News
Monday, October 14, 2013
Hides’ collection: an unceasing conflict in Karachi
KARACHI: Every year the collection of hides, on Baqr Eid, remains to be a never-ending conflict between different social welfare organisations, NGOs as well as political parties.
Despite stern measures having been adopted by the government, violence erupts across the city on the pretext of collecting hides. Experts say the activity is worth millions of rupees, and which is why, every organisation, be it social or political, competes to get ahead in its count.
It is a general perception that the citizens, against their will, donate their animal hides to organisations - influential party members snatch from them - forcibly. Those who take a stand face threats of dire consequences.
In such circumstances, law enforcement agencies' performance, particularly Sindh Police, remains doubtful. And this is why; many citizens perform the sacrifice ritual in localities other than their own.
This year, the Sindh government, yet again, issued a code of conduct for hides' collection, which mandates all organisations and/or people involved in the exercise to obtain prior permission from their respective deputy commissioner. The commissioner office would issue a go-ahead only to those parties and organisations that have an NOC from their DCOs.
The process will totally be on a "voluntary basis" and any one would neither be allowed to use force or coercion nor to set up camps, use vehicles with party flags or loud speakers to collect hides.
Also, the volunteers should posses the government-issued permission letter, the identity card of their organisation, along with their NIC while being on duty. Similarly, display of any type of arms is also prohibited.
Besides, the government would also give security to the organisation while shifting their collected hides from one place to another. In case of violations, the law enforcing agencies would take action and confiscate their collection.
In this regard, Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, on Sunday, issued NOCs to 33 organisations.
Still, regardless of foolproof arrangements and assurance given by higher authorities, citizens are sceptic and have reservations over the preparations made. A majority of them have expressed unsatisfactory feelings over the arrangements.
Abdullah Farooq, a resident of PECHS, said that such claims were made every year but to no avail. "Everyone knows which party has a stronghold in my area, they always collect the hides, forcibly," he said.
Another citizen, Shoaib Ali, was, however, critical about the role of security agencies. "I bet you not even a single police or Rangers personnel will be seen during Eid days," he said. "They don't wish to protect us."
Ali further said it was the people's right to donate hides as per their will, and everyone should only support the ones who were genuine in their cause. The groups involved in unlawful activities should not be encouraged, he added.
Daily Times also spoke to a police officer, who on condition of anonymity, informed that hides' collection was basically a war among political parties. "It is a business of millions without much effort; they wish to achieve maximum hides, even if it is at the cost of lives and bloodshed," he said. Regarding the perception that the police willingly does not take action, he said, "How can we arrest them if they have support from our high-ups?" ahtesham azhar
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk