We live in a country where the ruling elite never tires of emulating the “Medina Welfare State” concept but like its predecessors has only further polluted the environment along with unchecked adulteration of food, hoarding, black marketing and smoke emitting vehicles and kilns. Citizens are forced to breathe poisonous air, with the government talking about tree plantation, while thousands of trees are destroyed for land developers.
The trees being planted will take several years to contribute oxygen to the environment. Drive down Lahore’s Ring Road in the direction of Raiwind and you will witness hundreds of thousands of trees felled to develop private and statutory state-owned housing societies as far as the eye can see. The irony is that other than a concrete jungle with roads and plots, there is hardly any house built. Was all this necessary?
As if enough damage has not been done, more land is being cleared of trees to develop more housing societies around major cities like Lahore. Agriculture green land that existed for centuries around the periphery of every city is disappearing, further adding to a decrease in agriculture produce, with the unchecked population explosion. Real estate in Pakistan has been a favourite parking lot for black money to be whitened in state-sponsored schemes. Endless amnesty schemes, including those by PTI, fall in the category of money laundering. Lives and health of citizens have been sacrificed at the altar of the greed of few, who mostly live abroad and will never suffer the consequences.
As long as greed blinds the elite and powerful real estate mafia dominates the corridors of power, citizens of Pakistan will continue to suffer and die of respiratory-related infections which damage vital organs like lungs, heart, brain and kidneys. Smog is perfect for the spread of COVID19.
MALIK TARIQ ALI,
Lahore.
