Public Strike in all developed and under developed countries is held as a last resort on matters of national interest only without disrupting and damaging the routine life and property of common man and the country.
But 'strikes' on one pretext or the other all over Pakistan in general and Karachi in particular have become a routine affair. This disturbs the nation from all walks of life and spoiling the future career of young generation. The living environment of a city deeply affects the health, temperament and grooming of citizens specially on schooling children.
Young generation needs peace of mind, life security, provision of education and specialised courses under reach of common people, availability of food within controlled price, unpolluted air to breath, pure water to drink, easy means of transportation, supply of un-interrupted electricity and various other basic necessities of life for common men.
However, the strikes debar students from reaching their educational institutions; interrupt the planned course of examinations, compel office going workers either to reach late or call for unintentional absence on their place of work eventually disrupting the smooth function of offices, paralyse the means of transport, closure of markets, create obstacles for patients to react hospitals.
This ultimately holds city standstill causing physical, mental and financial losses to all in general at the grass route level in particular.
The worst sufferers are the daily wages workers who earn daily and feed daily to their dependents. Many such innocent peoples in the city sleep hungry and thirsty at the final catastrophe of each strike day. But on the other side of the picture, the leaders calling strikes, at the end of same day celebrate their selfish success.
People must analyse the successive events and results of each strike day, as to what they earned and what they lost by joining and supporting such strikes.
Maybe some unemployed people get Rs 100-200 in processions but the buyer and receiver of such money should realise that is not a noble cause for which the money is being spent and earned. How about the following day?
To get out of this dilemma, education and awareness at grass route level is the only tool. This needs support and financial subsidiaries from the government on each basic need of life for every common man.
Many decisions in public interest either lack justice or attention of concern quarter and somewhere regulations exist on simple piece of papers only without their proper, honest and affective implementation in letter & spirit. The rate of politically motivated strikes, processions, lock-up and communication jam is illogically more in Pakistan than any other country.
Opposition in democracy does not mean to oppose any positive effort of government and misinterpret objectives even on matters of national interest. There are many other ways to communicate the voice against injustice, if any, to the concerned quarters.
Why not any referral in the court of law and why not through press and electronic media, a quick and short cut channel to notify the whole nation as well as the government? Public is fed up of un-warranted strikes, illogical processions and its consequential disturbances in their peace and tranquility.
While citizens are required to differentiate between good and bad, the Government is expected to fulfil its responsibilities to ensure security, healthy environment and peaceful living to each citizen in the country.