Quetta has a better environment, rich culture, manageable population
Amjad Rashid
Quetta is not a case of deprivation related to lack of resources, not a case of unemployment, not a case of climate change, and not even a case of poverty. It’s a true and real case of the richness of culture, environment, climate, natural resources, and manageable human population. Unfortunately our planners, thinkers, decision-makers proved to be very selfish and greedy.
In Quetta, we had municipal water posts ( I wish I can get the pictures). Quetta was a natural habitat with a small population of trees, flowers. The city had few streets with few vehicles and dynamic socio-political harmony.
We did establish universities but abandoned knowledge
Unfortunately, global and regional influences badly affected the capital with less modernization and more adversity. We did establish a university, but abandoned consciousness, we did build plazas, but without building codes. If we look back at the pictures of Quetta of the sixties. It was like Zurich but evolved as little Karachi or Mumbai. Transformed from little London to huge slums ( full of garbage and filth). Bad governance, poor education, corruption, and poor planning converted Quetta into an ugly place.
We don’t see green Koh e Mur Daar a multi-lingual culture which was its beauty and uniqueness has vanished and replaced by the practices influenced by regional inhuman and unnatural drama. We lost our green Quetta with wild roses which was its aroma and identity.
Balochistan and Quetta need our attention
Balochistan in general and Quetta, in particular, need our attention. Every day in the morning when I look at the sleeping beauty of Quetta I feel that the mother of Quetta ( sleeping beauty)has become sick and looking toward her siblings for help and cure.
Our water level reduced, our population increase, our poor justice system, and our greed for material gain will never make it a little London but will change its fate like the city full of garbage supported/fixed by bricks and cement which after few more years will look like a dumping place of garbage. We must listen and learn from our heroes like Rehman Baba, Atta shad, Asher Jalili and take their vision as guiding torch. Quetta does not need more engineers but needs Thinkers, guides who should work to replace the current citizenry struggling for self-interest with the soft power and values of Quetta, which can bring back its true beauty and culture.
Climate change poses a serious threat to the developing world
Environment, Climate change, global warming, deforestation and desertification, and many such terms were alien to humanity and especially to developing world like Pakistan. We were used to singing and telling stories to our siblings ( younger generation) about the kindness of nature.
Now we from Adams to twenty-first-century experienced, slavery, the industrial revolution, conflict of ideologies, various version of world orders driving to save and benefit humanity. But all our efforts to take humanity to its peak are bring ended up as a disaster. The temperature of the motherland is increasing.
habitat of Balochistan and our piece of Heaven( once called as “ کویٹہ جنت کا ٹوٹہ miss it’s jangly Gulab, chakore, chambeli, bitakh, surkahi and places like hanna , thandi Sarak, and associated culture of art
and poetry.
Masses of Balochistan facing a host of issues
First time after seventy-two years and since the establishment of Balochistan Province, its habitats are frequently faced by challenges like conservation.
In the context of the above-mentioned scenario, our beloved motherland is demanding the attention of all irrespective of our international commitments. It’s a matter of our survival. We need a green economy, green industry, green employment, green politics, and above all green development.
This situation calls for a committed social, political and religious commitment to rebuild and reclaim of our title “ کویٹہ جنت کا ٹوٹہ
جو بھی کرو مگر کوئٹہ کو بچاو
Quetta has a better environment, rich culture, manageable population
