I’ve been living in Karachi for over 10 years and I must say it is a nice place to live in its own right – not taking into account the fact that a staggering percentage of its population seems completely unaware of the fact that there are such things as traffic rules. What truly saddens me, whenever I venture out on the road, is that our very own policemen seem perfectly content turning a blind eye to the blatant disregard of these regulations by the citizens of Karachi.
I don’t know if this is how it is all over the world, but I’ve definitely been to a few other major cities of Pakistan and it’s hardly exaggerating to say that we’re possibly the least disciplined city in this respect.
Obviously, an indifferent attitude to the rules set for our own well-being (even if they’re not regulated satisfactorily, if at all) can lead to several consequences: the most prevalent today being hundreds of deaths due to roadside accidents. And what’s not surprising is that most of these are an unfortunate consequence of being negligent of the simplest of guidelines, like stopping at a red light and driving on the correct side, which if followed properly, can result in a disciplined traffic.
YUSRA AKHTER
Karachi
