I do not want to talk about politics, he said in a flat
tone.
Sure, I replied and started to look into my bag for a packet
of gum, which was nowhere to be found just as harmony is nowhere to be found in
our society these days.
What are you looking for? He took his eyes off the road and
looked towards me as if he knew that I wasn’t going to find what I was looking
for.
Harmony, I said… He laughed and went for his pocket while
shaking his head in denial, here; he was offering me the very packet of gum I
was looking for.
Where did you get it?
You gave it to me, he answered while trying to control the
outburst of laughter.
I hate it when it takes me half an hour to reach home when
it used to take only 10, and look at all this crazy traffic, he murmured. Don’t
you think that this Metro Project will prove to be beneficial for commuters in
Rawalpindi and Islamabad, who take public transport every day? He inquired in a
tone which suggested a mixture of sarcasm and provoking.
Well, of course it would, but don’t you think it was better
to give this project to someone with more capability than to assign Hanif
Abbasi, a drug convict as the head of project? My answer itself was a question
to which my friend took a long pause. Okay… Can you tell me who is more capable?
Can you take a name? This time his question was filled with frustration. You, I
think you are more capable than him to head this project, you are a civil
engineer and there are many like you, who would take up this challenge and
execute it in a way better manner.
Oh… So, you think there are no engineers involved in this
project? Have you gone completely mad? His frustration was now turning into
anger.
There are, there must be, but then again you install a man
who has nothing to do with engineering or building infrastructure as head of
all those engineers, and on top of everything that man is a convict. A
Pharmacist cum Drug Convict building roads and metro, yes my friend I think I
am the one who has gone completely mad over here.
But the Lahore Metro proved to be a success and hundreds of
thousands of people are getting advantage on daily basis, he argued.
And how many hospitals have been built in Lahore in last 20
years? None… and I bet that the number of people including infants and children
dying every day must be equal to those travelling on the bus.
He kept on chewing the gum, and looking outside the window.
So you think that it will not become of any benefit for the commuters? He asked
with a grin of a child on his face.
It will, but I cannot let the fact that the project is being
managed by an incompetent person go unnoticed and I can smell corruption in it,
and it does not matter what is coming for us, what matters is the cost at which
it’s coming.
Cost? What cost are you talking about? The manufacturing
cost?
The opportunity cost, I replied.
He remained quiet, and I realized that my good old friend is
an engineer and not an economist.
Well, you think that a country struck with poverty, illiteracy,
terrorism and plagued with all sorts of diseases and that too with poor health
facilities, needs to build Metro? Why couldn’t this money have gone to the
benefit of all those seeking health facilities nowhere to be found? Why not to
train and equip the Police to perform their duties in a better way? I do not
have any issue with the Metro Bus Project, I condemn the mysterious kickbacks,
I condemn the corruption and poor choice of priorities. I tried to explain my
point of view.
We were now at the Junction of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and
had to go through a Police check post, it was a mess as everybody tried to get
through before everybody else, traffic lanes merging into each other, honking
and ferocious glares filled the air. When we finally came to the barrier, a
Policeman pointed a torch towards us, with which we used to play when we were
kids. We passed through the check point and the Policeman kept standing there
pointing his flash towards any object that moved.
What century are we living in exactly? I asked my friend and
as usual his answer came in the language of silence.
That Metro-money could’ve gone to equip these noble
policemen with the right apparatus and equipment to scan objects and to train
them so that they could organize the flow of traffic. Proper check points like
those of toll plazas could’ve been built, but the priorities are not chosen
wisely over here my friend.
Do you think that the Prime Minister Youth Loan Scheme has
served its purpose effectively? It was my turn to ask the question.
I don’t know, I did not apply for the loan, then how would I
know? His revulsion was not to my surprise, as I already saw it coming.
But you do know that the Chairperson of this project was a
person who does not know anything about finance and economics?
She has already resigned from the post, he replied.
On what grounds has she resigned? I asked, is it not enough
to make us understand the priorities of this ruling elite, they want to earn
fame as well as restrict the power and finance in their own hands, it’s called
killing two men, one illiterate and the other unemployed, with one stone my
friend.
And what do you have to say about the beast-like behavior of
Punjab Police? What has the forever CM of Punjab done to train or revamp the
Police?
He remained silent.
His silence gave me enough time to prepare a list of
questions to which I am sure he did not have any answers.
And what do you… Listen man, he stopped me right there as I
was about to shoot another question.
Look, I told you, I do not want to talk about politics, he
said in an even flatter tone this time.
Sure, can I have another gum?
