APROPOS the editorial ‘Mob mentality’ (Aug 20). For a long time brutalities such as these have been condoned on the excuse that the country suffers from a rotten justice system which forces the people to take the law into their hands. But the epicenter of the problem lies with the basic value system where we are not being taught to respect others.

If a society encourages intolerance towards any dissent, opposing views or conflicting thoughts, then the aftermath is exactly what befell that unfortunate youth. Be it political discordance, religious differences or a robbery — albeit alleged — by a 16-year-old boy, we seem to only find solutions in extreme action — to the extent of committing cold-blooded murder.

The height of insensitivity was the fact that people even had the audacity of filming the event to spread on social media. The unfortunate fact is that we are not raised to look at things in a humane perspective and what perspective is more humane than the sanctity of a young human life?

This nation needs a revolutionary change in its mindset which has to be inculcated from an early age. We need to learn the true meaning and interpretation of the Quranic verse which likens the slaying of one innocent human life to the whole humanity being killed.

Ali Ammar
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2019