METRO LAHORE - PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR PUBLIC

30 BILLION FOR 45 BUSES AND 27 KM TRACK: METRO BUS LAHORE

February 10, 2013 (Sunday)

When I woke up today, I was surprised. Why? Because everything around me looked exactly as I left it last night. I went out of room and was even more surprised that nothing has changed there either. Now if you are thinking why it should had changed? Then surely you don`t watch television, don`t read newspaper and most probably has never been to any road in Lahore. Because for last few weeks, all the light of attention is only on one thing that is supposed to change the fate of Pakistanis (or precisely Lahorites).  Yup, I am talking about the Metro Bus Project by Government of Punjab (also known as Lahore district government) led by chief minister of Lahore, Oh sorry, Chief minister of  Punjab. 

The Constitution of Pakistan obligates the state to provide free and compulsory quality education to children of the age group 5 to 16 years. “The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such a manner as may be determined by law”. But today Pakistan faces a net primary school attendance rate for both sexes of 66 per cent. A figure below estimated world average of 90 per cent. The total expenditure on education is 2.2 percent of total GNP. The pupil to teacher ratio in Pakistan is 40 as compared to global average ratio of 18. As a student of U.E.T, I observe lack of modern equipment and apparatus (remember U.E.T is the highest ranked public sector engineering institute in Pakistan). With 30 billion rupees, one can build 10 universities in those districts of Punjab where today no university exists. A lot of new schools can be build around the province. One can completely re-invent the whole education system of the province, with a lot of new teachers, modern equipment, scholarships etc. But problem with this lies in the fact that it do not generate enough publicity for khadim-e-Lahore.

Pakistan is ranked 122^nd of 190 countries in global health rankings prepared by WHO. Pakistan is ranked 172^nd of 185 countries in total expenditure on health as percentage of GDP. Only 50% people of Pakistan have access to proper medicine. A lot of people die daily due to lack of proper health facilities and lack of proper equipment  With 30 billion rupees 20 new hospitals with 200 beds each can be raised. With 30 million rupees necessary medical equipment can be spread in hospitals around the province. But again it does not have power to generate enough publicity.

Today half of Pakistan is unemployed. Industries are closing due to falling economic building of Pakistan. The biggest reason cited by experts is energy crisis. After 18th amendment it’s the responsibility of provinces to handle the energy issue as they are handed the major share of money. And 30 billion rupees can be very handy in doing something to solve this issue in near future. With 30 billion rupees, new industries can be build resulting in employment of thousands of unemployed Pakistanis.

A country where people are suiciding due to poverty and lack of basic living facilities, what do you expect government to do? Now if you think government will do something to eradicate poverty and will fulfill their responsibility of providing people with basic facilities in a welfare state, you are totally wrong. The Government actually will build a 27 kilometer long track for a luxurious transport system in a province which consists of 205,344 km² of land. Out of 259, 758 km length of roads in Pakistan, these 27 kilometers are the most special costing more than 30 billion (this is official government figure, opposition claims 70 billion). Adding to these 30 billion are billions more on massive advertisement on television, newspapers and roads. And why these 27 kilometers are special, nobody exactly knows. And surprisingly this time khadim-e-Lahore did discrimination even within Lahore because I don`t see any track in front of my university. In fact half of Lahore is declared unsuitable for this service because I don`t see any tracks there.

Now it is up to you people to decide whether education, health, unemployment, energy crisis, poverty . . . . .  etc are bigger problems or the transport of half of Lahore. People have to decide if free ride on a bus for a month is important or giving free life saving drugs in hospitals. I am reading comments like something is better than  nothing, and looking  at the problems we are facing today, few of which are mentioned above, I`ll say that it is not even “SOMETHING”.

For people of Punjab it is not the day to celebrate, it’s the day to record our protest to khadim-e-Lahore that we are not as dumb as he thinks us to be. It’s the time for us to question him who allowed him to waste our money in such useless projects when we are facing every major problem possible.  It is time to ask him who gave him right to waste our money on publicity of his party. It is time to weep over sense of our politicians, not to celebrate on a 27 Km road and few buses.

Perhaps democracy was never meant to provide health, education, jobs, roti, kapra aur makkan to people of Pakistan. Perhaps it was always meant to provide us with constitutional amendments, roads, sports competitions, laptops, bulbs and fake promises.

