Driving back home one evening on main Saba Avenue Phase V Extension, Defence Housing Authority (DHA), I was approached from behind by a black twin cabin vehicle with flashing police lights. Since it seems every second car these days has those lights, I paid no attention.
Then he blew his police hooter, and I again ignored. Finally, the driver turned on the police siren and I thought I better give way, for this must be a response to something serious.
The vehicle whizzed past me at great speed and then pulled up at a restaurant, and out stepped leisurely a few gentlemen, with no drawn weapons, and they walked in for their dinner.
This was the reason for the great urgency and using police lights, hooter and siren, in an attempt to make it look like a law enforcement vehicle having officials inside.
When the chief minister was appointed by a young well-educated party chairman, I was seriously happy. Surely, these two gentlemen who had been educated at some of the finest universities of the world would bring about changes for all to see, I thought. Alas, that has yet to be seen.
There is complete disregard for all laws, rules and regulations on roads, and no official, especially those from law enforcement, even bats an eye. The chief minister has witnessed the almost brutal enforcement of the law in the US while studying there, but we here continue to think laws are only for the books and not to be implemented.
About 50 years ago, our brothers from the Gulf states would come to our hospitals for treatment, and study at our educational institutions. Today, look at our plight and the progress they have made.
Illegal car licence plates with ‘applied for registration’ (AFR) written on them and some with no licence plates at all freely roam the streets. On the other hand, these people suddenly become the most law-abiding ones as soon as they land in any Gulf state. They stop at every traffic light and pedestrian crossing, and stand patiently in queues in offices, etc.
Is this because they have had better leaders who care more for their people and country, or is it that the only thing that really works is the strict application of the law for all? The relavant people should wake up and do something about it.
Salmaan Rasheedi
Karachi
