The riots in Britain are a clarion call for us. We are a nation with a very large chunk of young population. At present by our rate of growth, prospects for this youth appear very bleak. We need millions of new jobs every year instead we are losing millions. Every time a factory closes down or an investor moves out of Pakistan, the situation worsens. Whether it is energy shortfall or worsening law and order it is ours to fix. There can be a debate on types of policies or mis-governance but what does one say to total absence of any coherent policy and lack of governance. We can dole out any amount of money in the name of welfare but in the end if we do not actually create livelihoods we may just be a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and then Tottenham will look like a picnic. Already in Karachi we have seen pre-views of how ugly things can get, when the state abdicates its real responsibility and leaves its young as ready fodder for all kinds of fascist organizations which can prey upon their frustrations and channel them into violence and looting. In the same vein we can continue to mouth platitudes on the importance of education and even construct buildings for that purpose but if we do not provide relevant and skill based education then all we are creating is a half educated and disgruntled youth. Which will eventually for lack of any opportunity turn on its own and result will be complete mayhem. For us the dangers are manifold not only by way of our worsening economic scenario and social sector deterioration but also the ever increasing religious fanaticism which is ready,able and willing to feed into this frenzy. They have the resources and man power to mobilize and step in where the government fails, whether in the education sector or social sector as we saw in the earthquake and floods. Yet time and again it feels as if there is almost a deliberate apathy to the plight of this nation and its hapless millions on the part of its rulers. The threat of rising extremism is also deliberately and perilously downplayed. One of the most active proponent in this is the Media which while actively fanning anti-Americanism downplays the ever present threat to our life and liberty by the forces of religious extremism. Americas foolhardy and bull in a china shop policy must be condemned as must the threat of a stronger than ever neighbor in India but it does not mean we cut our own nose to spite our face. Not one person has yet to openly acknowledge that the 35000 Pakistanis civilian and military have not been killed by the American forces but by our own home grown outfits. The day we acknowledge that without attaching an anti-American or anti-India caveat to it is the day we may start looking to tackle the problem seriously.
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