THAT'S HOW WE CELEBRATE OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!

MAHTAB BASHIR

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

0333 53 63 248

Islamabad

The covid19 pandemic is not over but our youth is- as soon as we are relaxed on this Independence Day of (August 14), every one turns up the roads. The green and white is everywhere in the streets- and so is hooliganism, blowing crackers, aerial firing, and silencerless bikes. This is how we celebrate our ‘Freedom Day’.    

Aerial firing, riding bikes at high speed without silencers, blowing crackers and fireworks arms and eve teasing is the way we tend to celebrate our important days and festivals, especially 14th of August- our Independence Day.

Celebrations are another name of indecent display of rowdiness across the country. Although everyone gets excited and proud on August 14 and wants to share the happiness and joy with other countrymen, but getting outside the house with family means meeting ruffian youth on the back of bikes and other thugs occupying the roads.

One wants to get out of the house with the family and enjoy the decorated buildings, and lighting on the towers and mosques, but it is impossible to go to these places and enjoy a nice time with family members due to rowdy youth who are oblivion of Covid19 as well.

This attitude has become the hallmark of the way we celebrate Eid, Ramadan, Independence Day and all other auspicious occasions.

When this scribe contacted a number of people from various segments of society and from varied age, they blame illiteracy and poverty behind this indecent hooliganism while few opines because of Covid19, we have been contained in four walls of house- this is the rights time for celebrations (of our freedom Day).

Social behavior is an advanced action which directs specific behavior towards others. A majority of our youth not only illiterate but also literate have psychological problems so when they step out on the streets, there mannerism, attitude and respect for other changes for the worse, they opined.

A number of people told this scribe that if ever there was a time to demonstrate just what the real meaning and significance of Independence Day was, this was the right time.

Another August 14 has been celebrated yesterday. Thousands of youngsters in green and white poured on to the streets, but does it made a little difference?

It is often said that youngsters are the future of this country. Pakistan is the country with maximum population of youth; the one which is seen one wheeling from Faizabad Interchange to Constitution Avenue in Islamabad.

Others show their love for Pakistan by lighting fire crackers, some performing stunts on bikes at high speeds, not knowing that slipping an inch could cost them their life.

M Ibrahim, a young boy at Jinnah Super Market said Independence Day should be celebrated in a simple manner, but first of all we have to show solidarity with one another. Get clear of the thoughts of racism, we are not five, we are one! God never asked me if I wanted to be a Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan, Baloch or Gilgiti. We are Pakistanis and we should celebrate our day of independence showing unity, he said.

Another said we must carry on with this passion of I-Day throughout the year. We are at war, real war. We are facing challenges and crisis. We are down and we are bruised. We are threatened by terrorism and we are choking under a huge debt. If we are to address issues of poverty, hunger, desperation, law and order, we need to do so not by treating the cancer with aspirin but with radical surgery. We have to do it ourselves.

Osama Pervaiz believed the media could bring about a positive change and make the youth aware of what to do and what not to do on August 14 for the betterment of our country. If our next generation can come forward and take charge and get all politicians and other corrupt people who are proven guilty by the law, are actually sentenced, govt. would love to spend more on health and education sector- this country can breathe for a brief time independently in real terms. Then I can spend the Independence Day with wearing green and white, a flag in my hand, and dancing madly on the tunes of national songs.

Also published in Pakistan Today