Ali Sajjad: Your column titled ‘A killer called ‘mob justice’ is out in the street’ (December 5, 2021) was a fantastic read. You concluded the column without any conclusion; these were the exact lines: ‘What should be the role of media in the fight against public anger? I am leaving this question to my readers. Please guide us’. I think your next column should be ‘We all should be out to contain or capture the killer called mob justice’. I know a family whose one extended relative was killed for his sectarian beliefs back in 1990s. Since then, the family has left the country and never visited Pakistan. We have lost so many gem people at the hands of sectarian wars, terrorism and now mob lynching. Whenever I thought of the family and the ordeal they had been through, I used to dream of ways of killing the sectarian killers, terrorists and mobsters. I would have if I could have thought of a way of doing it without getting caught. I can’t kill them without going to jail, but those killers have all the rights to first kill someone and later on get immunity in the name of deals, mainstreaming of militant factions, peace dialogue or so on. I feel so helpless and frustrated and there is nothing I can do about it.
A HELPLESS READER
A HELPLESS READER: Sometime, I feel myself as frustrated as you have been over the years. I can see power in your writing. I would like to ask you and the people like you, who have the gift of writing and dream of changing the world, that they should start writing on these critical issues. By and by, the whole world will stand united in the fight against terrorism, extremism and militancy.
ALI SAHIB: Concerning your column on ‘TV TICKER TALES (December 7, 2021), how can you forget the tickers like ‘Aik aur petrol bomb kee tiari’, ‘Corona ke waar jari’, ‘Hakoomti daway dharay ke dharay reh gay’, and ‘Atay aur cheeni kee keemton ko par lag gaye’? If TV tickers are in a state of rut, how about newspaper headlines? They are as predictable and repetitive as tickers. Newspaper headlines are so boring, and if you need refreshing, cool headlines, please feel free to contact me.
AYESHA Z CHAUDHRY, NEW YORK
AYESHA Z CHAUDHRY: I feel glad to know that you keep on watching Pakistani TV channels and reading Pakistani newspapers while being in New York. Ninety-nine percent of my readers agree with whatever you have said about newspaper headlines and TV tickers. Please, enlighten us on the diction of headline writings.
A SAJJAD: Every time a heinous crime occurs in the country, and sadly enough it does often, the media, instead of holding the perpetrators accountable for their heinous crimes, starts ploughing for irrelevant details. Most journalists and TV channels are more interested in what the poor victim said or did which led to their gruesome murder. Murderers are never in spotlight.
JAMEELA YASMEEN, GULBERG, LAHORE
JAMEELA YASMEEN: The media should stand by the victims, instead of giving coverage to the morons, who commit crimes only to get publicity. Victims should be away from media spotlight; they should remain nameless, and without any identity.
