THIS is apropos of the letter ‘Beheadings in Saudi Arabia’ (Feb 8). I would like to take the argument further by stating that in countries like Pakistan where serious crimes, including violence, murders and even mass murders, are rampant, the capital punishment should be as effectively enforced as in countries like Saudi Arabia.

Middle Eastern countries have been able to control crime largely due to the deterrence afforded by severe punishments like capital punishment.

However, it also needs to be noted that severe punishment is one of the ingredients of the overall recipe to control crimes. Pakistan’s major problem (like Egypt’s, for instance) is how to channel youth energy to developmental activities.

The government of Pakistan will have to focus its efforts on social and economic reform hand in hand with effective administration of penalties.

Without educational reform (focusing mainly on broadening access to enlightened education to the broader masses) and better employment opportunities, trying to curb crimes only through brute force would amount to forcing the lid on an exploding pressure cooker without lowering the fire beneath it.

Ironically, though, this circles us back to requiring basic security within the country (for life and wealth) in order to grow business and create new job openings. Nonetheless, with willingness and hard work, the government could pursue these required reforms at multiple levels simultaneously to ensure a better future for citizens.

The media’s role has unfortunately not been too promising till now. It is disappointing to note that our electronic media has nothing better to offer than just loose talk shows, low quality dramas and dramatised news segments. There are hardly any programmes offering educational and innovative material to audiences. Projects like research and development, welfare, quiz shows, and quality art productions such as competitive singing or dancing are hardly being presented. The youth of the country especially has nothing important to gain from the zillions of channels running on TV day and night. Therefore, these youths are high-risk targets for subversive activities.

The country is fast running towards an Egypt-like anarchy where frustrated youths resorted to destabilise the existing setup in the hope of bringing a positive change.

However, frustrated attempts usually lack foresight and end up making the country more messed up than it used to be.

Although no one in Pakistan would want to follow the Egyptian example, conditions in Pakistan seem to be headed the Egyptian way.

RIZWAN AHMED     Kuwait