At points in time, weighty issues that demand the attention of the governing lot seldom make it to the main headlines and only do so when an unparalleled tragedy strikes shedding light on the pertinent concerns conveniently shoved under the covers by the ruling elite. This reality stands true not only for developing countries like Pakistan, tainted with corruption , nepotism and faulty priorities of the leadership but also for the progressive west where social disparity comes across as a palpable indicator of how some lives qualify as precious in comparison to the other not so precious lives.
A grave manifestation of this point is the disheartening Grenfell Tower Tragedy, where after being engulfed by a deadly fire, the tower left around 30 individuals dead and another 70 reportedly unaccounted and missing. The tragedy could have easily been averted if the fire alarm systems of the tower were functional and enough heed was taken by the management to install sprinkler systems to facilitate rescue in case of any unforeseen incident, as was repeatedly requested and demanded by the dwellers of the towers. However, the fact that the tower was part of social housing in contrast to the plush private residential housing that receives regular maintenance, speaks volumes about the attitudes of the local administration in addressing the genuine concerns of the ethnic and social minorities in Britain.
MARRIA QIBTIA SIKANDAR NAGRA,
Lahore, June 17.