2. Moenjodaro, city of the dead
3. Mir's Tombs in Hyderabad Sindh face extinction threat
4. Victoria-- a reminder of the Raj -- still attracting joyriders
5. Getting married is no more expensive
May 18: The meteorology office in Karachi issues a warning that a powerful cyclone is moving towards Pakistan’s coastal areas. The international electronic media and local radio also issue warnings about the advancing cyclone.
May 19: The met office advisory says the tropical cyclone, 02-A, is 400 kms away from the Karachi coast and is stationary. It states that it may change its direction towards the east. However, the met office intimates the concerned harbour authorities and district management in Thata and Badin to take precautionary measures and issue necessary warnings.
International news agencies report that the Indian authorities have evacuated over 30,000 people from the coastal areas under possible threat. The civil management in Pakistan does not respond to such warnings.
May 20: The met office reports that a power cyclone hit the Pakistan coast in the early hours of the day with a wind speed of between 200 to 250 knots per hour and gives the next location of the "eye" (technical term for the central whirling poin) of the storm, between the left bank of River Indus and the border areas between India and Pakistan along the coast. According to met office report, the cyclone peaked at 11 am. The storm’s low pressure system had already rains in both coastal and non-coastal ones such as Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad divisions for 24 hours prior to the cyclone peaking. The rain continued for 36 hours in some areas.
The administration still does nothing. When questioned, members of the concerned district administrations claim relief teams were dispatched, but they could not reach the affected areas due to a blockage of roads and inundation of the area.
No management official is available to provide details about the situation. All communication system in the coastal areas have collapsed, roads have been washed away and the power lines are down.
(Monthly Newsline June 1999)
Listed in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List, Moenjodaro’s archaeological site, about 500 km north of Karachi, is famous all over the world for its well-conceived town planning and flawless drainage and water supply scheme.
Moenjodaro (literally meaning mound of the dead) considered to be the central city of the Indus Valley civilization which is spread over 1200 km from east to west and 1500 km from north to south in the Indian sub-continent. The ancient cities of this civilization, discovered so far are Harappa, Kot diji, Mehar Garh and others in Pakistan. The ruination of the Moenjodaro, despit national and international efforts is because of mishandling of the site by local as well as foreign experts of archaeology over the last 25 years and complete neglect on the part of the government of Pakistan.
The Authority for Preservation of Moenjodaro (APM), which was created after a thorough study and under the recommendations of some of the reputed international experts in 1972 was misguided by these trainee foreign archaeologist, who received fame due to their experiences on Moenjodaro, the local archaeologist said. The APM was dissolved in 1997 because of its failure to produce the desired results.
"The APM ignored its ‘actual’ task of conservation, as all itts attention was focused on making the spurs, digging the drain and sinking the tube-wells which further ruined the monuments," said Dr. Muhammad Rafiq Mughal, a former Director General of the Department of Archaeology. The fired-brick structures of the remains have been facing danger of depletion since their excavation in 1992 because of continuous rise in underground water which caused saline action on bricks. To save the already opened structures from this natural calamity, the Pakistan Government, in collaboration with UNESCO had chalked out the Master Plan and for implementing it an autonomous body-APM-was created in 1972. Besides this, an international campaign was launched to collect funds from all over the world.
This foreign-funded APM has ceased to work since September 1997 and the Master Plan has been shelved without achieving its targets. All 27 tubewells around the monuments have been closed and most of the APM staff has been sacked because the funding agencies like UNESCO and a Japanese Trust Fund have refused to further fund the project under APM.
(Canadian Asia News June, 1999
Mir's Tombs in Hyderabad Sindh face extinction threat
A chapter of Sindh's history is in peril. Every coming day crumbles further the Talpur Mir's Tombs at Burgri Road, Hyderabad.
The monuments locally called "Mirs' tombs" are in dilapidated condition due to negligence of authorities and mishandling of people.
The lack of proper repair and maintenance is one of the main causes of ruination of these tombs. Heroin addicts often use these tombs as an adaptable place to slake their addiction.
Despite the fact that attendants are posted there to look after the tomb by Archaeology Department as well as the progeny of the Mirs, these addicts find their way in the place to use it as a suitable haunt.
(Release by APP and published by daily Dawn)
Victoria-- a reminder of the Raj -- still attracting joyriders
Victoria-- a reminder of the British Raj -- still attracts a large number of joyriders in Karachi.
Trams could not pass the test of the time and vanished from the city roads, but Victorias keep on sharing the transportation burden.
It has a high driver's seat and a canopied top. The canvas canopy is collapsible. The seats beneath facing each other are roomy, enough to accommodate six comfortably. A space between to seats allows a number of children to stand. You can enter the victoria from both sides-- a somewhat nostalgic semblance to early autocars--unlike a tonga, which passengers sit from the rear.
Origniating in France, named after Queen Victoria around 1844, the Victoria carriage is renowned for its elegance.
(Published in Gulf News)
Getting married is no more expensive
It's right time to get married! This is the talk of the town. Every marriage aspirant, male and female is happy with the decision of the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, banning wasteful expenditure on the wedding occasions.
Parents of brides and grooms are even more happy. People have now started talking about a complete ban on all lavish parties on all other occasions. As a result of the ban on marriage feasts, hundreds of thousands of kilo of rice, chicken, meat and spices etc. would be saved daily, said Abdul Sattar Edhi, the veteran social worker.
The ban would be opposed by those, who have earned from wrong-doings, where as poor and the middle-class people would benefit from the decision, Edhi remarked.
The only affected people by the law are those who are directly involved in the business of marriages particularly in urban areas, like owners of marriage halls and lawns owners, caters and hotels, suppliers of meat, garland vendors, electricians.
(Released by APP in April 1997)