KARACHI: Why is it that the people of Pakistan find it most convenient to mourn in a violent manner? Whether it is the death of a political party’s worker or protests against civic issues, such as power breakdowns, people tend to react in a very aggressive manner.
Why is it that the new age definition of mourning and protesting involves a display of rage, fury and setting public property on fire? I understand that such displays are a result of extreme frustration, but that in no way justifies the harm that is inflicted on others in the name of carrying out protests.
The situation is indeed getting out of hand. Such protests are becoming increasingly common and the worst part is that people are now becoming accustomed to such happenings and have become indifferent to them. This is only natural because after a prolonged exposure to a particular stimulus, it is only natural that one starts becoming indifferent to it.
It is high time the government realises that merely condemning such activities will not get us anywhere. Concrete measures have to be taken in order to rein in those elements that indulge in such reprehensible behaviour.
Tooba Akhtar
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2012.