May Allah Bless this country.

[M.ARSLAN]

arslan.moon@gmail.com

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Save Your Home First

The beautiful city of Karachi is now the center of crime in Pakistan.

If you regularly follow the social media, you must have known that how our traditional media is under the attack of criticism from social media users over many issues. Currently they are taunted over their ignorance over the issue of massacres of rohingya Muslims in Burma. Every body I see is posting about the negligence of our government on this issue. Everybody is trying to realize you how important it is for you to raise your voice over this issue. Happenings in Burma are clear violation of human rights and there surely is a need to raise voice so that innocent people can be saved. There is a need for muslim countries and United nations to do whatever possible to stop this. But though i`ve nothing against these people on social media raising the issue of Burma and abusing media and Pakistan government, I do have some questions......

Since my childhood I have been seeing the protests and rallies supporting the Kashmirs I have seen all religious parties speaking for the freedom of Kashmir. I have heard Ulemas urging the people in mosques to go for a Jihaad in Kashmir. Well there is a confusion about how much right do Pakistan have to claim Kashmir and what do the people of Kashmir want but  I have no problem with all these people speaking for Kashmirs. But still I have some questions.....

Baluchistan is the largest of the four provinces of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of its total land mass. This region of our country is full of natural resources. A big share of our national income is courtesy these resources of  Baluchistan. The biggest natural gas field in Pakistan is located in Baluchistan. But for last 64 years this province has been the most underprivileged in Pakistan. They never had their share of those great projects planned for all other provinces of Pakistan At most of the places educational institutes are non existent and even if they are present in some regions, they are low in facilities. There exists nothing like law. But how many pages or posts do you see on Facebook about rights of Baluchistan How many tweets are there protesting about injustice with Baluchistan?

Now Baluchistan never got the rights it deserved but unfortunately it is not the only problem for Baluchistan. The peole go missing there rather mysteriously and if their relatives are lucky, they will find brutally tortured and bullet-ridden body at maximum. For most of the people even this courtesy of returning the dead body do not happen.  And the most shocking and rather sad thing is that all these people are actually going in torture rooms of pakistani agencies and military forces. Though I have great respect and love for my army but unfortunately many incidents have been reported by the national media where Paksitan amy killed protesters and has done many things which do not come under the law. The state agencies do not follow any law and you can never feel safe in baluchistan because it can be your turn any day. And once you are picked by these agencies, safe return is very difficult if not impossible. I recently read a satement of army cheif of Pakistan about solving baluchistan issue politicaly and I hope and wish that this could actually happen. But the question is why all those people criticizing media about burma issue are silent about these things in baluchistan. Do the lives of baluchis are worthless? Where are those people who see people dying in the whole world but can not see people dying in thier own country?

Over 700 Hazaras have been murdered in last few months in baluchistan. Thousands of Hazaras have been permanently disabled by terrorist attacks. No terrorist has ever been brought to justice by the Pakistani Government. Responsibility for most of these attacks has been claimed by outlawed group Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who have gone as far in their hate preach as declaring the community “wajib-ul-qatl” or deserving of death in their edicts handed out in the Balochistan province. But the security forces have failed to stop these acts for last ten years. And this is what human rights commission of Pakistan has to say on this issue,“HRCP unequivocally condemns the attack and is shocked by the authorities’ inability or unwillingness to act against terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which has repeatedly claimed responsibility for these attacks. The promised probe into the attack must also look into charges of support for the terrorists among the security agencies." And now how many people do you watch on social media raising their voice agisnt it. Where are those religious parties and ulemmas? Why don`t they give fatwas of jihaad aginst those who are killing these hazara people? Why don`t they give fatwas against those people who are killing people in Baluchistan?

Than their is the "City of lights". The life of a common man in karachi is the cheapest thing in the city. The gang wars are common in the city which is called the economic center of Pakistan. You don`t only have to pay tax to government. There are many other gangs who need your money for thier important tasks. Now for years this has been happening with this most important city of Pakistan but how many voices have you heard on social media about these issues. How many political or religious parties have practically done anything for this situation.?

