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The
way we are karachicharacter
Thousands of children become victims of violence every year in Pakistan, yet few receive attention, let alone justice. By Adeel Pathan Kishore had been working at Kanya Lal's residence for 20 days when he was accused of stealing gold ornaments worth half a million rupees. The 14-year-old says he was tortured into admitting to this supposed misdeed. To punish him, Kanya Lal, his wife Sarla and nephew Deepak tortured the young boy with a metal rod and locked him in a room for three days. The police raided
Kanya Lal's residence on a complaint registered by Kishore's uncle.
Kishore's initial It is a depressing thought, that something could infuriate people into physically harming another human being. It is more depressing a thought though, that anyone could attack a child, who is just physically not capable of taking on one, let alone three adults. But for some reason, these thoughts are the least melancholy ones. For when one compares Kishore to Muddasir Arain, who passed away in January after being subjected to corporal punishment at school, Kishore seems lucky to have not lost his life. Both cases occurred in
Hyderabad literally within a month of each other and point to the fact
that Unfortunately, even when a case is reported, the perpetrator of the crime often walks free, as with Buland Iqbal, the teacher who Muddasir's parents believe caused their son's death. Many civil society organizations are working on bringing child labuor to an end, as child labour is the main cause behind violence against children at workplaces and streets. According to data compiled by Madadgaar, Pakistan's first helpline for children and women suffering from violence, abuse and exploitation based on a compilation report after monitoring 26 newspapers; 5268 children were victimized across Pakistan from January to December 2007. From the total figure, 3012 were male and 2256 were female children. The report cites lack of awareness, hesitation because of stigmatization, discrimination, patriarchal structure of society, lack of avenues for redress and many barriers in accessing justice as basic reasons for people hesitating to report cases of child abuse. It is clarified in the
report that reported numbers of cases are merely a suggestion of the
actual Mohammed Hassan Mangi, Director of National Commission for Child Welfare and Development (NCCWD) of Ministry of Social Welfare Islamabad in reveals to Kolachi that the draft bill of the child protection policy has been forwarded to provinces and 90 per cent work in this regard has been completed. "There was a positive response and after completion of the remaining 10 per cent work on the draft bill it will be sent to the prime minister for approval from the cabinet, which should be soon," he says. Mangi says that the media is playing an important role in highlighting violence against children cases which prompts authorities to take quick action. The fact that these cases are being reported, according to Mangi, should be taken as an encouraging sign. "NCCWD takes notice of cases after they appear in newspapers or on television," says Mangi, "and asks the concerned home department to prepare a report." "Of course," says Mangi, "the commission will be able to work more effectively after gaining status as an autonomous body." "Child domestic
labour should also be brought to an end and the ministry of labour
should come up While Mangi's views are commendable and offer comfort that action is being taken at top level, matters at the grass-root level remain more or less unchanged. Two separate committees formed to ascertain the cause of Muddasir's death have cleared the doctors of charges of negligence and Buland Iqbal, the teacher, of the charge of subjecting Muddasir to corporal punishment. Federal Caretaker Minister, Ansar Burney, who visited Muddasir's family after his death, has failed to establish contact with the family and form another committee to look into the case as promised. Mussarat Pervez, a human rights activist associated with Lawyer for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA) as Deputy Program Coordinator of Madadgaar tells Kolachi that violence against children is increasing as fresh cases of corporal punishment and domestic violence are surfacing. Mussarat says that cases of violence against children get covered up easily because mostly, the victim's family doesn't want to pursue the case and secondly there are various flaws in existing laws. "The culprit benefits due to medico-legal reports which are based on physical injuries; cases of mental abuse do not fall under this category," Mussarat tells Kolachi adding that mental torture at home or the workplace can destroy the personality of a child forever. Mussarat feels that a lot of things are not dealt with correctly by the police, especially cases of violence against children. Victims are further harassed at police stations. The police mostly only seems to spring to action after a murder takes place. "Awareness is key if we are to curb violence against children," says Mussarat, "along with bringing changes in laws especially those regarding domestic violence," The child protection bill that is waiting for the approval from government also deliberates the formation of Commission for the Protection of Children (CPC). The CPC will act as a focal point for effective supervision and coordination of child rights at national and