual Urs is also held.

On October 15, 20202 an NGO of fishermen Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) organised a boat rally, which was attended by over 1100 rights activists and media persons and opposed federal control, but the Maritime Security Agency (MSA) and Coast Guards disallowed the boat riders to access to the islands. This was condemned by the rights activists.

The fishermen population of Sindh’s coast is vocal against the development of these islands as they fear losing their livelihood of fish catch as a result of the difficulty to access these islands. Fishermen of Gizri and other fishing localities have already lost their access to the beaches after the development of DHA colonies along the coast.

The environmentalists also opposed any development of these islands as they fear the loss of mangrove forest cover in the entire coast once development activities are initiated.

The federal government is adamant to hand over these twin islands to the builders especially its blue-eyed Malik Riaz of Bahria Town. An advertisement in the local newspapers published by Bahria Town indicated that these islands may attract huge international investment.

The Bahria Town had indicated launching an Island City where it plans to construct a World’s Tallest Tower, a World’s Largest Shopping Mall, a Sports City, Education and Medical City, International City, Media City and a 3.5km long, six-lane modern bridge built over the sea, which will connect Bahria Town Islands City to DHA Karachi.

A local lawyer Shahab Osto has challenged the federal government’s move to appoint PIDA Chairman and the ordinance in Sindh High Court.

Although a shutter-down strike and a number of protests have been held across Sindh, the provincial government seems reluctant to put a real pressure on the federal government to withdraw its plans as some believe that the Sindh government is already hand in glove with the Bahria Town management as it had already illegally allocated a huge land to the builder in Malir and Jamshoro districts. The fact was accepted by the Sindh government during the Supreme Court’s hearing in a case against Bahria Town.