Reference drowning of an unknown number of people on an uncontrolled beach called Sea View, it is a sad reminder of state apathy for lives and security of citizens of Pakistan. The primary responsibility for securing and enforcing laws, provision of fire-fighting and rescue apparatus, provision of water, electricity, hospitals, schools, etc, lies with those who collect various taxes such as property tax, water tax, security and maintenance charges from residents.
Every day scores of citizens of Karachi are killed by armed gangs who collect extortion and resort to kidnapping and target killings. The sole responsibility for this lies with the city and provincial government. However, in the case of Sea View, which falls under the jurisdiction of DHA and Clifton Board (both empowered to collect taxes), responsibility to employ guards and security personnel to ensure that no citizens goes into the sea, especially in high tide months from June to August, also rests with them.
The unfortunate reality is that both these semi-autonomous residential societies have failed to provide water through pipelines to residents, although they collect water charges from them. Those who patronise the lucrative water tanker mafia are well known. These two Statutory Bodies can seek assistance from police, etc, to fulfill their civic responsibilities, in case there is extraordinary rush in peak load days like Eid and other gazetted holidays. It is public knowledge that a deep ditch was dug near the shore of Sea View more than a decade ago by a contractor authorised by the Authority, but work did not complete, and the deep ditch remains. It is this place where every year hundreds of irresponsible citizens lose their lives.
M T ALI
Lahore
