In recent years, Karachi has become synonymous with garbage heaps, overflowing gutters, total lack of public transport and water shortage. These problems are more man-made than due to natural reasons. Heaps of garbage can be spotted at roadside, around hospitals, schools, colleges and graveyards. There are cemeteries where people carrying bodies for burial have to wade through knee-deep dirty water. The provincial government, with the cooperation of the federal government, has rebuilt a few of the ruined roads after they remained neglected for several years. Only time will tell about the quality of the road repair work.
What sets apart Karachi from other cities of the country and of the world are its tall and hugely broad garbage towers. The provincial government has announced umpteenth times that the garbage dumps will soon be cleared, but these promises have remained unmet. At places where large dumps of garbage have been formed, one finds, especially around government buildings and hospitals, walls carrying warning that those caught throwing garbage around government buildings and hospitals will be arrested, prosecuted and jailed: by the order of (an important government official). The official’s designation is mostly in bold letters. The order and warning inscribed on walls are meant for effect — so that those breaking the rule can desist from disposing of waste carelessly. Unfortunately, keen observers and even not-so-keen observers of the ugly scene are now taking the opposite meaning of the writing on the walls — lifting garbage is a punishable offence, so those found clearing the offensive litter will be arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned.
Garbage, stray dogs and the crumbling civic infrastructure in Karachi are the main topics of discussion in homes, restaurants, clubs and other such places. Garbage has become a problem with a capital P. Those whose job is to lift garbage, without a doubt, don’t want to work, so residents have become used to living with the unpleasant, offensive and disgusting refuse.
Good news from Italy
Amid all doom and gloom in the background, there is finally a meagre bit of good news. After a gap of two years, the Italian government has finally reopened seasonal and non-seasonal work visas for Pakistani nationals willing to avail the opportunity. The visas are offered as part of a scheme called Decreto Flussi that aims to plug the gaps in labour in Italy’s agriculture, tourism, construction and freight-forwarding sectors. It also provides foreign nationals from a specific list of countries residing in Italy the opportunity to regularise their stay. For Pakistanis, up to 30,000 work visas will be available for the 2020-21 fiscal year under the scheme.
The move comes as a result of sustained effort on the part of Pakistan’s embassy in Rome and for that they and the country’s Foreign Office must be commended. It is especially welcome considering the mass exodus of foreign workers the novel coronavirus pandemic has triggered elsewhere in the world.
At a time when Pakistan struggles with the dual challenges of rising inflation and unemployment, those who find themselves in the country’s most vulnerable segments of population can use all the help they can get.
A scheme like this would allow Pakistan to ensure some of its labour force can find gainful employment in the European nation. While on its own the move may not have a significant impact, the development is certainly one that with the right attitude and approach can be expanded upon. Pakistani workers abroad contribute massively to their country’s economy in the form of remittances as well. Our Foreign Office must surely build on this success and explore similar arrangements with other nations around the world as well. The one resource we have in ample abundance is human resource. Our government would do well to tap it by developing it further through better education, wide array of trainings and exchange programmes to name a few.
E-tailers woes
Financial inclusion, or the lack thereof, remains a threat to any local e-commerce efforts. Despite high interest among consumers and sellers alike, artificial constraints remain for the sector due to the difficulty in conducting online transactions. While banks, cellular providers, and other businesses are trying to bridge the gap, the fact is that the country’s digital payment infrastructure remains weak, and trust issues remain at local and international levels. This is partly why Pakistani e-tailers could not fully capitalise on the opportunities brought by the Covid-19 lockdowns. Even in countries where lockdowns were relatively short, online sales went through the roof thanks to the added benefits of health safety and convenience.
Part of the problem here is that about 90% of online sales are still done using the cash on delivery model. This is inefficient for multiple reasons, the most basic of which is the delay required to complete the financial end of the transaction once a package has been handed off. Meanwhile, the sale of ‘big ticket’ items such TVs, air conditioners, high-end computers and phones, quality furniture, and other things that may cost hundreds of thousands of rupees will suffer as people, and even some vendors, may not be able to make those transactions work with cash on delivery. There are also factors such as the delivery mechanism.
In countries such as the US, even giants such as Amazon regularly use the postal service to deliver products and packages because of the its vast network and ability to provide economical ‘last-mile’ services and deliveries in low population areas where it may not be cost-efficient to expand its own network. While some courier services do provide ‘last-mile’ services in Pakistan, the costs are prohibitively high for small businesses and even online marketplaces. The government needs to look into making the best use of the post office to help vendors make deliveries quicker and more cost-efficient. Improving the post office would also have a reverse benefit as sellers based in rural areas would be able to deliver their wares with lower shipping costs attached, thus keeping prices low for consumers.
