Let's talk
about Mini Dubai
Isra Soomro
MA Roll #23
Feature
Mini Dubai?
Commonly known as Qasimabad a highly-populated area of Hyderabad, the majority
of residents are Sindhis. Qasimabad is known as Mini Dubai because, as Dubai is
surrounded by sea area, Qasimabad is surrounded by a slum area. People from
different states move to Dubai for a healthy and wealthy life span, in the same
way people of interior Sindh move to Hyderabad for the sake of a wealthy life
span and welcomed by Qasimabad. Someone comes for the sake of education, some
come for wealth and some come for sake of health.
Not so old
not so new, history of Qasimabad let’s share with you, when Muhammad Bin Qasim
invaded Sindh, Qasimabad was named after him. After 1947;People from the
neighborhood state entered Sindh got no space,then an extension created for
them, that extension was created in Hyderabad.
Qasimabad
got popularity, after the dispute of Sindhi Mahajir in 1988. Sindhis from
allover Hyderabad decided to move to Qasimabad, and made it populated but now
you will find each and every cast in Qasimabad.
Qasimabad is
called Mini Dubai just because of expensive markets just like Dubai. Each and
everything is sold on high rates, no authorities are able to inquire about the
rates. They sell goods on their rates, when they are been asked “why the rates
are so high?” you will get a simple reply “because it is Imran Khan’s empire”.
Kiryana
store, general store, medical, greengrocer store or pushcart, all are commonly
found on Naseem Nagar chowk or Main Qasimabad Chowk. Lists provided by the
government to them are never found. When we ask them about the list, they will
always show you bye bye wrist and when they got raid by some authorities, they
pay then handsome reward and get waive off from such authorities.
The reason
behind their own generated price list are, the Elite class of Qasimabad. They
don’t even bother to ask the rates,they not even leave their AC cars just order
there drivers or retainer to pickup the goods from the store. Just because of
these Elites of Qasimabad, every other class, lower, middle, or white-collarare
suffering from the vendors wish list.
At Naseem
Nagar chowk you can find Nana wala, Haleem and Biryani stall. These stalls most
probably facilitate the labor class in the afternoon hours, who are working on
sights and can’t go for lunch back to their houses. These stalls are also
blessings for those students and bachelors, who live in a hostel near Wadhu Wah
road. Same Biryani stall, sales savory snacks like Channa Chat and PaniPuri in
evening hours. You can also find a Pharmacy at the same corners, we talked to
the costumers available at that pharmaceutical store he said: “I use to buy
every medicine from this store this store is reasonable and used to have all
sorts of medicines ”. Here you can also find a mobile accessories shop and tea
hotel. Which is very famous in this area, according to customers their tea is
good from others.
On the other
side of Naseem Nagar opposite Wadhu Wah, here you can find a laboratory of some
private hospital. Residents of areas near to Wadhu Wah road don't need to go
far away for any medical tests, it is a blessing or a gift for them. you can
also find hardware and paint shop there,
according to the customer “this shop is a facility for the residents of
Naseem Nagar and AlamdarChowk. But it is a little bit costly than the paint
market in Bori Bazar”. After the paint shop you can find a restaurant which is
been operated in the evening hours. Here you can find some barbershops as well
as. I don’t know which one is better but trust me all of them must be having
huge competition,.
If we
compare the Qasimabad market with other markets in Hyderabad so it is quite
costly than others.Greengrocer market in Qasimabad was selling ladyfingers for
Rs150 kg, Onions Rs.50kg, cabbage Rs.80 kg,Potatoes Rs.40kg but on the other
side, the market in Latifabad unit # 8 was selling vegetables on half rate of
it or more than half in Qasimabad. We talked to one of the vendor at vegetable
market unit # 8 we asked his rates of ladyfingers and potatoes, he said“the
ladyfingers are for Rs.80 kg and Potatoes for Rs.20 kg”. Isn’t it's surprising
that Latifabad market selling products for half of the rates in Qasimabad
market?
Not only
greengroery is expensive in Qasimabad but every sort of stuff, even the
wholesale market. If you actually looking for wholesale rates you have to
definitely go for the Latifabthead market or a market in City area.
Qasimabad is
located west of Hyderabad so in this way it’s also nearby to Indus river but
still people face water issues. Some areas of Qasimabad are suffering from lack
of water and some of them getting smelly
water.
