Fiesty debate: Individualism, traffic laws the talk of town

Speakers at MUNIK discuss some of the main issues pertaining to the city.

KARACHI:

When a historian, an architect, a public policy expert and a cultural activist debate on a prevalent lack of civic sense, it takes mere seconds for the discussion to turn into the sort that keeps over 250 exhausted young delegates pinned to their seats for 90 minutes.

That too, following an action-packed morning at the last committee session of the Model United Nations IBA Karachi (MUNIK) at the Institute of Business Administration’s (IBA) main university campus on Sunday.



Though the talk, which followed the last committee session of MUNIK, was titled, “Adam Smith, Driving on High Beams and Noisy Neighbourhoods: An Excursion into the Ethics of Self-Interest and Social Responsibility,” historian Dr Nomanul Haq said that the lengthy title was little more than a “name-dropper”.

The talk opened with the panelists - architect Arif Hasan, T2F director Sabeen Mahmud, IBA instructor Dr Irfan Malik and Dr Haq - lamenting the blatant disregard that people have towards traffic rules, which reflected on the increasing self-centredness of society in general. “Yes, there is the popular form of terrorism that we all dread but what about the ‘terrorism’ of reckless motorcyclists on the road?” questioned Sabeen Mahmud, as several students in the Ghani and Tayyab auditorium nodded in agreement. “Are they not terrifying?”

However, Hasan, who has conducted exhaustive social science research as part of his work as an architect, feels that the problem is more deeply rooted than just traffic laws. “Indeed, the issue is not limited to infringed traffic rules.”

To each his own

Following this argument, the discussion quickly drifted to the rising individualism in society. The panellists seemed to agree that students are no longer reading the ‘right’ things - things which will help them become responsible citizens and sensitive human beings. In fact, they only enrol in the university programmes that promise them a best pay checks after graduation, regardless of where their academic interest lies. “Our students are being deprived of mediums of self-expression,” said Dr Haq. “A child might be very creative and bright, but parents will not think (s)he is bright unless (s)he can talk about the money market. These are worrying standards.”



Dr Irfan, who teaches public policy at IBA, felt that it is vital that students chose what they think is right for them rather than going for the easy option. “As students, you will need faith in your abilities and a lot of internal strength to do different from what it expected of you,” he emphasised. “It is difficult and it is daunting, but it pays off. You should become what you want to become!”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2014.