16 FEB. 1995

Water in Karachi is tremendously scarce. The industrial users as well as the domestic consumers are clamoring for water everyday. There have been riots, untimely pipeline bursts, inequitable distribution, etc. The "tanker mafia" is reaping a windfall bonanza charging atrocious amounts and arbitrarily dictating supply.

Karachiites have been compelled to conserve water. The Begums with picturesque gardens have decided to sacrifice their precious workmanship due to this shortage. Industries are running at less than 100% because of the low supply of water. Even construction companies have slowed down their pace of work.

Alas, there are many who really don’t care about wasting water. A case in point is the criminally wastage of precious water by those performing ablutions in the Mosques. Just last Friday, during this Holy Month, I saw a few of our upright Maulanas perform ablutions. The way they were taking a lot of time, the way they were splashing water, and the way they were unmindful of their act, looked like they felt that the water tank held more water than at Niagara Falls. These people didn’t give a hoot, and in an insouciant way, went on performing an elaborate choreography, very much aware that the "faithful" sitting nearby were glancing at them with obvious disdain.

My humble advise is that it would be a very religious and a humane gesture if, in these times when water supply is lowest, the venerable Mullahs would sacrifice like others and, please save water. I wonder if at home they waste this much water for ablutions or even for taking showers. Will some enlightened and pragmatic Islamic scholar please educate us if it is absolutely necessary to take hours to perform ablutions and at the same time waste valuable water?

(P.S. The reason I did not take up the issue with the Mullahs in the Mosque was the way they flare up whenever somebody criticizes them, positively or negatively. Who knows, they may brandish a firearm and unabashedly use them to settle the matter once and for all!)