JEAN Jacques Rousseau once said “man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” I do not intend to indulge in any philosophical discourse. What I really intend doing is to bring to the notice the barricades all around the city.

People have themselves restricted their movements .One has to think twice before making a plan to visit your near and dear ones. Most of the time one finds oneself in a wrong alley. At times you fail to find the right access and have to return home.How come we have put ourselves in self-imposed jails?

Law and order is the main cause of these self-imposed restrictions. We have ourselves denied the right of movement guaranteed in the Constitution. The intention behind this has been to curb the movement of robbers and thieves. Whether we have achieved our object we cannot be sure but certainly we have curtailed our freedom. Can we hope to come out with this state of affairs any sooner?

With better service delivery by the law enforcement agency, people’s confidence may be restored in them and we may think of a future without these barricades.

Let us hope for the best. In the meantime, we cannot but be in chains of our own liking.

IBNE ZAIN Karachi