Karachi – the city of lights, a place where many dwell in their imaginations and dreams. The beauty of this city has always been in its diversified cultural and ethnic colors. This city has offered to all more than its own potential and capacity. It has been more than 60 years and still people from our rural vicinity look up to this city and attempt to earn a better fortune here. It’s a mini Pakistan, we find individuals from all groups, sects, ethnics, and religions here. This city used to be mother of jobs providing opportunities and employments, knowing the fact that the immigrants (Mohajirs) who migrated at the time of independence were the settlers and deserved an edge. At the moment the city has almost one third population of Mohajirs, about one third of combined Pashtun and Sindhi and the remaining are mixed groups including Bengalis, Biharis, Christians and Hindus.

Meanwhile the population has been increasing without any check and balance. The continuously growing violence and timidity is denting the city very harshly. The ethnic war has reached at its uppermost stage and seems uncontainable. There are no signs of dawdling it down. The residents have found a way to safeguard their interest but not without hurting others welfare. They have become so immune to the violence and aggression; everyday killings are no more than a “News slide” for a minute or so.  The land mafia culture is at its peak. City has been divided into colonies by religious & political parties. Ammunition display is getting more and more common. Security forces aren’t delivering at all. Courts aren’t issuing verdicts. All these issues might lead to anarchy or massacre sooner or later.

Considering the whole dreadful situation here is a probable solution I suggest minimizing it:

1. Karachi should also be declared as a Neutral Zone, with no political activities or marketing campaigns allowed in it. No provincial or district seats should be allotted. This is a huge sacrifice we might need from all the political parties by choice or by force.
2. Make Karachi a separate state/province. It would safeguard the interests of the locals at first and others as well. I am not being mean but yes the locals deserve the first preference as the whole country has quota systems and domicile culture. We have to think in the favor of the nation.
3. Give them their own govt. structure, security and administration, which have to be decided upon qualification and merit.
4. City governance should be institutionalized and entrepreneurs & business bureaucrats must be made stake holders.
5. An intercity work permit should be assigned to all the employees in every sector to keep check and balance.
6. A limited time visa should be allocated to all those migrants entering the city, to keep check on security issues.
7. Even in the city an industrial free zone should be made to keep things aligned with special security and incentives.
8. Special Forces should be designated around the city. This job can easily be done by our local police, prior to their commitment and sincerity.
9. Special Judicial courts should be established to deliver the verdict as soon as possible.
10. There should be no concept of Jails, individuals should be punished the moment they are found guilty and then released or hanged in public.

I propose these harsh measures not because I am a local of this city but by analyzing the constant degrading condition of Karachi since few years. I know there are more issues to be dealt with such as education, corruption, and inflation etc. but I assure that all of them will fall in line with the implementation of these points.

Karachi has always been the industrial hub and the economic wheel of Pakistan. Its security & sanctuary is essential for the interest of nation and such a sensitive sacrifice can be made in order to maintain peace and tranquility in this city. The concept of modern city is similar to it, away from politics and corruption. Excluding politics from a single city should not affect the country dynamics, which should be the agenda to be conveyed to the political parties. If all these political parties who are so much concerned about this city and it should not be difficult for them to comprehend it. After all, the Govt. is framed not from Karachi but from the coalition and alliance in the center. This can be implemented on temporary basis let’s say 5 years or so, but we have to keep in mind that the Karachi is the heart of Pakistan and we have to maintain its functionality without any hindrance or obstacle.

The opinions expressed in the above article are of the writer only and do not necessarily represent Aaj.tv/Aaj News policies or views.