KARACHI received a whopping budget worth Rs21 million for revamping, which it did with enthusiasm and a sense of duty in preparation for the final of the Pakistan Super League on March 25.

Extensive traffic and security plans were laid out and for just a fleeting moment did citizens fearing breaches of peace find rest and comfort. Streets were fenced with a line of blockades, and drivers were diverted from their general courses to find alternative routes in an effort to resume their lives filled with concerns apart from the game itself.

Commuters saw a halt in their life, a halt that some did not find to be compromising, but most saw it to be an insane cause of worry and anguish. This question is: are we truly rescued from the horrors and terrorising grievances of our past?

Is our city safe enough to host international tournaments in a completely hassle-free and, dare I say it, normal way? Should the love of the public for this national treasure of a game be a cause of fury and pain for all people?

When will a day come when we will have international cricket without undue interventions in our lives? When will a day arrive when an entire city is not shut down just for misdirected passion towards a simple game?

Abdul Moiz
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2018