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Revolt of the masses IT is becoming so worrying our lack of discipline and misbehaviour that even to ensure that we stand in a proper queue, peacefully, we now need armed guards, or law-enforcing agencies to be overlooking the scenario. Strange. Symptomatic of what? Inner chaos? So very demanding are we now, and growingly so, or so aggressive and rude, uncouth, that have begun to demonstrate complete disregard of even women at the workplace. And paradoxically we are advocating that more women join the workforce in this society. Ask women how they are made to feel vulnerable, even so humiliated. There is something awfully grim and grey about contemplating on what kind of city we are creating as we suggest more and more security measures, clamour for more armed guards, and demand protection from the militant public. The public can’t be satisfied, and the public will not behave, observes one Karachiite as he responds to some recent incidents that have taken place during the week gone by. In particular he was speaking candidly about the saddening incident where there was a strike at Civil Hospital, after a lady doctor was beaten up. By the way that kind of an incident could well have occurred at any hospital in the city, or in the country, especially if it was a government hospital, or even at the office of a public utility like water and power, where citizens were demanding their right. This strike at Civil Hospital makes you contemplate. Take the facts as reported on 15th April here. A lady doctor was beaten up, because of some syrup that she prescribed to an elderly patient. It was apparently a difference of opinion on medical matters between the doctor and the patient’s attendants. Without taking sides, there is a case either way. But the point is that do we resort to violence, and beating up doctors? Not the first incident of its kind, in Karachi, and from the way in which we are evolving as a restless society, it seems the future is grim, challenging. Medical circles at this institution also have demanded the deployment of rangers for security. Bear in mind that there is now ample security at many of the well-known private hospitals and specialists’ clinics. In this case the Civil Hospital management has written to the health department to provide it with rangers or police personnel, at the institution, so that staff could get the security cover they need. What a stage we have reached! In passing, it has been mentioned that there is the umbrella of rangers at Karachi University also, for more than a decade, and the academic institution has benefited from this decision. There are rangers at other places also in the city, visible and effective. There is a deployment of the police and other law-enforcement agencies, plus private armed security as cover at so many places in the city that now it is taken for granted. Gone are the days of the chowkidar and the watchman. Now there are armed guards, and it is not just a status symbol, it is an actual need. In the incident at Civil Hospital there is one particular aspect reported that is a cause for anxiety and needs to be underlined here. Read this paragraph and it speaks for itself: “According to some doctors, 40 or 50 people, raising slogans of a regional political party, raided the intensive care unit of the ward, where the patient was admitted. They didn’t beat anyone but threatened and abused every doctor they could lay their eyes on,” said one of them. Try and imagine the grim scenario that must have been played out. Now try and imagine whether that was possible if there was armed security cover available. Also wonder why activists had to step in. On this subject, there is also warranted some attention on another story which says that omnibuses between Malir and Tower were suspended on Thursday “after arguments took place between a group of transporters and area residents over fares.” This issue relates to the demand that transport fares be lowered, now that petrol and diesel prices have come down further on April 15. This is an interesting study in attitudes: those of the public and the transporters unwilling to bring down fares. It is also reported that a student was beaten up a couple of days ago on the subject of fares. I have heard some discerning citizens argue that the point of fares is not all that important in many cases. Quite often it is the sheer impatience, cussedness, and rude behaviour that leads to tension and conflict. Incidents that one has quoted here, and primarily only to lament, or even condemn, do help one to realize the widespread nature of the armed security cover that our life has. Urban living now in particular seems to be saying that the best way to fight insecurity is to be forever on guard. See the places where there is either official or private security (There were times when this was prevalent only at the official residences, and that too as a matter of form or protocol). Now the threat is real it seems, and it is argued so. There is security cover of sorts at homes, and offices, banks, financial institutions, hotels, restaurants, shopping centres, expensive shops, jewellers, schools, colleges, hospitals, newspaper offices, mosques, public utility offices, cell phone offices, universities, etc. The list is growing, reflecting the insecurity that is spreading its wings. Crime and terrorism are also other reasons. But what such incidents as the one at Civil Hospital and buses on the Malir-Tower route mirror is a breakdown of many community values, and an inability of the institutions to deal with public pressure, and public demand. It is an angry public, and a public that has even been taken for a ride so often, that it is unwilling to trust any longer. Let me end with an observation that someone made the other day. That he walked into a five-star hotel for a seminar. For this alone he had to go through two security checks, and it made him wonder where we had reached in our pursuit of urbanization, and its dreams. Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)
