Karachi, despite being the financial capital and the epicenter of intermittent security operations by the government, remains a sprawling hub of civil disobedience. The provincial government is a fairy tale in Sindh, and the rage and despair of the public is getting worse by the minute. Plenty of comparisons are raised between Karachi and Lahore where development of infrastructure is done to ease people’s live whereas here, our roads are still spillways of sewage; pedestrian walkways are the ground for brands to embarrass themselves by blocking them; dark corners are reserved as trash bins for entire neighborhoods; traffic lights and lanes are there as show pieces, and public transportation is a cry for mercy by the public.
We support this campaign against the VIP culture, and it should be a moment of total embarrassment for the government that people are afraid of one another within the city we all call our home. We say that we built the Air Force of UAE and our air force service men and women still serve in it, yet the ruler of Dubai travels alone in his cars with the significant registration number ‘1’ plate on it, without any fear, and doubt on the governance he has created. Whereas here, our rulers have created a misery on the streets that one part of the poor is employed to fight against the other half.
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In all this rage and chaos that’s surrounding the air of Karachi these days, it’s only matter of when someone somewhere will do something stupid.
A girl met her unfortunate demise due to the hospital being under lockdown for the security of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who holds no seat in the government and is just a citizen. The result being, the people of Karachi, woke up, and today was the first proper sign that even with the guards on the back of your Hilux Vigo, you will still fear, from an ordinary citizen.
A dangerous precedent has been set here. The scorn that people daily get from these VIP protocols has reached the melting point and its time we all got ourselves dashcams ASAP.
The trend of dashcams came out from Russia. People started installing it so that the louder and stronger one would not be able to bully their way out of it and the video can be used in court as evidence. The trend caught up; people were genuinely being helped out by the dashcams as it recorded the incident detailing exactly who was at fault.
Its time we got ourselves dashcams in Pakistan because, I have even seen a Rangers VIP protocol around national stadium shouting scornfully at people to just vanish in thin air in 1 second because some VIP was coming up from behind them; then what can you expect from the people carrying a bootful of underpaid guards in their Hilux VIGO.
Language warning.
Must watch Public irritating against VIP..!!
Posted by Shakeel Baig on Monday, 4 January 2016
But after this video came out, there is the obvious culprit: The rich beat the poor, and then there’s our experiences where motorcyclists ride like they are all alone on the road. Almost none wait on the signal and in fact, try to squeeze through the open green light going straight but the motorcyclist will not stop. There’s more, a growing trend of going the wrong way is observed by car users who, believe in the myth that their saving fuel (that they are not) while the costing everyone else fuel actually.
And then there are the bootful of guards behind the VIGO, ready to lay a burst of justice and fear on the master’s command. Chances are also very high that if the people hadn’t rallied up against the VIGO, he could’ve put anyone into submission regardless of whose fault it may be.
Also Read: Pakistanis Should Start Installing DashCams In Their Cars
The cheapest dashcam, one with good quality result even during night time on Aliexpress is worth around 4-5K, and it does the job. Always keep one on since someone can blame you for a fault that’s not yours and then there’s the VIP culture that needs to be dealt with. People of Karachi have shown courage against overwhelming odds; they need to show them against these buffoons.
Although videos are not considered as evidence in courts in Pakistan, but at least you can name and shame the VIPs through them and bring about a change in our courts as well to step out of the stone age.
The VIP culture also inflicts a bad influence on the young and ambitious, our definition of rich and powerful is flawed. As I told about the ruler of Dubai roaming the streets alone in a car you can spot from the moon, while not the ideal example (far from it actually) but that is actually what home is, a place where you can be free and comfortable.
What is a VIP?
VIP is a government officer who earns his money because of the tax paid by the citizens.
Generally a servant should understand who is the master. The root of the problem came from worshipping the military because they supposedly perform some sort of jihad to gain some sort of shahadat so the entire nation should definitely worship them at all cost. The gatekeeper finds every opportunity to proclaim himself the head of the state.
