What is worse?
Getting stuck in traffic, getting a heat stroke in blazing 42 degrees, sweating yourself in a power breakdown until you are completely soaked, unable to go anywhere because streets are flooded with rain water, or stranded at home because the city is a warzone? Is there anything worse that we, the people of Karachi, have to go through? Perhaps the only thing left is disease outbreak or famine. We have gone through pretty much everything else.
Karachi has disappointed me a lot, lately.
Thing is, every city has its problems. No denying that. Traffic jams in New York is regular thing, but they also have a transport system which pretty much eliminates the need of having a car. Dubai is also building a rail based system to reduce the traffic load on the highways, that on top of air conditioned bus terminals. Power breakdown is a thing of a past in most countries. There are flood control systems in Kaula Lampur, where it rains everyday.
Even if something unplanned and unexpected happens, the authorities respond in an efficient manner, quickly rebuild the damaged, resume the services, and work hard to bring life back to normal. And then measures are taken to avoid it from happening again.
In Karachi, all we hear is words, promises, not too many of them fulfilled, and those that did lack the quality and capacity to solve major problems. Truth is, things are not getting better. Things are getting worse by the day. And right now I don’t see any signs of improvements. Of course, miracles do happen and miracle is what’s required to turn things around in Karachi, but as of now this city is at its worst.
There hasn’t been a worst time to live in Karachi. Except for tomorrow, perhaps.