The present inhabitant of the colonial mansion behind Bagh-e-Jinnah has recently embarked on the proposal to change the composition of one very essential component of Karachi’s environment. He has now begun to put his own imprimatur on the fabric of the most trusted, honored, and revered institution run by dedicated, devoted, and determined honest-to-goodness citizens of this metropolis. The institution known as CITIZENS-POLICE LIAISON COMMITTEE.

The Governor wants to please and oblige everybody and anybody who visit his splashy (but temporary) abode to pay their respects on his appointment as the Grand Old Man of the province of Mehran. The lawyers came and asked for his blessings to be members of CPLC. Some senior citizens were ushered into his office and they too wanted to be CPLC members. The Lions and the Rotarians trekked into his Darbar and pleaded vociferously to become CPLC members. It seems that these people will not be satisfied until and unless they have "Member CPLC" on their bloated bio-datas.

The Governor, being a honorable man and being from the Awam just could not say NO. So he must have got his secretary or PRO to come up with a list of probables who all could be nominated as CPLC members and, in that way, he could help them beef up their resumes. At the same time, those who had come to plead with him had gone away satisfied that the Governor would soon announce a few hundred names of those lawyers, social workers, hanger-ons, and the riffraff as members of CPLC.

Lo and behold ! One fine day, all the newspapers carried a photo and a write-up of the FIRST new member, appointed by the Guv. The person is a friend of mine, but he has his hands full as President of a Lion Club, as Secretary-General of the United Memon Jamaat, as SG of the Memon Multi-Purpose Society, as Managing Committee member of Muslim Gymkhana, and then on top of it he has to run his own huge business. When will he have the time to look after CPLC. And, for crying out loud, what was the big deal about publicizing this "great achievement" of being nominated by Governor Sindh.

CPLC is run by the industrialists and the businessmen of Karachi under the able guidance of Nazim Haji and Jameel Yousuf, two young but resolute individuals who have sacrificed personal lives and business commitments to bring about hope and sanity to this topsy-turvy City of Lights. They have been in the fore-front in purging this city from the scourge of kidnappings. They have streamlined the tortuous traffic system by introducing paid parking at various busy roads. They have been instrumental in recovering many stolen vehicles for the harried citizens of Karachi. The list of achievements goes on and on.

Those of us who know the inner workings of CPLC, those of us who have understood how this group works, those of us who have seen how Nazim Haji and Jameel Yousuf deal with families of kidnap victims and how they devote all hours to be with that particular family would understand what CPLC really is and why it should NOT become a vehicle for political convenience. There are many other boards and organizations where the Hon’ble Governor can nominate people who want to volunteer and devote their precious time.

He can appoint a group to bring glory to the Museum. He can appoint a group who can organize the removal of graffiti which is such an eye-sore. He can appoint a group who can beautify the parks and the playgrounds. He can appoint a group who can arrange for free tutions for the needy students. He can appoint a group who can liaison with the utility companies. In fact, there are many ways in which these citizens can help. The lawyers can, of course, provide free help by setting up booths at all police stations so that the innocent citizens can get a fair treatment at these places.

The Sindh Governor should, please. leave CPLC alone and let the fearless two, alongwith their charged-up team, keep on doing the wonderful job they are doing and let them be a beacon of hope for the ten million denizens of this City. Guv, please note that WE, THE PEOPLE, ONLY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN NAZIM AND JAMEEL ! You really don’t want us to lose faith in this country, now do you ?

Sincerely :