GILGIT:
As someone who walks 35 minutes from school to home, I have first-hand experience of the challenges and prejudices that pedestrians face. Many people who walk as a means of transportation are often offered rides in cars or other vehicles by strangers, which can create the perception that walking is a forced mode of transportation. Unfortunately, walking is stigmatised in some places and associated with lower social status, even though it can be a choice for some individuals.
While some may offer rides out of kindness, others may view you as someone in need of help or charity. This can be frustrating and demeaning, especially when you are walking by choice. Around the world, people resort to walking instead of using different modes of transportation. Walking has numerous benefits including improved health, reduced traffic congestion, a cleaner environment, and a reduced carbon footprint. In Gilgit, as in many other places, people often choose to ride in luxurious cars and other vehicles for short distances even when walking would be a viable option. This is contributing to negative environmental impacts, such as air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increased air and noise pollution.
To alleviate these negative impacts, walking should be encouraged. The government should invest in infrastructure that makes walking safe and accessible for people of all ages and abilities. We need to challenge the societal norms and values that promote the use of cars as a primary mode of transportation. To create a more sustainable and equitable future for all, we must break down the stigmas surrounding walking and prioritise it as a viable and respectable mode of transportation.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2023.
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