[[While
talking to residents of]] Abdullah town about the storage of water, so one of
resident Mr: ShazaibChanna told us that “there is no lack of water but yes we
face smellywater in the water line supplied by WASA, we got water boring to
meet requirements of freshwater”.Why are residents facing such issues? Where
are there sreponsible people of Qasimabad municipal committee?
Hyderabad is
one of the fast-growing cities of Pakistan and 2nd largest city of Sindh were
Qasimabad is the most influenced area by the process of urbanization in
Hyderabad.
Slums are
commonly known as Kachi abadi, as in the start I told you our Mini Dubai is
surrounded by slum areas so there’s one of the slum area at the end of
Qasimabad where the army cantonment limit begins.Where water is standing as a
result of sewage drained trough Wadhu wah, but who cares about these IDPs? I
believe they might be facing more problems them Qasimabad.
Due to the high population in Qasimabad,
residents face traffic issues which is commonly known as traffic conjunction.
Traffic conjunction is mostly cause byroad under construction which is waiting
for more funds to be released by the government so they can be completed, but
you and I know better where do these funds go. So no more comments, move to the
next issue.
Maximum traffic congestion is caused by the
behavior of drivers. From research it’s clear that 74% of traffic conjunction
is caused by drivers. And 70% traffic conjunction is caused in commercial areas
of Qasimabad.
Car
showrooms are also the main cause of traffic jams. Half of the roads are
covered by their displayed cars. But no authorities are able to enquire about
them. If they are questioned by any authority they just give bribe and problem
solved.
According to
Dawn newspaper of 7th March 2020; On
12th of January the protesters, led by the Nazim of the union council Abdul
KhaliqChandio and leaders of the action committee, called upon the authorities
to solve problems related to sewerage, drainage and roads in the Qasimabad.
This really demanded RS.100 millions from the government for the improvements in
local Sewage and drainage system. They have demanded repairs and reconstruction
of regular roads and slum areas and small and old villages in Qasimabad but the
interesting thing is that these all
problems have been resolved, but only on papers. Not in reality, and are
never going to be.
I hope you
might got enough knowledge about the
problems and issues faced by residents of Qasimabad . Keep Qasimabad in your
prayers.
Feature
Revise it too many language and grammatical mistakes.
Compare Qasimabad with Latifabad and old city areas in
prices, life style, social, cultural aspects etc.
Qasimabad is dominated by new urbanites, who have come from
different rural areas of Sindh.
Rural cultural and social touch exists. This u have to show
thru observation and talk with people.
Initially it was settlement of new elites of Sindhi speaking.
Proper noun should be with cap.
This has turned to be an article, not feature.
Some fotos
Some fotos
Referred back
Let’s Visit Mini Dubai
Isra Soomro
MA Roll #23
Mini Dubai ?
Commonly known as Qasimabad, a highly populated area, located at West of Hyderabad. Qasimabad is known as Mini
Dubai because, as Dubai is surrounded with sea area, Qasimabad is surrounded by
slum area. As people come faraway from there countries to Dubai to earn money,
in the same way people from interior Sindh , someone comes for earning ,some
for studies or some for better lifestyle move to Mini Dubai (Qasimabad).
Qasimabad
was named after the ( do not put the with a person’s
name) Muhammad bin Qasim invaded Sindh. After 1947 migrants arrived from
across the border ,an extension to Hyderabad city was need along with the Latifabad
so Qasimabad came into existence. (When)
Add this: Ethnic riots in old
city area and dacoits activities in middle belt of Sindh of early nineties,
turned this new settlement as pure Sindhi dominated. Otherwise, housing schemes
had plots of other ethnic communities also.
But now a days Qasimabad is know as Mini Dubai by it’s locals, not only due to the reasons I
mentioned before but because of it’s markets rates . Let’s start our journey
from expensive markets of Qasimabad . Each and every thing is too costly and
are being sale (sold) on more then
(than) there original price mentioned in price list provided by the government.
But whenever you ask about the list provided by government they have a clear
answer “ list are being changed on regular
note so we don’t keep it” but the funny thing is that when they face any raid
from authorities bundle of list comes
out from there shops and stalls and they
claim we charge customer according to the price list.