international level and devise a national policy and plan of action. The child protection bill says that child protection bureaus should also be established and recommends for establishment of a child protection court. Dr Hameed Memon, a psychiatrist, tells Kolachi that, "those who subject children to torture can be defined as abnormal individuals." Dr Memon says that most abusers don't feel guilty of their crime. "Once they enter this cycle of violence," he says "they become incapable of reestablishing relationships and need psychiatric help." Salam Dharejo, Regional Promotion Manager of Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) tells Kolachi that there has been a sharp increase in sexual violence against children in Sindh. Facts and figures collected through newspapers and child rights committees reveal that 216 cases of sexual abuse have been reported in 2007 alone. Part of the reason for this increase, according to Dharejo, is the apathetic role of society and child rights commissions. "Violence against children is easily covered up because children cannot decide or negotiate to defend themselves," says Dharejo, "their grievances are addressed by adults whether they are parents or persons belonging to state institutions. Children do not have a voice." Dharejo does not limit civil society just to NGOs. He uses it as a broad term to include all members of society, including those with political affiliations. Apart from implementation of international laws and protocol, there is also a need for an independent judiciary to take up cases of violence against children. Free legal aid facilities should be made available to those who need them. All forms of child labour, be it industrial, domestic or others, must be discouraged. Last but not the least, the child protection bill must be passed and implemented without further delay, lest more children suffer as Kishore and Muddasir did. The statistics of violence The provincial breakup of statistics collected in 2007 show that 225 child abuse cases were reported from Balochistan, 549 from NWFP, 3051 from Punjab and 1443 from Sindh. Among major cities, Multan remains on top of the list as 997 cases happened there while in Karachi the number of reported cases was 416. Other noteworthy cities in the context of violence against children include Gujranwala with 745 cases, Lahore with 679 cases, Sialkoat with 654 cases, Rawalpindi with 597 cases, Faisalabad with 507 cases, Peshawar with 467 cases, Larkana with 415 cases, Hyderabad with 345 cases and Sukkur with 279 cases. In 2006 the numbers of child abuse cases remained 4386, which is comparatively less than last year's figures. During last eight years, as per statistics of Madadgaar, from January 2000 to December 2007, 32298 children became victims of violence. Out of total; 1612 cases were reported in in 2000, 2901 in 2001, 3864 in 2002, 4384 in 2003, 4647 in 2004, 5236 in 2005, 4386 in 2006 and 5268 in 2007. city calling Transport imbroglio in Karachi While much attention has been paid to improving roads in Karachi, it seems that the problems the process involved will cause commuters were not considered. By Dr Noman Ahmed Press reports and observations have revealed that Karachi's financial district has been virtually declared a bus free zone. I.I. Chundrigar Road, which is the hub of employment for the working class of Karachi, has been swept clean of public transport. CDGK officials have withdrawn the shuttle service between Shaheen Complex and Mereweather Tower without explanation. Desperate
folks, especially the physically weak or disabled, have had to resort to taking taxis, for an CDGK and other government departments have been in road expansion frenzy for quite some time. Many arteries have been targeted for this swift transformation. For example, University Road had a proper system of service roads. Local traffic used to move within the neighbourhood of Gulshan-e-Iqbal without hindrance. As the number of motor cars and motor cycles increased beyond manageable limits during the past five years, the 'wise' decision makers converted all the right of way stretch for traffic. Any transport planner would question the technical wisdom of this approach which has created severe problems for residents to move within the various blocks. A similar approach has been applied in many other localities of the city. Casualties in this case include trees which have been ruthlessly felled. Pedestrian
sidewalks, central islands as well as passive green belts have also been
systematically A carpeted road is obviously needed by motorists whereas footpaths are mainly utilized by pedestrians, most of whom cannot afford cars. It may also be noted that by increasing possibility of fast movement, pedestrians are left to run for their lives at the mercy of speed merchants. Erratic drivers do not bother to slow down at the sight of the weak, elderly, women or even school children. Hit and run accidents are on the rise. Motorists and heavy vehicle drivers who are guilty of hitting and running are hardly brought to justice. A few months ago, a speeding car driven by the underage son of a wealthy businessman killed a pedestrian standing at the side of a Clifton street. By exercising influence, the businessman freed his son after paying a nominal compensation to the bereaved family of the poor vendor. Karachi generates over 20 million passenger trips on a daily basis. Slightly over one-eights of this sum is made up of motor cars and