Broken Promises,Blocked Paths

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: In the heart of a struggling third-world country, Pakistan is confronted with the profound consequences of incompetence and corruption within our urban planning structures. The photograph depicting a Zebra crossing, entangled in a web of obstructions, serves as a stark symbol of the rampant mismanagement and misallocation of resources. These infractions reach a staggering scale, underscoring narratives of corruption that reach into the billions, all while the concept of accountability remains shrouded in a heavy silence.

Amidst this disarray, the city finds itself teetering on the edge of despair. The slow progress of our children, plagued by waterborne diseases spanning hepatitis from A to Z, and the ever-looming threat of poliovirus for our youngest members, portray a grim tableau. The public’s expressions of frustration and disillusionment serve as a reflection of the chronic neglect of their needs and an unspoken cry for change.

The city’s streets, once envisioned as arteries of progress, have become littered wastelands, mirroring the very government offices that are intended to serve the common citizen. The city planners, their purses bloated with ill-gotten gains, have become inexorably intertwined with the tendrils of corruption. The backlog of public cases has grown to monumental proportions, encompassing matters as diverse as gas metre installations, water connections, electrical services, and street lighting. For the commoner, whose daily existence is characterised by a lack of basic amenities, survival is a blessing sought from the divine.

Government hospitals stand as overwhelmed citadels, besieged by people in desperate need of healthcare, while district courts are inundated by individuals yearning for justice. These seekers of justice wander through a maze of despair, often returning to the very point from which their quests began.

This is Pakistan, the “Land of the Pure,” encapsulated in a single photograph. The Zebra Crossing, a globally recognised symbol of pedestrian rights and safety, stands as a poignant representation of wasted potential. It serves no purpose here, much like the common man who finds himself adrift, pondering the uncertain path ahead.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.