As in upper paragraph I was
talking about the local markets and the pushcart all over in the Qasimabad but
on the other side, let’s talk about
super markets in Qasimabad such as Super save Daily bachat and Max Bachat there
price rates are as comparativly low to
the local market just like market at Naseem Nagar chock
and Ali Palace. They sale products at there wish list, no one is here to
enquire them. No one is able to ask them not even government authorities. So the residents of Qasimabad are obliged to buy
goods on shopkeepers own price list or should say own generated high price list.
Let’s move to the next
destination, prices list are not the only issues for the residents of Qasimabad
Lack of water is one of the main issue for the residents of Mini Dubai. As this
town is located near to river Indus and some of the areas of this town are
connected with dam still there is lack of water in Mini Dubai. But this is not
issue for complete Qasimabad but for few areas in it. So now a days people have
started drilling wells commonly known as boring at there own houses to complete(meet) requirement of fresh drinking water.
[[We talked to few people The residents of ]]
Abdullah town faces shortage
of water. A resident Mr Shazaib Channa told us that “there
is no lack of water but yes we face smiley drainage water in are freshwater
line. This was the main reason we have drilled well in our home which facility
as well as our neighbourhood. We don't use water line provided by WASA it’s not in our use but still we have to pay it's
bill” . Resident of area near to Ali Palace said “my house is located near to
dam but still we face water issues . We don't get fresh water for week or some
times more than a week. So it got necessary to drill the water well at our own
place. Our boring water it little bit bitter but it is a common saying that
something is better then nothing”.
Lets continue our journey
to next destination which is about traffic conjunction in main Qasimabad and Naseem
Nagar chock, (chowk) due to the uneven and destroyed road I believe
majority of Qasimabad own vehicle car,
bike, Suzuki or any other sort vehicle. But roads of main Qasimabad near Ali Palace are so worst, if you want to
reach somewhere at 6 o'clock you have to leave your place at 5:30 o'clock.
In many areas they have drill hole for Sewage purpose but forgot
to close them, it is dangerous but who cares about it, they are waiting for
more funds to be released by government so they can close
it, but you and me knows better where
does these funds go. So no more comments
on it and let’s continue our journey.
The reason for traffic conjunction in Qasimabad and Naseem Nagar
chock is not only destroyed road, but
lack of implementation of traffic rules mainly in peak hours, unmanageable
optimal transportation policies. Maximum traffic congestion is caused by behaviour
of drivers while they drive, are also important factors of traffic jams. From
research it’s clear that 74% of traffic conjunction is caused by drivers. And
70% traffic conjunction is caused in commercial areas. Naseem Nagar chock and
main Qasimabad are well known commercial areas.
Our next
destination are Slum areas of Qasimabad, Slum is usually used for people living
under poverty lifestyle in Urban areas. Slums are caused in urban areas, reason
of slum are disqualification of government to provide necessary living
accommodation to rural migrants in Urban city/town. Hyderabad is the one of the
fast growing city of Pakistan and 2nd
largest city of Sindh, were Qasimabad is most influenced area by the process of
urbanization in Hyderabad . Slums are commonly known as Kachi abadi .
Slums area
in Qasimabad are Baghri ghoat near Jejal Mao
hospital, Kachi abadi opposite Honda palace Jamshoro road, Kachi abadi behind
Shahbaz Building, Soomra ghoat near wadhu wah and many more it not necessary that
every Kachi abadi has name and many of them move there abadi if they ordered by
any authorities. Trust me they are the one who face all types of problems such
like sewage , water issues , destroyed roads, garbage everywhere, ignored by
district authorities, living under poverty level and many more.
According
to Dawn news paper of 7th March 2020; On
12th of January the protestors, led by the Nazim of the union council Abdul
Khaliq Chandio and leaders of the action committee, called upon the authorities
to solve problems related with sewerage, drainage and roads in the Qasimabad.
This really demanded for RS 100 millions from government for the improvements
in local Sewage and drainage system. They also demanded for repair
reconstruction of regular roads and slum
areas and small and old villages in Qasimabad but the interesting thing is
that these all road and drainage
problems have been resolved, but only on papers. Not in reality, and are never
going to be.
Our
journey of issue of Mini Dubai ends here. I hope you might you got enough
knowledge about the problems and issues faced by residents of Qasimabad . Keep
Qasimabad in your prayers.