motor cycles. The rest is made up of public transport that now offers sub-human options, to say the least. A rosy promise of plying 8000 CNG buses was made by CDGK many months ago. But due to political differences with groups that operate public transport, no headway has been made in this direction. Many experts who carried out independent analyses of Karachi's transport situation have stressed the need to operate large high speed buses on major routes with high labour force concentration. But the city administration seems to be just busy finalizing roads and bridges construction contracts. Had the informal sector collapsed, employment and economic life would have come to a halt. Instead of planning and implementing effective solutions, the city and provincial authorities are attempting to bully transporters by threatening to confiscate smoke emitting vehicles. While such vehicles surely need to be phased out, it can only happen when an alternative fleet is made available. It will be tantamount to foolishness if disciplinary action on existing buses precedes replacement by environmentally friendly vehicles. Currently, approaches adopted by the regime are entirely unsustainable. Increase in private motor cars is causing a heavy burden on the national import bill. With the exception of oil marketing companies and auto manufacturers and importers, there is no other beneficiary in this entire scenario. Clout exercised by these powerful stakeholders has succeeded in shaping street and road dimension according to their desires. Outcomes of this are mind boggling. Karachi's
passenger fleet is composed of 50 per cent cars, 42 per cent motor
cycles, three per cent Options of internal movement are also staved away by irrational policies. The administration is busy wiping out all the side lanes and paths where non-motorized traffic – such as animal carts or bicycles - used to ply. Government departments are also keen on relaxing the vehicle policy for official uses. The number of expensive luxury jeeps and cars under government use has increased tremendously. In some cases, the price of one jeep is found to be more than that of a bus! With rapidly rising encroachments on the right-of-way of Karachi Circular Railways, the service is being rendered impossible for times to come. Conversion of vacant land, including strips kept for urban services, is being undertaken at a fast pace. This move has diminished the chances of developing proper terminal spaces for public transport. Fancy proposals of bullet trains, underground mass transit and other outlandish options are worked out with foreign capitalists apparently to divert the attention of people from real miseries experienced by them. While a number of glossy presentations have been given to and heard by decision makers, no effective solution has been worked out so far. Lessons are available in various contexts, if one is willing to learn. In Ahmedabad, India, the local government has resorted to a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). This means allocating dedicated lanes for efficient movement of buses. According to experts, a BRTS extends flexibility of a bus to commuters with the efficiency level of a train. Similarly in Jakarta, the governor of the province launched a BRTS with a small allocation of 49 million dollars. It became so effective that the demand for the service forced the government to move to an extension plan straight away. Other territories where BRTS has been established successfully include Brazil, Peru and several parts of North America. The situation demands a basic beginning. A rationalization should be made to regulate the rising number of motor cars. By taxation and insurance subsidy packages, bus operators must be encouraged to phase out worn out vehicles by new ones. A mechanism of facilitating bicycles must be ensured to enable those in low income brackets and others to safely ride this economical vehicle. Local and through traffic must be separated without compromising on the standard requirements of the former. And pedestrian rights must be protected at all costs. Until common sense becomes the pre-requisite in traffic planning and project implementation, common people will continue to suffer! The way we are Distinguishably integrated: Karachi's Bohra Community By Sabeen Jamil Shots ringing loud in the Karachi sky, blood spilt meaninglessly on Karachi streets and the people that walk these streets under that sky; oblivious to the gunshots or bloodshed, all paint a picture of perfect insensitivity. Given the ethnic violence and sectarian clashes in the metrpolis, it is often also alleged that Karachiites have biases that run deep and take many forms; ethnic, religious and gender. A word with people belonging to the Bohra community, one of the sects within Islam that has a quite a presence in Karachi, proves most of these speculations wrong. When Hasina Saifee, 28, returned to Karachi after having spent four years in United States, she did not foresee many great things for herself in Pakistan. Despite holding a Masters in Business Administration from America, she felt that a rida-wearing Bohra girl like herself would have a hard time establishing a career. Cases of violence towards minority sects and the prejudice shown towards ethnicity back home made headlines in local newspapers frequently and left her believing that the city would not allow vocational growth for a conservative Bohra girl who wore her religious dress