When it comes to Pakistan, the less we talk about the latter, the better
KARACHI: As a general rule of thumb, a nation can be judged by its traffic patterns and the conditions of its public toilets. When it comes to Pakistan, the less we talk about the latter, the better. Coming to the former, it is proudly stated on various forums that the number of vehicles on roads have increased by such and such percentage, but what is not stressed is that in that same period of time, the general traffic sense of the public has taken a dip and has declined inversely proportional to the increase in the number of vehicles on the country’s roads, particularly in Karachi.
It is a common sight to witness abnormal traffic jams resulting from senseless breaches of traffic laws, such as wrong entry on one-way streets, or the violation of traffic lights. To cap this, we might also be one of the few nations where the wailing of ambulance sirens falls on deaf ears of motorists, who, rather than clearing the way, prefer to carry on at their own convenient pace. It appears as if the breach of laws and violation of rules has become an embedded part of our society. This is a cause for concern as to where all this is leading us. It seems we are most certainly, heading back to square one.
Usama Shah
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2015.
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