Articles of the year 2020

The most expensive public toilet in the world, The Hyatt hotel was started in the last days of the Bhutto government in 1977. When the government fell, the hotel was stopped by a zealous martial law government.

Ghulam Ishaq as President refused to allow settlement of the court proceedings which dragged on for many years.This property fell into disrepair and the only use was by addicts to take their doses and to urinate on abandoned and derelict premises.

Over time this became an eyesore and as this was the epicentre of Karachi. The huge volume of traffic that passed by this landmark was a shocking testament to the inability of the government to decide on its future.

The high visibility because of its location continued to send signals of incompetence and damage the commercial image of the centre of Karachi, a city of 22 million with such an eyesore at its heart.

The citizens were united when an agreement was reached with businesses to create the commodity exchange. However 20 years have passed and the premises are in the same state of disrepair.

These businessmen who had paid money for the ownership of this property had failed in their part of their bargain, which was to create a new building to replace this derelict ruin and give Karachi a building worthy of this location and importance to the premier city of Pakistan.

The Supreme Court should take action and cancel that deal and punish the participants for inflicting this continuing embarrassment to the citizens of Karachi. We are a people house proud and take efforts to maintain our premises inside and out to spread the image of a successful, cultured people.

The Supreme Court can appoint some persons of note to come up with a solution. There are many caring citizens’ organizations which are strangely silent. They should join the action to protect and preserve Karachi.
No commodity has been exchange, only drugs after dark.