The ill-timed monsoon ahead of Eid-ul-Azha

As Pakistan gears up for one of the two glorious festivals of Muslims across the world, Karachiites are on tenterhooks regarding the state of affairs in the city amid Eid-ul-Azha. Totally unrehearsed for the upcoming religious festival, the administration in the city has already been caught off-guard by the recent monsoon rains.

For the most part, the local government seemed unable to comprehend the situation that may occur during Eid amid the heavy rainfall in the metropolitan city. The time that was supposed to be taken for the preparations before the occasion has already been clutched by flooding caused due to continuous downpours.

First, the monsoon showers have left the major thoroughfares and roads inundated and crumpled the traffic system across the city. The administration despite promises went phut in managing the city chores. The irked citizens with frustrated faces were compelled to wait in long queues to return back home safely.

Secondly, the excessive showers have made it difficult for the locals to shop their animals for sacrifice, and the conditions in the cattle markets have been depicting a very dark side of the story. No authorities or administrative personnel in charge are present there to help reduce the miseries of the buyers. The biggest cattle market had been set up alongside Karachi’s Super Highway, where around 280,000 animals were being brought but sadly the citizens have been reluctant to visit amid the fears of rising Covid-19 cases and poor management.

Fawad, a resident of Superhighway conversed with Bol News and said that no purchase in his family has been made yet due to the fear of dreadful conditions at the cattle market.

Another resident of North Karachi, Shoaib, shed light on some grave matters at hand. He said that after the continuous downpours the market is in a vulnerable condition and this was the first time he hasn’t taken his family along due to the concerns regarding the measures.

Third, the actual dilemma will hit during the three-day Eid event. The city has been braving the unheeding attitude of the administrations for years and each year the locals have to put up with the obnoxious conditions in the port city. Bol News interviewed a few Karachiites regarding such matters.

Requesting anonymity, a citizen remarked that the three days of Eid every year become unbearable for him and his family to travel anywhere. He opined that the government turns a blind eye toward these basic issues in Karachi each year.

Another citizen, Musharraf, a resident of North Nazimabad claims that he and his neighbours have decided to gird up the lions for the situation after the glorious act of sacrifice and would clean their neighbourhood (mohalla) on their own this time.

A cursory look at the conditions will let us all know that the situation in the city amid Eid would be godawful and the citizens must be prepared to come to grips with it.

Eid-ul-Azha is a holy event to commemorate the great sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). The occasion is being celebrated among Muslims across the world with zeal and enthusiasm. However, in Pakistan, the citizens have to bear the incommodious situations too amid the festival.