Pay your respects to BB – Kill and Destroy

Gathering statistics from various news channels, I have managed to find the newer and darker side of our population.

Yesterday was another bloody day in the history of Pakistan. Almost 760 shops, 300+ cars, 170+ bank branches, 35+ petrol stations, 15+ train stations, 10+ trains and 1 factory with 7 women and children were lost due to our unique style of paying respects to the dead.

What is the motive for all this destruction? Why do they do it? why violence has esclated in the recent past? I tried to search answers for these questions here are some:

Unwillingness of Law-Enforcers
People do get carried away with the situation and may be encouraged to increase violence if they are not stopped. This is one of the many reasons why the intensity of riots has increased since the past events. Law enforcement agencies, on 12th May and now 27th Dec, were unwilling to confront “protesters”. Police and rangers went into hiding during the climax of the events and came out to “take charge” when situation became suitable for them.

Poverty
Relationship between poverty and riots is well documented.

Social discontent and frustration with living conditions can act as triggers of conflict. In Ted Gurr’s words: the “primary causal sequence in political violence is first the development of discontent, second the politicization of the discontent, and finally its actualization in violent action against political objects and actors. Discontent arising from the perception of relative deprivation is the basic, instigating condition for participants in collective violence” (Gurr, 1970, p. 13). This can be a powerful mechanism when forms of discontent coincide with ethnic, religious or regional divides measured by the degree of ethnic fragmentation (Easterly and Levine, 1997; Wilkinson, 2004), horizontal inequality (Stewart, 2000; Langer, 2004; Mancini, 2005), categorical inequalities (Tilly, 1998) or increased levels of social polarisation (Esteban and Ray, 1991, 1994, 1999; Boix, 2004).

Source

To sum up, when people see no hope of getting out of cycle of poverty, they take on opportunities to vent their frustration. It is not fault of a person that he is born in a poor family, combine that with inadequate government support to help him get out and you find generations living in poverty.

Lack of prudent policies and deterioration of judicial system end gives way to array of injustices. Inflation, harrasment and social inequality just contribute to this outburst which often takes violent forms. Case : France riots of 2005

Youth factor
Since 53% of the population is under age of 20, while lowest 10% of the population earns 4% of the total Household income and highest 10% earn 26.3% (2002). It takes no scientist to figure out that young-blood, peer-pressure, poverty and anger do not mix well.

It should be noted that since this age bracket is more susceptable to change degeneration of morals at this stage do not paint a good picture of the future when they come to lead the country. Also persistent economic suppression may lead to frustrations that may develop obsession for money in later life (something I remember from social psychology).

Opportunists
Since the riots and destruction ended in 2 days, it can be that opportunits decided to take advantage of the fear and uncertainity to gather booty. Again we will refer to France riots of 2005 which lasted 3 months and were fueled by social injustice and unemployment problems. However, it maybe too early to say that.

Planned Destruction
It should also be noted that numerous trains and tracks at crucial sections have been damaged. Supply of neccesities has come to a halt as Sindh has been cut off from the rest of the country. Numerous engines have also been burnt, while the important highways to Karachi have been blocked. Pakistan Railway is said to have suffered worst damage to its network. This certainly is not an act of God nor is it an act of random arsonists

We must learn from these events and take preventive measures so that future losses are avoided

Image Credits: Mudsi

Pay your respects to BB – Kill and Destroy

Gathering statistics from various news channels, I have managed to find the newer and darker side of our population.

Yesterday was another bloody day in the history of Pakistan. Almost 760 shops, 300+ cars, 170+ bank branches, 35+ petrol stations, 15+ train stations, 10+ trains and 1 factory with 7 women and children were lost due to our unique style of paying respects to the dead.

What is the motive for all this destruction? Why do they do it? why violence has esclated in the recent past? I tried to search answers for these questions here are some:

Unwillingness of Law-Enforcers
People do get carried away with the situation and may be encouraged to increase violence if they are not stopped. This is one of the many reasons why the intensity of riots has increased since the past events. Law enforcement agencies, on 12th May and now 27th Dec, were unwilling to confront “protesters”. Police and rangers went into hiding during the climax of the events and came out to “take charge” when situation became suitable for them.

