• Closure of busy downtown roads causes traffic mess
• Governor’s spokesperson claims students ‘properly treated’

KARACHI: In what could only be described as cruel exploitation, some 5,000 government schoolchildren were left abandoned on roads without any proper arrangement of food, shelter and drinking water after they were made to stand in rows and columns throughout the day inside and outside the Governor House to wave flags and shower rose petals to accord a ‘grand reception’ to a Saudi minister in an ‘ill-conceived’ scheme of a welcome ceremony devised by Governor Kamran Tessori to impress the visiting guest.

The poor children were called from schools in the morning at 10am to stand inside and outside roads of Governor House to wave national flags of the two countries and clap on arrival of the guests amid no arrangement of food and water in sunlight, eyewitnesses told Dawn.

There appeared to be no coordination from Governor House authorities regarding the well-being of the children, who remained standing there till second half of the day.

Governor Tessori’s plan to give a grand welcome to Saudi Minister of Haj and Umra Dr Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah ended in a total chaos on major roads as the busiest city district witnessed a worst traffic mess amid confusion.

The badly-organised mega event, held without any cogent reasons, attracted strong criticism from public and social media where people posted pictures and videos of innocent schoolchildren and severe traffic jams on key roads around Governor House.

The Saudi minister was driven to the Governor House from his hotel by Governor Tessori himself as the children remained there standing on two sides of the road waving flags, clapping and shouting full-throated slogans.

Later most of them complained that they weren’t even allowed to enter the Governor House.

A video went viral on social media showing a schoolteacher elaborating the Governor House apathy towards the poor children.

“We were here from 10am and now it is 1pm,” the teacher said while talking to journalists at Governor House. “There’s not even a drop of water for the children. A few of them fell unconscious. When after three hours we were told to move into Governor House, we found the main gate locked. What’s happening, no one knows.”

There was also a worst traffic jam apparently caused by scores of buses of schoolchildren parked on main roads which left little space for traffic leading to serious congestion on nearby road links.

Severe and hours-long traffic jams were witnessed on Sarwar Shaheed Road, M. R. Kiani Road, Club Road and Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road.

After couple of hours the traffic mess stretched to I. I. Chundrigar Road.

However, when contacted, a spokesperson for the Governor House denied these reports. He said there were ‘proper arrangements’ for the schoolchildren and they were properly treated at Governor House.

For the traffic jam, he said admitted that it was caused by parking of the buses which carried the schoolchildren which left narrow space for vehicles to move.

Saudi minister’s meeting with Governor

Minister of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia, Dr Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al Rabiyyah on Tuesday called on Governor Tessori at the Governor’s House, adds APP.

In the meeting, Pak-Saudi relations, matters related to Haj and Umrah pilgrims, measures to solve the problems and other matters of mutual interest were discussed.

The governor said that the hearts of the people of Pakistan beat with the people of Saudi Arabia. “I am grateful for the facilities provided to Haj and Umrah pilgrims,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 23th, 2023