Credible and affordable housing projects, providing quality affordable residential facilities is vital for any metropolitan city like Karachi, Lahore etc. However, under no circumstances, other than insatiable greed, can anyone justify demolition of Walton Airport, as an alternate airport for emergency purposes etc., to build CBD, or destroy thousands of acres of green agricultural pastures in the vicinity of Shahdara in Lahore, which effectively creates obstruction in the flow of water path to Ravi. Imagine the havoc, that would be caused when India releases excess waters during floods etc.
Responsibility for oversight and regulatory control lies with Provincial/Federal and City Government, that citizens get a fair deal and their lifelong savings are not gobbled by greedy and unethical practices of few. Citizens of Lahore, are denied even pure air to breathe, because of the environmental disaster created by mushrooming of housing societies, brick kilns and chopping of trees and green pastures, around its periphery.
Elected governments, and departments, funded by taxpayers exist, must perform regulatory functions instead of being involved in commercial housing schemes for exclusive benefit of paid elite and powerful few. Welfare of citizens must take precedence over benefits of paid elite. This criminal negligence creates mistrust between people and government agencies, when such societies deprive citizens of their lifelong savings. Nothing can be more detrimental.
Edmund Burke stated in 1775 that “It is the love of the people, it is their attachment to their government, from the sense of the deep stake they have in this glorious institution—” The whole edifice of the State is based on trust, rule of law, and the constitution. Primary constitutional obligations of a government is to protect lives and private properties of citizens, including their basic rights like education, clean drinking water, health and most importantly justice for all, without any fear or favor. It goes to credit of CJP Qazi FI, who ordered owners of Nasla Towers on 26 April 2024 to sell the plot and give compensation to 44 victims. He issued similar notices to Tejori Heights, constructed on land belonging to Pakistan Railways. What happened to the hapless occupants of Nasla Tower in Karachi was in sharp contrast to fate of graver irregularities in Constitution One Avenue Islamabad project, where beneficiaries were powerful members of ruling elite, across the political divide, including paid elite and few within judiciary. They benefitted on considerations of Third-Party Interests, which grounds were not considered by former CJP Gulzar for residents of Nasla Tower. Were they “children of Lesser gods”? The former CJP, who was in haste, ordering demolition two years ago, abandoned this country, post-retirement, to live in a foreign country, which seems to have become favorite choice of our elite. It is unethical and immoral for powerful members of paid elite, who having benefitted most from vast opportunities and perks, then choose to abandon it, yet get their pensions in foreign exchange, despite economic crisis and scarcity of FOREX. Hundreds of thousands of citizens who do not have a house to live in, are not considered eligible for a subsidized plot of land in Islamic Republic, whilst paid elite are beneficiaries of multiple residential and commercial plots, to be sold for commercial profits.
This was definitely not in scheme of things when Quaid and Pioneers of our political freedom struggled to create a modern democratic welfare state in Pakistan, where paid elite were to serve them as servants, instead of masters. The 15-storey Nasla residential building, located at intersection of Shahrah-i Faisal and Shahrah-i-Quaideen in Karachi, was demolished on 5 February 2022. Its unfortunate residents were evicted in October 2021. This Building Plan with irregularities, was approved by SBC Authority and was visible to VVIPs, government officials etc., who frequently ply on this busy road. Those responsible within SBCA and others within District Government, KDA etc. have managed to get away. This is not, the only irregularly constructed housing project in Karachi, where Tejori Heights was built on land belonging to Pakistan Railways, apart from numerous others. Lest we forget the case of thousands of acres of land given to Bahria in Sind and SCP judgments on it. No wonder CJP QFI is a thorn, for few. Almost every political and non-political government has been party to these irregularities. When few, within judiciary, succumb to temptations of allotment of expensive multiple plots in Islamabad and other parts of the country, than their judicial role is likely to be compromised. Remember judgment by a former CJP, involving a powerful Land Mafia Don’s illegal takeover of thousands of acres of land, including that given to MDA. The Land Mafia Don volunteered for an out of court settlement to compensate thousands of poor, whose land was forcibly taken over, in connivance with powerful few. This Mafia Don has been involved in numerous such irregularities, in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad etc. Failure of those at helm to protect interests of citizens in such schemes, has inflicted irreparable damage on their credibility. Ardeshir Cowasjee launched a one-man movement against such gross irregularities. He wrote several columns, when an amenity plot known as Kidney Hills, was illegally occupied by individuals, one of whom was an employee of a state-owned corporation PIA, under administrative control of MOD. They functioned under banner of Overseas Housing Society. None of key functionaries of OHS had ever been employed overseas, yet they managed to swindle many, with help of powerful politicians. No political party, however popular they maybe, has moral or legal authority to appoint individuals involved in serious irregularities, as heads of state corporations like PIA. Over 1300 fake degree holders were recruited by him in PIA. Electoral popularity cannot absolve anyone, or give immunity for criminal acts. Such an individual was appointed at helm of PIA, despite numerous columns written by men of conscience like Ardeshir Cowasjee. Irresponsible statement by a former Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar, and the choice of team to head PIA proved to be the last nail.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
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