I ATTENDED the second protest meeting against VIP culture by civil society at Teen Talwar, Clifton, Karachi, on Oct 11.

Ironically enough, returning home, I was stopped by the police a few streets from my house because of a heavy security presence owing to the movement of the chief minister’s entourage to his residence.

I vented my frustrations at the policemen but they looked at me as if I were mad and turned a blind eye.

I suppose I was luckier than young Tahir in Lahore.

I realise the VIP tradition is deeply embedded and will not loosen its grip on society easily but we have to keep chipping away at it.

Nafisa Rizvi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2014