Recently everybody has become a VIP no matter government officer or industrialist.
It is high time the gatekeeper was told of his place in the society. No doubt he gains shahadat but the does so for his own benefit, he should not expect the nation to fall in prostration in front of him.
India did it a long time ago. They found a place called Kashmir for their gatekeeper to keep busy in performing his rightful duty ()serve in the war and achieve martyrdom) – now their gatekeeper has no time to come and topple the head of the house and proclaim himself as the owner of the assets. Very good, this is what they get paid for – and this is exactly the dream of the life of gatekeeper.
karachi sucks big time,
VIP culture is here to stay, Sadly.
I fully support the movement again VIP culture in Pakistan. over 99% of the population is being harassed just for these so called VIPs…I recently came across some statistics that over 30% of police is assigned to service of these filthy VIPs in the country.
Such is the shame that this VIP culture has even killed people – they don’t even let ambulances pass and violate any imaginable traffic laws that exist. In any civilized society this is enough moral ground to take them to court and put them behind bars. With the passage of time VIP culture is increasing.
VIP culture will be destroyed – InshAllah
VIP culture definitely need to end and equal rights be given to all citizen. Govt. should take some strong measures on war footing basis to abolish this culture in addition to taking step for basic rights of the people for example it is a common sight that when some accident happens, the might is right comes into play and regardless whose fault it is, weaker pays the price and hitting, slapping, pushing and tearing off of clothes is pretty common rather than involving police in the matters of conflict.
Having said above, this is also very unfortunate that common man is so much sick and tired of the VIP culture that they are now becoming violent – definitely a condemnable act.
Dear Rullers, please do something to promote / encourage merit and to abolish the cancer of VIP Culture..
How about starting a campaign from PW platform. Let’s print banners for rear windshield saying “I follow traffic rules, you’ll have to be patient” or “Red light means stop, pay attention” or “Indicators are not for show only”
these campaigns will not even make a minor dent in the VIP culture.
you have to stop them and block them, as they block the very same people who voted for them and paid taxes for them to ride in Land Cruisers.
Smells like anti-Army and pro-“democracy” BS.
Who voted for the military drivers?
Who are generally escorting the begum sahab with 4+4 black-tinted hilux in the front and behind of the Cruiser V8 with armed soldiers pointing their gun at everybody who dares to exist?
Or you would rather bash the politicians or worship the military, right?
Dear Mrs Laraib, do you feel those drivers behind you can really read?
Only 51% of the population is educated to a level “where they can read and write their own name in Urdu & English”. This is the definition of literacy as per the law of Pakistan.
Only 3.28% of the people have 12 years of education. Most of those people go abroad never to come back.
That badmast dumper behind you, the driver is so high on the company-funded “garday ka rod” that he can’t see your car, probably can’t see even the road, much less read anything written anywhere.
My Enthusiastic Learner,
You make it seem like there are only two possibilities in the world. Either army or democracy.
Since you are an Enthusiastic Learner, please go ahead and learn that in many many countries, neither there is that democracy crap which is like a poison for developing nations because they have not achieved the collective democratic adulthood, neither there is military rule.
Please come out of your vs vs vs mentality with open mind.
“Oh, if you are not PPP then you must PML” (because PML is the vs group of PPP).
“If you are not Honda then you must be Toyota” (There are other possibilities, one could be a Suzukim or even a Rolls).
“You don’ support MQM, means you would be compulsory supporting JI” (why, can’t there be a free nominee).
Any time I see a Pakistani, he or she tries to fit everybody else into his or her framework in which only two possibilities can exist.
There are many other possibilities in life. And others are benefiting from them.
Military commanders are also chosen by the voted politicians.
Treat them equal.
Military drivers and military commanders are two completely different terms.
OTOH the military commanders have coup 2 times, Ziaulhaq and Musharraf, when the “voted politicians” who chose them tried to sack them. This shows how much regard this institution has for the instruction given to them. It was completely for personal gain.
Try and make sense the next time. Thanks.