By: Rabia Aslam
On Feb 2022, the court announced the verdict of Noor Muqqaddam Case. Justice was served and equity prevailed. The monstrous beast, Zahir Jaffar, was sentenced to death. Let’s hope that the verdict is acted upon soon and all his pleas to reconsider the judgement are turned down. A ruthless slayer should be dealt in a way that a shiver would run down the spine of whoever thinks to commit such act in future. He should me made an example for all the wrongdoers. Role of media in this regard is quite commendable that the issue was highlighted and people were made aware of all the developments in the case. Even a layman was keeping an eye on the news regarding the case and hoping the worst for Jaffar. Media served its purpose of check and balance. The liquidator could have gone Scott free had media not been playing its role. All is well that ends well, after four months of confusion and profusion the case finally came to an end with a positive note that no one is above law and order in Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Media should play a constructive role while opposing unethical customs that are tearing at the social fabric of society.
But I beg your pardon for stating my views on the whole case. The question arises is what’s happening in Islamic Republic of Pakistan? Where are the moral values of today’s generation? Has media been playing a positive role in guiding the youth to right path? Why are the parents of today oblivious of what their striplings are doing? It’s parent’s responsibility to make their children discriminate between right and wrong. Going to your friend (boyfriend) home for a stay is wrong. Not informing your parents about it is wrong. The parents didn’t deem it necessary to ask their daughter where she had been is wrong. Not keeping and eye on the activities of young ones is wrong. A massive tragedy could have been avoided if these things were acted upon. Noor had definitely been wronged and We all pray that she rests in peace in her eternal abode. But one should not be allowed to normalize the abnormal things in society. Our religion, our culture and our heritage doesn’t preach us such teachings. There are several such cases where we get to hear similar kind of stories. Another one was Rizwan Mirza harassing a couple at his apartment. It is a heinous and condemnable act but again it doesn’t justify the reason the couple was there. I have no grudge against the victims yet my point is two wrongs cannot make a right. Where the people condemn the barbarity of culprits, the very acts of victims should be discouraged too. Such immoral deeds should also be brought to limelight and society, especially youth, should be made aware of consequences of such activities. Media should play a constructive role while opposing unethical customs that are tearing at the social fabric of society.
Moral degradation has been an emerging problem of Pakistani youth. Youth, today, is getting diverted through many unprincipled activities which in result stimulate the future generations too. Unfortunately, the society has failed woefully to paly its crucial role. The youth have been entangled in values like disorganization, disorientation, disobedience, youthful lust and indiscipline. The change in family structure, westernization, advent of modernization of values and media revolutions have played determining role in defining the value system in Pakistani society. Moral inclination of youth is encountering a notable shift that needs to be handled tactfully and in time. Morality must be restored in people’s lives, particularly among the youth. When dealing with children, it is always essential to pick a positive approach. They might be harsh, egoistic, and overly sentimental. To guide them through the tough stages of youth, a balance of love, discipline, care, and encouragement should be maintained. Morals are dwindling, but they are not extinct in youth. It is imperative to make efforts at individual, societal and state level to ameliorate the declining empire and save the future civilization or else we should be ready for more instances like this. It’s time to act wisely as prevention is better than cure. M.K. Gandhi pointed rightly, “If wealth is lost nothing is lost. If health is lost something is lost. If character us lost everything is lost.” It needs to be reinstated that I do not propagate that what has been done with Noor was what she deserved but one cannot overlook abnormalities in normal. Many such incidents could be kept at arm’s length if we stop normalizing the abnormal and condemn what’s wrong on victims’ part in such cases.
May the peace and harmonious values prevail!
The writer is an educationist, content writer, and freelance columnist with nearly more than a decade of experience in the field of education. She is an eloquent commentator on women’s rights, education, peace and interfaith harmony. She can be reached at [email protected]
