London: ‘the situation in Pakistan is much worse’

With the London riots making news across the world, a stark mixture of disillusionment and optimism prevails. At this critical juncture what is needed is a recipe for improvement, rather than solutions laced in violence.

Maaria Mahmood is an expatriate Pakistani based in London who shared with me her perspective on the imbroglio her adoptive city finds itself in. She spoke with candour about the chaos and consequences of the riots and effectively proved that the youth in London are much more than just agents of unrest.

How have the riots affected the status quo in London?

These riots officially are in the name of Mark Duggan, a local gang leader shot dead by police which has set forth as a four-day looting extravaganza across all parts of London and the midlands. Critics of the riots and of the black community have called the looters ‘mindless opportunists’ and ‘criminals on the loose’.
Local residents and small business owners have been worst hit as they are scared and worried. They see their livelihoods being looted away by these youngsters. What shocks and saddens many is that the rioters are indeed damaging their own communities. We, in London, are living in fear as these crazed lunatics continue destroying everything. Once again, the taxpayers will have to pay for the reconstruction of towns and cities across England.

Has the media reported it in a balanced manner?

Poverty, youth alienation and disfranchisement, police brutality, irresponsible government spending polices, misguided modern popular culture, out-right criminality and a failing education system are all endemic problems in England. It is not clear whether these are the underlying reasons for the riot. But I can clearly say that the behavior of the looters is not one of someone fighting a political cause. It represents mindless behavior which causes out right chaos and destruction. However, the media have not and are not likely to report on these underlying reasons. To them there is no justifiable reason for this kind of behavior. So reporting on them will merely condone it.

How have the police reacted to this sticky situation?

The public in a cry of fury have asked the police to act in a more defensive manner against the protesters – something which they have failed to do in fear threats from human rights agencies. News channels have been reporting about citizens who have lost their lives in trying to protect their communities. This is a job that should have been carried out by the police.

What can be done to resolve this matter?

Taraweeh prayers at the Southall mosque were held under great strain. But fortunately the Sikh community stood outside the mosque protecting it from the rioters. This shows that unity is what will help us climb out of this predicament. Residents in areas across London have also organized ‘CLEAN UPS’ where they have all taken matters into their own hands and cleaned up their neighbourhoods in order to restore normalcy –something which we may not see for a while.

As a Pakistani based in London, what are your perceptions of Pakistan as a terrorist country and how have these perceptions changed since the situation in London has progressively worsened?

I would say that the situation in Pakistan is much worse than what we have seen in London over the last few days. What occurred in London hasn’t been seen in the UK for over twenty years. However, acts of this nature are common in Pakistan. The social structure in Pakistan is so much more fragile. If anything these London riots put into perspective just how bad the situation in Pakistan has become.