Model Colony woes.

Byline: Peerzada Salman

KARACHI -- Spare a thought for Karachi. The city was, and perhaps still is, in the middle of a torrid tit-for-tat debate on Covid-19 regulations between the federal and Sindh governments, leaving its citizens baffled, wondering who to listen to. One of the arguments made by the latter was the unmanageable burden that might be put on the province's health services if the SOPs, such as adherence to lockdown, were not followed. And on Friday afternoon an unthinkable and heart-wrenching incident in these uncertain times unfolded when a PIA flight from Lahore to Karachi, with 91 passengers and a crew of eight on board, a minute before touchdown crashed in the residential neighbourhood of Model Colony near the airport.

It was a little disconcerting to hear both on mainstream and social media that not too long after the crash took place and news of a couple of survivors - thank God for that - came, the most discussed topics were an inquiry into the incident and legality of the construction of buildings near the airport. These are fair points. But shouldn't they have first been curious about the well-being of the residents of Model Colony hit by a tragedy out of nowhere?

Think for a moment. We are living in a time where a deadly pandemic has forced us to remain indoors; and if we go outside for unavoidable reasons, we need to wear a mask and keep a three-foot distance from each other. Then summer has set in, the sun is beating down on the city with all its might ... and Eidul...