religiously. However, having been employed as Assistant Manager Finance in a local bank for three years now has her convinced other wise. "Reality is not always what is shown in the media," says Hasina, a confident smile on her face. A handsome package along with a total absence of the expected prejudice by non-Bohras in the city assures her of a bright future for her with the assurance that other Bohras too are prospering in Karachi. With a population of approximately 16 million, Karachi is home to a variety of ethnic and religious communities, with the Bohra community distinguishing itself from others because of the dress code they observe. The exact number of Bohras in Pakistan has never been calculated, but according to a rough estimate, 35,000 Bohras are living in Karachi right now, with a majority residing in North Nazimabad (particularly around the Hyderi Market area), Saddar and Muhammad Ali Housing Society. With a ribboned, sequined top and long skirt over her dress, a Bohra woman is as identifiable among hundreds as a Bohra man with a saya; a long kurta with straight pants and a round embroided cap. "Contrary to popular perception of sectarian prejudice, the average Bohra roams freely on the streets, attends educational institutes and work confidently with the same distinctive religious attire," Muhammad Qamaruddin Suneel, a retired bank manager tells Kolachi. Qamaruddin says that because of the extensive network of madressahs ( religious school) and jamat khanas (community centers) in the city he has never felt obstructed in practicing the teachings of the mentor of his sect, currently headed by Dr Syedna Burhanuddin, the 52nd, incumbent of the uninterrupted chain of inherited succession stretching over 850 years. "We are free to go to our mosques." Qamaruddin shares that he is never singled out because of his beliefs and rituals, which are quite different from those of the other sects "not even during Muharram" he adds. Popular for being a community of peaceful people, Bohras avoid getting involved in arguments in the name of religion. They generally focus more on the development of their community and thus enjoy a good reputation among other sects. Bohras in Karachi too are doing too well and only very recently three among them got elected as councillors during the local bodies' elections held in 2006. A majority of the community seems satisfied living in the city and enjoys the due cooperation of the government to their religious matters. "The government has always cooperated with us," Qamaruddin says, referring to Dr Burhanuddin's meeting with President Musharraf when he last visited Pakistan, in 2004. Memories of the warm welcome given to his Aqa Maula by the then Governor Sindh Ishrat-ul-ibad and Naimat-ullah-Khan, the then Karachi nazim, still warms him. Those memories are equally delightful for Jamila, Qamaruddin's only daughter. The 22-year-old girl studies Mass-Communication at Karachi University and usually feels at ease roaming around the city clad in her rida except for market where she always feels un-welcome wearing one. "The shopkeepers know that a Bohra woman will haggle for 20 minutes over prices and after even getting a bargain will not buy anything!" Jamila winks while revealing a typical Bohra women trait: habitually getting in to arguments with shopkeepers over prices though they don't actually intend to buy them. Bohras in Karachi generally seem satisfied with the opportunities of life they are bestowed with in the city. A majority of them opt for the family business as a profession after studies but many of them now look for jobs elsewhere. Nevertheless, they all dream brilliant dreams for themselves and their community with the confidence that they will realize all of them. "I will launch a Gujrati news paper for Bohras in Karachi," Jamila shares her plans after graduation "and I am sure I will, successfully!" karachicharacter Living, learning and passing it on By Saba Ahmed Rashida Valika is a senior faculty member, Student Advisor and Teacher Trainer at SZABIST. She is in training profession for over 20 years. Her areas of expertise are :Developing Language Skills, Creative writing , Listening Skills and Proficiency in English. Having done her MS from SZABIST and MA English from KU, Rashida Valika has commendable research work under her name, which focuses on various issues of Karachi and Pakistan at large. Kolachi: How long have you been living in Karachi? Rashida:It has been
about 40 years now since I migrated from Sri Lanka. Kolachi: What is your opinion of Karachi? Rashida: Volatile, uncertain, frightening and atrocious. The present chaotic situation of the city has created immense uncertainty and alarmed the public of Karachi. It is extremely heartbreaking to see everything going down the drain. The government had done some remarkable work for the infrastructure of the city but the security of its citizens, an important area; they completely fail to comply with. The situation on the roads is disturbing too. You can't trust a single person; the city is flooded with thugs and robbers. Hence the masses of the city are skeptic and are scared all time. Kolachi: How do you manage your time? Rashida: It is not all that difficult. I love what I do , my work brings me happiness and I am quite content with what I am doing right now. Therefore, I am eventually able to cope up with things quite appropriately. Kolachi: How have you contributed in progression of Karachi? Rashida:By educating youth of Karachi. I teach them to love their nation and their city. Inculcating in them to be patriotic despite all the negativities that surrounds them. I have always made an effort to bring a positive change in the place where we live. I emphasize to my students to do as much as they can to make a good name for their country. Besides that, I have highlighted enormous problems that are faced by women living in Pakistan and Karachi in particular. I have written numerous papers on education, career counseling, women trafficking, sexual harassment at work place and the discrimination that women encounter despite all the claims that organizations make against it. To date women have less remuneration and rarely are able to attain a higher designation like men do. Another area where women discrimination is quite prevalent is in the field Computer Science. I published a paper: Women in Computer Science," A Pakistani Perspective," in December 2004, which aimed at finding out the reasons behind this problem and bringing them to forefront. Kolachi: In your perspective, which is one issue that needs immediate attention? Rashida: The attempted suicide rate among women has taken a sharp rise. To let go off her frustrations women often opt for two options. Their outlets are either anger or suicide, the former being unachievable of the two options. Since they find nobody to take their anger out on, they eventually choose for the alternate of taking one's life to end the trauma that they experience. In my research paper, 'Trends of Suicides in Pakistan in General and Karachi in Particular', I have taken a step to create awareness about this sensitive and unlawful act. And highlighted ways on how to remove this evil from the society. Kolachi : How have you been able to communicate these problems to general public other than publishing research reports? Rashida: I have conducted surveys and questionnaires to find deep rooted causes of these issues. I convey my findings on all these areas to our general public through media. Either through print or electronic media, my aim has been to find out what kind of problems exist in our society and bring them to people's attention. Kolachi: Tell us something about your recent research work? Rashida: My recent research work is based on how women's bodies are used to resolve disputes. I have accentuated issues like land disputes, wani,dowry etc. To resolve a meager dispute on land, for instance, a woman is traded off, putting an end to a dispute which could have other routes for solution. No compassion is shown to these innocent women and they are treated brutally until things settle down. Likewise, there are many more stories and tales from aggrieved women that I unveiled while conducting this research. Kolachi: how do you think we can bring a change in Karachi? Rashida: All citizens of Karachi to become productive. They should not sit idle but instead engross themselves into doing something or the other. An idle mind is the devil's workshop. Most of the problems that we witness in the city are mainly because the youth wastes time and has no goals or aims in life. They end up developing habits which cause pain to all other dwellers of the city. I will like each individual to live an honorable life, making a contribution to the society in some way or the other and assisting those who are in dire need of help.
Rashida Valika may not be a native of Karachi, but she is contributing to improving the city she lives in. Be it teaching young Karachiites or digging deep to diagnose an ill in order to cure it, Rashida is dedicated to her cause. Aware, proactive and compassionate, such is this Karachi character. |
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medical reports confirmed marks of torture on his body. He was however
discharged from Liaquat National Hospital for reasons best known to the
administration. Kishore and his father along with supporters held a
protest demonstration demanding justice, but he is currently being
forced to withdraw his case by the landlord whose family he was serving.
while certain cases get reported and highlighted in the media, there
must be several which never get reported and victims suffer, or even die
in silence.
magnitude of violence against children in Pakistan. 45 per cent of
Pakistan's population consists of children, who are indeed the country's
future and ill-treating them not only harms them, but will have a
negative impact on the future of Pakistan.
with banning such practices and amending relevant laws," Mangi
observes.
additional daily cost of 160 rupees in some cases. During times when
prices of daily commodities are sky rocketing, this additional burden
becomes the proverbial straw on the camel's back! But this is only one
of the outcomes where common people are affected by discriminatory
policies, projects and actions of the present regime in respect to
transport. The city depicts many examples which are worth analyzing in
this sector.
destroyed. It is ironic to note that while CDGK carpeted many roads in a
hurried manner, it forgot to attend to the construction and development
of footpaths. Be it M.A. Jinnah Road or an internal street in Old Town,
it is the same story all over.
taxis, three per cent auto rickshaws and two per cent buses and
mini-buses. A car carries three passengers on an average while a bus
transports around 60 commuters. 95 per cent of the road space is
occupied by cars as opposed to four per cent by buses
