Celebrations: the reality versus the hype

COMMENT
Islamabad
Now that five days of feasting and ‘fun’ are over and life is supposed to go back to normal — but will certainly not until the coming weekend is over — it’s time to look at the reality behind the euphoria of celebration.
Firstly, why do we have to have such long breaks from work which are certainly not helpful as far as the economy is concerned apart from making the general public believe that all is hunky dory! This does not happen in any other country, especially developed ones. If a national says of celebration falls on a weekend, the following or previous day is declared a holiday making it three days in all. Over here we find any excuse to ‘take a break’ on top of which strikes and ‘shutter down’ calls, which take place on a regular basis, take their own toll. Long breaks from work are unnecessary and are only allowed by slack governments to win favour. Instead of urging everyone to ‘gird their loins’ — to use an old fashioned phrase — to work and be productive, they encourage the people to have a ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude and be lazy.
Secondly, there is a lack of entertainment facilities in the country except for visiting parks; eating out or going to watch a movie, so there is a mad, uncontrollable rush at these places. As a result indiscipline and unruly behaviour become the norm as people try to get there before others, breaking queues; pushing and shoving. Television footage showed the horrendous traffic jams that took place outside parks; on the road to hill stations and outside movie theatres. Restaurants ran out of food and gas stations ran out of the commodity — and don’t even think of what happened when anyone wanted to use the toilet! Being used to problems of this kind, most people managed somehow, trying to make a picnic of it but it was certainly no picnic for many, especially the elderly, young children and ‘purdah observing women.
The worst aspect was the young men and boys with nothing better to do, riding their motorbikes as if the devil was chasing them; performing stupid stunts, probably hoping they would be caught on camera and showcased on television and generally misbehaving. Showing off as if the celebration was only for them and not for others. Ready to pick on a fight if they are checked, these motorcyclists are a nuisance, not only on festive occasions but generally and there needs to be some kind of control about letting them roam the roads so freely. Most of them do not have a license, so traffic officials - who gave up trying to control this mass of humanity as there were too few of them - have to be more vigilant during normal working days. They should confiscate motorcycles when a user is caught breaking the rules so that it is understood they mean business. Giving them a ticket does not work but if they are deprived of their transport they may, hopefully, learn a lesson.
So instead of showing how ‘developed’ we are by installing metro bus systems that are filled with water every time it rains and are operating by being heavily subsidized, let the ruling elite pay more attention to other aspects for peoples welfare, like providing electricity; gas, clean water and other facilities, the least of which is proper and meaningful entertainment.