The death of one young person is the death of countless expectations, emotions, and aspirations. There is little value in human life in Pakistan. Thousands of people die in road accidents every year. According to the World Health Organization, 29,000 people were killed in road accidents in 2023 alone. But only a few incidents awaken the people sleeping in silos of power and authority. They follow a textbook pattern after every sinister and painful disaster or calamity: come on the media; issue statements, condemn the incident, and suspend a few lower rank officers. Afterward, they return to their power corridors and wait for the next issue to emerge. Nothing has changed since the inception of Pakistan. Who is responsible for this social and political apathy? Merely blaming the government is neither a solution nor an escape route. There is recondite social responsibility which we as a nation have rebuked and rebuffed.
MAJU hosts seminar on Pakistan’s economic situation Let’s decipher the bloody game of kite flying first to analyze the paralysis of the government and neglect of the community. A young motorist was bathed in his own blood because of a stray kite string having metal inclusions in Faisalabad last week. What happened next is the repeat telecast of any parallel incidents. The SHO of the concerned police station was suspended. The Chief Minister condemned the issue. Opposition parties highlighted the neglect of the government. Anchors and vloggers got the much-needed content for their videos. As an emergency measure, Punjab Police apprehended scores of people associated with the nefarious business of kite flying. It did not stop there. Two more boys were killed in kite flying accidents on 25th March in Sargodha and Pattoki. The remiss of society and government continues unabated. There is a need for a reasonable rejoinder to explain these incidents.
The behavior of the government is an epic and glaring rendition of the state of affairs. Why was the police and administration not proactive? Why preventive and preemptive steps were not taken? Why is there always a long wait for the calamity to occur? Kite flying has been banned in Pakistan since 2001. In a landmark decision in 2005, the Supreme Court ordered the ban of manufacture, trade, and even flying of kites because of the related fatal incidents in which precious lives have been lost. Who should be held responsible for the death of an innocent young man in Faisalabad? We have short-term and long-term memory issues as a nation. We mourn the deaths of innocent fellow citizens. Then we forget without resolving the issue and holding anyone accountable. The government does the same. Reports are prepared and submitted without any implementation of the recommendations. Is this the fate of a nation of 243 million people to be killed in accidents, washed away with floods, and to live miserably in poor economic conditions? We have to rescind it once and for all.
Incentives for taxpayers to help promote tax culture In order to revivify our commitment to a vibrant, responsible, and prosperous society there is a need to thwart and disrupt the current state of stagnancy. It would only happen once the issues are understood and practicable solutions are implemented without any political hiccups.
There must be a schematic analysis of why governments are reactionary to incidents and not proactive. The underlying factors are seething for the masses as they have given their time, energy, and resources for the national development yet the outcomes are not encouraging. Lack of resources is the seminal cause of policy failure in Pakistan. For instance, how can a Station House Officer(SHO) with 40-50 officials at his disposal can avert kite-flying incidents? It is the story of every government department.
Unless required funds, human resources, a workable plan of action, and proper facilitation are not offered to the government departments, the expectation of results from them is daydreaming. Similarly, complexity and bureaucratic red tape further complicate the progress. Government machinery is overstretched and lacks a coherent vision. On the other hand, there is consistent resistance to the change in the official work. The model of governance is still extractive. Government departments still deem them as colonial outfits. The criminal absence of checks and balances has debilitated the performance of government agencies. Expectations of performance delivery from a system where rent-seeking and corruption are the norms are neither logical nor rational. This system of institutional weakness has snubbed the ideals of performance and service delivery. Its continuation is a recipe for disaster for the lives and welfare of society. There is a need to revisit the situation and devise a plan of action for course correction at the governmental and social levels.
Economic, financial position continues to improve, claims finance ministry Contrary to the role of the government, the responsibility of the community is inevitable in ensuring the safety and security of the masses. From parents to teachers, every social institution is equally responsible for inculcating social responsibility among the young lot. When cultural norms and values give value to the collective welfare and well-being of the society as a whole, citizens act responsibly. Then murderous sports like kite flying are a rare occurrence. Overall, the government must abstain from reactionary policies and ad-hocism in order to dispense the rights and facilities to the citizens. The citizens should be equally vigilant of the performance and government while fulfilling their responsibility as concerned members of society. Only through collective resolve, the painful incidents can be averted and security and safety of the citizens can be guaranteed.
PFA foils fake milk production attempt, seizes goods, machinery Khaliq Dad Lak
The writer is a civil servant. He can be reached at khaliqlakk1@gmail.com
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