An Interview
with Prof. Nauman
‘Silent middle class
hindering social change’
By Aroosa Masroor
The NEWS, Tuesday, September 09, 2008
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=134748
Karachi
Professor Mohammad Nauman is an associate
professor with the NED University and has been
serving as an academic for over 30 years. A true
Karachiite at heart, Prof. Nauman has witnessed
the rise and fall of different governments in
Pakistan and its impact on Karachi – one of the
largest and most important cities of the country.
Throughout his student life, Prof. Nauman was
affiliated with student organisations such as the
National Students Federation (NSF) and later, in
1972, went on to become one of the founding
members of the Progressive Students Front (PSF), a
progressive students movement that resisted
General Zia’s Islamisation in the late 70s and
early 80s.
Before joining NED University, the professor had
served in the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP).
While at NED, he voluntarily worked with Edhi
Foundation during the era of bomb blasts and
ethnic violence of late 80s and developed a
wireless network for it. He has also served as
technical adviser to Fahim Zaman, former
administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation
(now CDGK). The News recently caught up with the
educationist who has often received criticism for
airing his views against the management and the
government.
Q. Tell us about your early life and education.
A. I was born in Karachi, but spent my early
childhood in Lahore where my father was teaching
at the Aitchison College. Later, he joined the
Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan. The job
required him to be posted in different districts
across the Sindh and Punjab province so I have
spent my life with people of almost all
ethnicities in Pakistan. Growing up with different
people from the rural as well as urban parts of
the country taught me a lot about the existing
challenges and contrasts within our society across
the country. I later joined Cadet College Petaro
from where I completed my Intermediate and then
did my bachelors and Masters in electrical
engineering from the NED Engineering College.
Q. The recent incidents of violence at public
universities have raised questions on the
administrative capability of educational
institutes. Considering the fact that you have
remained an active member in student politics, how
would you compare your life era with that of
today?
A. When I was a student activist, idealism
prevailed. Student parties participated in the
Students’ Union elections that played an important
role in political maturity and looked after vital
academic, cultural and social interests of the
students. Back in the 70s, when we founded the
Progressive Front at NED College, students from
different ethnic backgrounds were a part of it.
There was no discrimination; we had the best
debaters, progressive thinkers and students who
were academically sound despite their political
affiliations. Everyone had a collective objective
– to protect the interests of the common student.
There were differences among students parties even
during our times, but no matter how aggressive,
the respect for our teachers was such that we
would lower our gaze. We were not fascists.
But the ban on student unions during General Zia’s
era and state-sponsored sectarian and ethnic
violence and the gun culture in the educational
institutions destroyed the healthy student
politics. The recent incidents are just the
reminder that the fascist groups and authoritarian
institutions are still well entrenched in Karachi
and despite the public mandate for the democratic
norms in the general elections, they are not
weakened. The social commitment and political
awareness among the lower middle class students
has become alarmingly low. They seem to be
suffering from some kind of an inferiority complex
and have stopped questioning and challenging the
prevailing environment around them. Idealism has
evaporated and they have been reduced to seeking
short term goals.
Q. What, in your opinion, has led to this change
in attitude?
A. The collapse of social, cultural and political
institutions and lack of tolerance and democratic
norms have affected the intellectual capabilities
and vision of students. They do not read
literature and history. They do not travel much
and interact with other segments of society.
Therefore they are unaware of social realities. On
top of it, the neo-liberal economic policies and
globalisation are increasing the gap between rich
and poor and withering away the middle classes
that used to produce the intelligentsia of our
society. Unless this class rises and participates
in bringing about a positive social and political
change, things will remain the same.
Q. Does that mean the educated or affluent class
is not capable of bringing about a change?
A. At the moment, the system is offering much to
the really educated and affluent classes. They
have opportunities of going abroad for higher
education, job opportunities as professionals in
multi-nationals and bureaucracy. Those having a
social perspective, are able to get a job in the
media or join NGOs and make themselves busy in
service delivery and writing reports for the
donors, thus unable to play a meaningful role in
society except lip service.
For social change, they have to own this country
and instead of seeking private solutions for
collective problems, they must form an organic
link with the distressed communities. The
communities suffering from economic, civic and
environmental problems need conscious educated
people to assist them in understanding the roots
of problems and organising their struggle. This
requires social commitment, sparing time for
keeping close contact and leaving aside our agenda
for personal gains. The engineers have to shift
their focus towards low cost solutions for
drinking water, power, housing, irrigation, health
and education.
Q. How was your experience at the Karachi
Metropolitan Corporation? Were you able to
contribute to any development projects in the
city?
A. Yes, when I was working with Fahim Zaman, we
were able to introduce some new systems apart from
delivering a number of long awaited projects like
Clifton flyover, Liaquatabad bridge, widening of
Lasbela bridge, completion of Mai Kolachi bypass
and the bridge near Cantt Station, revival of old
Kalapul, addition of 50 fire tenders and removal
of huge encroachment to start developing
Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim at Clifton. We also introduced
Ashtro standards to build roads and established
asphalt plants. Subsequently, all new roads have
been built on the introduced standards. Moreover,
we established two huge incinerators for hospital
waste and installed sewage treatment plants in
some parks.
We also launched a garbage dumping operation
across the city through a ‘Garbage Train’ that ran
from Wazir Mansion station to a 3,500 acre
landfill site 35km away from Karachi at Dhabeji.
The train had a capacity to carry 1,600 tons of
garbage per trip and ran once a week. The system
revived the Circular Railway and prevented fresh
encroachments, but the train was stopped after we
left KMC. Had it been operating, the Circular
Railway System could have been revived that has
become extremely difficult now owing to the
massive encroachments around the railway track.
Q. Why do you think the government has not yet
been able to provide solutions to basic problems
of the masses? Do you think things will change for
the better in future?
A. I’m afraid they will go worse. One does not see
the political will and people-oriented sustainable
development model on the agenda of the political
parties or their leaders that is required to bring
about a change in the system. For the past 20
years, all governments have been following donor
imposed structural adjustment plans, poverty
reduction programs and neo-liberal agenda. They
have increased the foreign loans by at least three
times, pushed nearly half of our population below
poverty line and 80 per cent of tax burden is on
the poor. The rich and powerful remain tax less
and take all kinds of subsidies.
Governments have been and are planning to
privatise utilities and other basic obligations of
state such as provision of health and educational
facilities. Privatisation of the KESC is another
example. Our taxes have increased, while the
government’s function has been reduced.
This attitude then trickles down to our masses as
well. Today, one can see parents seeking admission
in so-called English medium schools for their
children, but they will not question the
government authorities for not providing them with
basics like a decent education.
What is needed is redistribution of resources
(from the powerful classes to the poorer segments)
and democratisation of the society at all levels,
including political parties. Provinces must also
have control over their resources and autonomy
promised in the 1940 Pakistan Resolution. Aitzaz
Ahsan was absolutely right when he said: “After
the imposition of martial law in 1958, the status
of welfare state was converted into national
security state.” Perhaps, a larger democratic
struggle waged by all political forces is needed
for establishment of real democracy in Pakistan.
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