Dust, mounds of filth lying scattered in streets and bazaars, overflowing and stinking drains mark the heavily encroached streets of cities and towns in the interior of Sindh. Despair and frustration, coupled with crumbling infrastructure, dominate our landscape everywhere. Roads riddled with potholes and clogged with stagnant pools of water from choked gutters are a common sight.

The rains erase these roads altogether, transforming our cities and towns into flowing rivers. The water remains accumulated for days and even weeks until it either evaporates naturally or citizens wait impatiently for photo sessions glorifying powerful elites taking credit for draining it. For years, we have resigned ourselves to this pathetic state of affairs, convinced that it is our fate to languish and suffer in silence.

But unfortunately, Karachi—the much-trumpeted “City of Lights”—doesn’t provide a contrasting picture of progress as far as its roads are concerned. Being Pakistan’s largest metropolis and economic hub, Karachi contributes enormously to the national economy.

Its bustling markets, industrial zones, and vibrant population symbolize resilience and ambition. Its roads ought to be smooth pathways, shining like a mirror adorned with greenery, monumental structures, murals, and modern urban designs befitting a great metropolis.

The city has the youthful, energetic, and dynamic leadership of Mayor Murtaza Wahab, who should endeavour to keep Karachi worthy of its name and stature—clean, vibrant, and alive, as he himself remains with his youthful demeanour.

Yet every time I visit this great metropolis, I find it far worse than the clean and green city it once was in the 1980s and 1990s. What I encounter now is........

© Business Recorder