Reporter’s Diary
Indifference on the City Roads
By: Qaiser Khan
Email: qaiser.k.afridi@gmail.com
The roads of our cities are no longer just pathways for vehicles; they have become mirrors reflecting the moral decay of our society. Every day, at one intersection or another, we witness quarrels, assaults on traffic officers, reckless driving, and tragic accidents involving innocent pedestrians. Yet, we all remain silent spectators.
We can hear the noise, but the voice of empathy has disappeared.
This is the indifference that is corroding the very fabric of our social existence.We fail to follow discipline on the road because we have lost the discipline within ourselves.We treat the law as an enemy, when in fact it exists for our protection.
Traffic police officers stand for hours under the scorching sun, facing dust, smoke, and public aggression.They strive to maintain order, but in return they often receive mockery, humiliation, and sometimes even violence.In recent days, several incidents have emerged where citizens attacked wardens, tore their uniforms, and proudly filmed the entire act to make it go “viral.”
What a tragedy breaking the law is now a matter of pride, while obeying it feels like shame.Road accidents are on the rise.Rescue teams rush daily to save lives, yet many of these tragedies are not accidents they are the result of negligence.
A single moment of haste, a skipped signal, a distracted glance at a mobile phone and someone’s world collapses forever.This is not the story of Rawalpindi, Lahore, or Karachi alone ۔it is the reflection of a national mindset.Parental negligence has become common; many hand over motorcycles to their teenagers without helmets or awareness.We have raised a generation that knows how to escape the law, not respect it. Indifference has taken root not just on the roads, but in our hearts.
When someone lies injured, people record videos instead of helping.When a car crashes, onlookers gather not to assist, but to spectate.
At that moment, humanity dies and society turns into a crowd.It is time we understood that road discipline is not only the duty of the police, but the responsibility of every citizen.Civic sense, moral education, and awareness of traffic laws must begin from our schools.Governments must go beyond imposing fines they must build consciousness A road is not just a path that connects destinations; it is a measure of civilization.
Our roads show how civilized we truly are.
If we learn to respect a traffic signal, perhaps we will also learn to value the greater principles of life.Otherwise, we will remain a noisy, indifferent crowd loud in words, but empty in feeling.
