Social Injustice

Picture in your mind a scantily clad, barefooted little boy, sifting aimlessly through a garbage dump. Suddenly, he clutches something feverishly, his eyes light up with glee and his muddy face cracks with a smile. What treasure could he have possibly come across in a garbage dump? Quietly, he steals away and concealed from the world he presses to his lips a half-empty juice box, sipping for joy…it is the same juice box, a well dressed boy of his age had tossed away just moments ago…his only concern being that he did not like the flavor of the juice.

Now, what would you name this picture? Let me put it into two words for you…” Social…Injustice”

Building on this analogy, I would like to state that the picture you just sketched in your head is the prevalent condition of Pakistan, the place where the rich only get richer and poor are rapidly losing even their right to live. Sad...but true. The dichotomy of the society into the rich class and the poor class is very evident from where their children get educated, which doctors they consult, which facilities they have access to and how they satiate their appetites. The idyllic environment of the urban and suburban areas and the shambles of the slum areas in every city indicate how deep rooted this class distinction is. The doctrine of democracy that dictates equal rights for all is somehow lost for our society.

I believe social injustice stems from the dysfunctional policies of the Government that cannot provide for the majority of its population. It is only the chosen few who make these policies and they are never the true representatives of the masses...they are just representing themselves and furthering their own interests at the expense of their voters, who believe all the crap that is served to them at the time of elections.The trouble does not end here because the impact of social injustice is very far reaching and very deadly. It is this social injustice that lowers a man to the dredges of becoming a suicide bomber. That carves a young man’s destiny into a terrorist’s mould. That drags an innocent child to a so-called religious madrassa spewing evil and hatred. That fuels the flames of extremism and religious fundamentalism. That puts an end to an egalitarian society and paves the way for violence and destruction…it is this very social injustice that lies at the core of the crisis in our country.

One fine day...

On a fine day like today, I decided to get some fresh air and some supplies from the local market. So I started out on foot, with a spring in my step and cheerful rhythm in my heart. As I rounded the corner of the street, I heard the screech of tires and suddenly a car drove very close to me. I turned around to find myself the object of scrutiny of the occupants of the car, who were three teenage boys. I regarded them with disdain for driving so carelessly and in turn I was awarded with boyish grins and nods and then the car drove off.

My, my...the encounter left me with mixed feelings. I thought I was old enough not to be swayed by such unwanted attention but frankly speaking I was oozing with self satisfaction at having brought a car full of teenage boys to a screeching halt! That does not happen everyday ;) Though I am sure I would not have received such warm acknowledgement had I been carrying my five month old daughter!

However, this incident did lead me to ponder over what really goes through the minds of today's youth. They have their fancy cars to drive, smart phones to flash, cool friends to hang around with, " romantic involvements" to cope with, use the internet for whatever purpose imaginable and find the time to throw in some educational endeavors. I am tempted to say that they have plenty on their plate but what troubles me is that in all these activities they have forgotten to find the true purpose of their lives. They do not know where they are headed nor do they care. Is it entirely their fault or is it their parents' fault who did not upkeep the bygone tradition of passing the wisdom from generation to generation. The wisdom of the ages is lost for today's youth and they are bogged down in frivolous activities that have rendered their senses numb.  

The country that this young generation has inherited needs an extreme makeover in not just politics but social, moral and religious issues. The country lies in tatters due to internal destabilization and external intrusion. It is always argued that this country needs strong leadership but my question is, "does this country have the appropriate followers?". When the populace is united and is ready to work together for its own good, then the much needed "strong leadership" emerges from within them. But where is the unity and where is the common goal? These are the people who can easily be led astray since they themselves are not sure which direction they  have to follow. They don't even care what the world's coming to, as long as they get to update their status on facebook!  The condition of today's youth leaves much to be longed for...

Here goes nothing...

Some people are in the habit of talking to themselves, while others admit to be loud thinkers. I must confess, I am a bit of both! And it is this characteristic of mine that landed me in the world of blogging, which is more like venturing into uncharted territory for me! One half of me is naturally curious about this discovery but the other half insists that I'm an idiot to even have a blog...
Oh well, lets just say the curious half won and here goes nothing :)