Poverty
Relationship between poverty and riots is well documented.

Social discontent and frustration with living conditions can act as triggers of conflict. In Ted Gurr’s words: the “primary causal sequence in political violence is first the development of discontent, second the politicization of the discontent, and finally its actualization in violent action against political objects and actors. Discontent arising from the perception of relative deprivation is the basic, instigating condition for participants in collective violence” (Gurr, 1970, p. 13). This can be a powerful mechanism when forms of discontent coincide with ethnic, religious or regional divides measured by the degree of ethnic fragmentation (Easterly and Levine, 1997; Wilkinson, 2004), horizontal inequality (Stewart, 2000; Langer, 2004; Mancini, 2005), categorical inequalities (Tilly, 1998) or increased levels of social polarisation (Esteban and Ray, 1991, 1994, 1999; Boix, 2004).

Source

To sum up, when people see no hope of getting out of cycle of poverty, they take on opportunities to vent their frustration. It is not fault of a person that he is born in a poor family, combine that with inadequate government support to help him get out and you find generations living in poverty.

Lack of prudent policies and deterioration of judicial system end gives way to array of injustices. Inflation, harrasment and social inequality just contribute to this outburst which often takes violent forms. Case : France riots of 2005

Youth factor
Since 53% of the population is under age of 20, while lowest 10% of the population earns 4% of the total Household income and highest 10% earn 26.3% (2002). It takes no scientist to figure out that young-blood, peer-pressure, poverty and anger do not mix well.

It should be noted that since this age bracket is more susceptable to change degeneration of morals at this stage do not paint a good picture of the future when they come to lead the country. Also persistent economic suppression may lead to frustrations that may develop obsession for money in later life (something I remember from social psychology).

Opportunists
Since the riots and destruction ended in 2 days, it can be that opportunits decided to take advantage of the fear and uncertainity to gather booty. Again we will refer to France riots of 2005 which lasted 3 months and were fueled by social injustice and unemployment problems. However, it maybe too early to say that.

Planned Destruction
It should also be noted that numerous trains and tracks at crucial sections have been damaged. Supply of neccesities has come to a halt as Sindh has been cut off from the rest of the country. Numerous engines have also been burnt, while the important highways to Karachi have been blocked. Pakistan Railway is said to have suffered worst damage to its network. This certainly is not an act of God nor is it an act of random arsonists

We must learn from these events and take preventive measures so that future losses are avoided

Image Credits: Mudsi

Bitch Fights IV – The end of BB

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (CNN) — Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in the wake of a suicide bombing that killed at least 14 of her supporters, doctors, a spokesman for her party and other officials said.

CNN

So once again we are surrounded by chaos and uncertainty. Gun shots and destruction mark the death of BB, the “daughter of the east”, with $4bn in wealth and mansions of no use to her. Rest in Peace

P.S: She took 30 along with her

Bitch Fights IV – The end of BB

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (CNN) — Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in the wake of a suicide bombing that killed at least 14 of her supporters, doctors, a spokesman for her party and other officials said.

CNN

So once again we are surrounded by chaos and uncertainty. Gun shots and destruction mark the death of BB, the “daughter of the east”, with $4bn in wealth and mansions of no use to her. Rest in Peace

P.S: She took 30 along with her

Hacking Democracy

A former programmer for NASA and Exxon has finally come forward to testify before the US Judiciary that he was enlisted by Republicans to create a program which could guarantee Bush’s presidential election victory.

This was back in 2004, and we stil ldo not know about it. Here is the video, maybe this wil help some to think. It is a 12 minute video, you may find a 6 min version on the net as well.

Hacking Democracy

A former programmer for NASA and Exxon has finally come forward to testify before the US Judiciary that he was enlisted by Republicans to create a program which could guarantee Bush’s presidential election victory.

This was back in 2004, and we stil ldo not know about it. Here is the video, maybe this wil help some to think. It is a 12 minute video, you may find a 6 min version on the net as well.