ISLOO SAGA: A Harsh Reminder ?

                                       ISLOO SAGA: A Harsh Reminder ??

We all witnessed a Drama unfolded in Islamabad, when an unknown man later recognised by the name of Sikander, drove in his Black Colour Corolla with his wife and two small kids, aged between 5-6 years. Parked his car in the middle of the road ( Blue Area ), got out with two guns one each in his hands, threatening of dare consequences who so ever come close to him. Some say Isloo came to a standstill but I humbly disagree it's our country who became hostage to this Drama, while  footage's of the crime scene were shown live to the whole Nation for almost 5 hours, Prime Time show are run on all Major TV Channels by well known, honourable Anchors, till we witnessed a bizarre heroic act by "Zumard Khan", an Ex PPP MNA ended the entertainment of the whole Nation. Let's dissect what we gained or lost as a Nation from this comic yet serious episode in the heart of Pakistan.

Now let me give you the harsh reminder, while this stupidity was going on in Islamabad and was shown live for 5-6 hours literally by every Private Media House, watched as entertainment by millions  while sitting in our Cosy Lounges, at the same time Pakistan was literally drowned in Floods from KPK to Sindh, India threatening us with dare consequences of War and continuous firing across LOC, No Body cared about much hyped Law and Order situation across Pakistan, how many Karachiates lost their life's in target killings?, Terrorism which has taken thousands of life's, On International front 500 plus Egyptian lost their lives protesting against Military Coup ..... all that we cared in those 5 hours was a Lunatic Sikander, using his two little children as hostage to shield himself and prolong the inevitable that was his arrest or killing by a police sniper .

Pakistani Media indulged in a "Rat Race" of ratings and believe me they are stretching it to nuisance limits, this ISLOO SAGA is a glaring example of that rat race, I always used to give them benefit of doubt when people use to criticise that this Breaking News race is causing psychiatric fits to the Nation, I used to build an argument that Media being very young needs this kind of sensationlization to attract viewers so they can stand on their feet, they wouldn't have to be dependent on Government Ads, hence dependency on Present Day Governments will compromise their neutrality. But this is going too far, live scenes of Isloo Incidence which had no significance at all if you ask me but the way Media projected it actually turned into some kind of National Disaster or should I say Security Lapse of highest order. Every word that Lunatic Sikander spoke, every negotiation he held with security agencies, every move that he made, the cigarette  he smoked, the Red Bull  he had,  was shown live on National TV. His ID card copy, his Father Interview, infect two channels had live Telephonic Conversation with him, put forward his Charter Of Demand. When finally Police Force tried to cordon off the area, Media Persons and Police Force had a brawl. This doesn't end here, even the after the incidence, Media kept us update about the Saga, showing interviews of Sikander's friend, Father, his recovery in hospital after bullet injuries etc. Running different kind of Polls whether "Zamurd Khan" act was a Bravery or Stupidity.

Prime Time Show by major anchors explaining the lope holes after Sikander incidence, Government and State failure to protect the life's of its citizens. Major debates held on different talk shows where is the Government, where is the Interior Minister, Pakistan has become a Banana Republic etc etc .

Second Culprit in Isloo Saga surely are the security agencies, a simple incidence let me say in civilised World, made to erupt into something gigantic. They should have simply cordon off the area from the out set, no civilian and Media person would have been allowed to come close to the vehicle or area of crime scene, specialised personal to negotiate with the culprit to wear him down, talk  to him , tire him out and finally trick him to separate his children from him, from there on, all that was required a bullet in leg. But ironically all this happens in "Civilised World Dare I Say". Our Police Force has become inept and corrupted to the core they need the Heroics of untrained Civilian which could have lead to another disaster, not trained enough to handle such incidences leave terrorism alone which I think is beyond their capacity and training as well.

Ch Nisar very rightly pointed it out that it was a security lapse on two front... 1) Not cordoning of the area timely. 2) allowing a Civilian "Zamurd Khan" risking his life by going close to crime scene. ( In Civilised World The Heroics Of Zamurd Khan is Considered a Crime and could have been arrested for Interfering In Security Forces Work ). Ch Nisar made the right call by ordering Security forces not to gun down the man in front of his children, more importantly live in front of millions of viewers, making it an "International Headline". Many blamed Ch Nisar that he was not present on crime scene, he was doing nothing while chaos was rampant in Isloo, I again repeat,Ch Nisar did the right thing by not going to the crime scene and interfering in security forces work, similarly  Nabil Gabool, Zamurd Khan, Media and General Public had no right to interfere in police work. Many were complaining that at least former Interior Minister Rehman Malik used to make himself available to Media when ever such an incidence happened in the past ??. I still remember his Media Appearance after Margala Hill Plane Crash, where he claimed after the crash that two passengers have been evacuated from the crash site ( Breaking News ), his famous statements regarding Karachi Target Killings where he claimed that girl friends are behind most of the Karachi Killings (Breaking News) ??. May be we as a Nation want "Hulla Gulla" ( Fun ) ??, Or we are not tuned to solid ground work, we always have been shown crap, alien to real work ??.

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The way forward, as Ch Nisar very rightly has taken the responsibility of the whole fiasco, loop holes in our Security Forces, promised dramatic change in coming months,  in his Press Talk earlier  has given the details of National Security policy.... But let me tell you it's not an easy task, it's a long and bumpy road ahead, lots of hard work, continuous effort is required to revamp crumbling Institution "Security Forces", most importantly billions and billions of rupees are required. Sometimes I feel it's unfair to compare Security Agencies of 225 billion Dollar Economy to Multi trillion dollar Western Economies !!!!.

Finally our Media needs serious reconsideration of it's priorities, an immediate "Code Of Conduct" need of the hour, a specialised training institution where the new recruits can learn before given active duties in field, Owners need to be held accountable as well, strict check and balances where the money is coming from, "Most importantly they themselves need to come forward with a strong and solid work ethics otherwise Government must intervene, establish an independent commission for Media Code Of Conduct. Every Media Anchor sitting in a cosy atmosphere with a mike and prime time at his disposal, thinks he has a right to  bare anyone. 

This type of incidence  happen almost every other day in America, even it happened last night, sometime they have to negotiate with the culprit for hours but no unconcerned man is allowed to come near him, this type of incidences can not be stopped. Our media thinks it is their sacred duty to present the culprit as a hero. Did our media had a word of praise for the security man who talked to the our deranged hero (I know that young man)?. I think our security agencies were doing the right thing to save man's wife and his children. This whole incidence has made us and our security agencies a laughing stalk in International Community, made us more vulnerable against terrorist attacks, because they know exactly what our Security Agencies capable off. ( Can't even fight in dark )