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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