Groomed society, a nightmare
IN the series of heart wrenching happenings like Gujjarpura, Noor Muqaddam, Minar-e-Pakistan, being reported/highlighted ones, there remains a bulk, which is either not reported or not noticed.
The Minar-e-Pakistan incident is more alarming, as it took place publically at the site of an ideological monument; wherein a young lady going out with her colleagues, for enjoying Independence Day, was harassed by almost 400 persons in a mob.
There may be shortcomings on the end of the victim or whatever the reasons were, but the situation defamed Pakistan globally, being an unethical act, causing great embarrassment for the entire nation.
This shameless attitude of the mob is denounced vehemently; however, it raises a number of questions.
Such incidents unravel the inner face of a society, being characterized by frustration, deprivation, hypocrisy and immorality. The celebration of socio-cultural, religious events in the society and the reactions/activities of public, set trends of a nation.
Though, in our society, religious or cultural events are celebrated with zeal but the theme hidden inside is never understood.
Hence, all such celebrations are superficial and futile, without contributing even an iota towards nation-building.
Pakistan is a traditionally rich country, whose all acclaimed days of celebrations carry serious and deep messages, but events pass without inculcating any positive traits in masses but leave behind debasing stories.
For example, Independence Day is always a mess of traffic jams, hooliganism, pestering and vandalism; strangely, Police or other Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs) never check/punish these acts, the reason why such routine finally led to harassment, tortures and brutal behaviours.
Similarly, other religious days from Eid, Shab-e-Barat to Moharram days or even special events of other communities are also cosmetic rather than infusing any spirit of belonging together.
In other words, the grooming of individuals revolves around attitude and relationships and there exists a big gap. It is high time to evaluate the predicament, unless it is run over by the adversaries.
The critical review of the prevailing socio-cultural environment reveals that the situation is very alarming and demands a major shift of policies/infrastructures, especially to improve attitude and relationships. This” Nation of Festivity” is not groomed at all and has become a bunch of mob-mentality individuals.
There are three major factors which contribute towards grooming a child. Firstly, parental/family bond; secondly, schooling and educational setups and thirdly, society and social norms and tools.
First factor of parents and family has been learning from their elders and have been transferring their legacy/traditions to their offshoots.
Virtually, this factor has never been harnessed on a standard pattern of teaching and training, rather is decaying.
The second factor academic and religious education involves a bulk of people as teachers, most of whom join by compulsion and not by their choice.
The persons related to these professions are mostly from the fragmented/under groomed background and are products of deprivations and failures.
Moreover, they are neither included in the major service groups nor enjoy any perks compatible to their counterparts with the same length of service and qualifications.
A segment striving to make finical gains either or happen to transfer their failures in a revengeful manner. So this chapter of grooming is almost closed.
The third factor making attitude and behaviour is society. Socialization is mostly carried through social media tools, comprising a bulk of under groomed people.
Such lot is running a race for wealth and fake status. The social media and its related tools are not streamlined or are under any standard parameters.
There are many hidden mafias working on the disastrous agenda, through poured money, so question of social grooming is almost zero.
In the current scenario, apart from the previously defined three pillars of state ie parliament, judiciary and executives; two more pillars of society have emerged as journalists and social media.
Unfortunately, none has a clear, neutral, undaunted professional approach and each one of these pillars is oblivious of grooming aspects of the nation. The Judiciary has been unsuccessful in extending any timely relief to the common citizens.
It has strengthened its group in terms of drawing extraordinary benefits by securing their interests of powerful dons. Justice is denied in an engineered way with unnecessary delay or abrupt disposal.
The militant advocacy has emerged to become a part of the judicial system, wherein the last hope for mutual respect/transparency has vanished. The second pillar of executives, thrives on old colonial doctrine of distancing and ruling.
The old doctrine trains them as per ABCD implying Avoid the task, Bifurcate, Confuse and Delay.
This class has internal wider divides; each one of the service group is trying to suppress other and to gain power of wealth and status.
Here doors of initiative and innovations are permanently closed. A simple graduate occupying a strong post, can reject/defer any classically designed policy or project; may that could add laurels to the nation.
Simply, this system has become redundant and infertile from the perspective of moral values, without any grooming. The third pillar of parliamentarians, is not less than either. After having looted resources, cheating trusts of people with criminal backgrounds, becoming a parliamentarian is easiest way.
There is no concept of any democratic norms, all moves through farce democratic tools. Since the aim of majority of this group is plundering official/private resources, so why should they bother about grooming of societies.
Needless to discuss journalism and social media in details, if the basic three pillars have decayed badly, which are apparently streamlined, through related rules/practices but the later remains a challenge to the governments.
Yet, no checks have ever been imposed over social media tools or even any step has been taken against false reporting.
None of the discussed pillars of state, is concerned with values or attitudes; hence, grooming remains a nightmare.
Having a review of current situation along with different factors to improve the attitude and relationships, it may be concluded that attitudinal grooming is virtually missing in all spheres of life and a concrete solution is required.
The measures may be taken on short and long term basis, the immediate incident of Minar-e-Pakistan, requires measures related to fixing the responsibility over the officials of District Administration, Police and PHA for various violations.
The responsible individuals may be awarded penalties publically, along with the culprits of the case, in the shortest possible time.
It may be summed up that the communities/societies of Pakistan are dragging the time in a haphazard manner, dreadfully with absence of objectivity. There is a dire need to work on the short and long term measures for making of a nation.
The critical review on the Pakistani society has brought us to a point, wherein the whole societal system needs a complete overhauling/change.
A comprehensive solution in the form of suggested guidelines for the governing socio-political systems of the country may be worked upon for the consideration of governance stakeholders.
However, presently the citizens especially youth need to learn mutual respect, sharing, sacrificing and tolerating behaviours.
All the pillars of state will have to reconcile under the umbrella of national unity and coordination for ultimate contribution towards human development, to turn nightmares into a reality of nation building.
—The writer holds multiple specializations related to Criminal Justice System, Security Studies, Youth Development, Political and Management Sciences.