So its my question to all those people blaming eveybody about the negligence in burma issue why don`t they talk about massacres in Bluchistan. Why don`t you speak for hazara people. Why don`t you put pressure on media and government for the peole of Karachi? Why don`t the mullahs, urging the youth to do jihaad in kashmir and in burma, ask thier followers to do jihaad aginst the people killing my countrymen? I`ve seen reports in newspapers about rallies for burma Muslims. This is a good thing because they are our brothers but why their are no rallies for the people of karachi and baluchistan? The religious parties of this coutry regularly organize rallies and marchs for the kashmir. Why are they ignoring their own country?  Why are you all genius people on social media not protesting about the massacres in Pakistan? I guess they are busy in rather much important task of defending their political parties. Or they are busy in abusing media.

All these things do not mean that I am against speaking for muslims in burma or speaking for human right violations in kashmir. I sure do have a feeling for these muslims, the brothers of ours. But I can`t stop myself from thinking first for my own country. I always think of Pakistan first. So do care for muslims in Burma, do care for Kashmir, do care for whole world but first do care for your own country. Please save your home first.

[M.ARSLAN]

Pakistan First

Despite countless different problems in Pakistan, both the big opposition parties are rather focusing on accusing and abusing each other.

We heard how social media fueled the whole arab spring. Though in Pakistna there is nothing like arab spring, because apparently this time around we want to bring change with our votes, but the social media has become extremely active here in recent times. With the general elections round the corner, some analysts have gone to the extent of predicting that social media will influence public opinion more than on-the-ground campaigning.

Until recently PTI has an almost complete grip over the whole social media. And PTI has been often mocked as party of internet users. But recently we`ve seen that PTI`s internet popularity has also inspired other major political parties to enter in this ground. And though one of the largest parties of Pakistan PPPP is still almost non-existent on social media, PML(n) has made quite a space for themselves. Its a good think because it provides chance to millions of users to share their political views with each other and to discuss manifestos of diffrent parties. But it has been observed that social media has rather effected negatively.

On ground both these parties,PTI and PML(n), are busy in dirty game of abusing each other, without realizing coultless problems that we as a nation are facing. But rather more unfortunately , this phenomena of abusing each other is going more strongly among the supporters of these two parties on social media. The supporters of both parties see their leaders as angels who can not do anything wrong. They feel it their duty to defend every wrong and right of their leader. And they have gone so far in this practice that it seems to me like their parties are more important to them than their country. And Its not about supporters of any single party, this phenomena is common amongst all parties.

I have decided to vote for PTI in next elextions and i had been a vocal supporter for PTI or should I say i am a supporter of PTI. But I never thought that Imran Khan can never do anything wrong. He clearly had made many wrong decisions recently. He came up with a vision for youngsters and new people and honestly now these things are quite difficult to find in PTI. I wanted him to stop accusing others and presnt his own policies and manifestoes but until recently the focus of his politics is basicly on accusing and abusing others. But I`ll not go deep into his policies because my focus is on what his supporters are doing in social media. Firstly they want everyone to praise PTI. And if any journalist or analyst expresses his views against some policy or decision of PTI, firstly he`ll have to face abuses and then whole social media will be full with photos and posts that will suggest that he has been paid by PML(n). Same is the case with PML(n) supporters.

There is nothing like ethics that these people follow. They`ll abuse the leaders of other parties and they never feel any hesitation in entering into personal lives of those politicians. I rarely see them discussing policies, most of the times the discussion is centerd around useless topics. They`ll discuss on why Ik is drinking water with left hand, why jamima is still meeting Ik, Imran`s children are jews, Nawaz sharif has affairs with foreign journalists. They accuse each others leaders baselssely and they don`t need any proofs.

The problem with all this is that all these peole have forgotten that basically everbody wants improvement in Pakistan. We have nothing to do with these leaders. We support them because we like what they say and what they present for Pakistan. If one party comes up with something good for Pakistan, why not to praise its policy even if you are supporting the other party. And if your own party has a wrong policy on some issue why to defend it. We should speak against it because it is Pakistan that matters to us not these political parties. But what you see on social media is that every body is madly defending everything that comes from party that they are aupporting whether its good or harmful for Pakistan, it does not matter.

My request to all these people on social media is to support Pakistan and think for Pakistan. Because for all of us there should not be anything more important than Pakistan and we support political parties for the sake of Pakistan. So raise above parties, be a Pakistani.

[Muhammad Arslan]

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