KARACHI: Speakers at a talk on healthy recreational activities for today’s youth compared this age with the past when the youth used to have time and space to satiate their thirst for recreation.

The talk was organised by the Urban Resource Centre (URC) on the occasion of the certificate distribution ceremony for their Community Architect Training (CAT) programme on Thursday.

Speaking at the event, television artist Salma Hasan highlighted the challenges of modern urban life. “Looking at how the city is growing these days, one is not sure what to expect. Parents are often afraid of letting their children out,” she said. Reflecting on her own childhood, she added, “Growing up in the same city, I never had any issues playing outside with other kids. But today’s children are confined to their rooms, leading restricted lives.”

Salma also expressed concern about the influence of the media on children. “What is television or the internet giving to our children? Television plays and programmes are more depressive than entertaining. Earlier, we only had state television, which maintained different standards. Now all channels are chasing ratings,” she remarked.

She went on to discuss changes in educational institutions, emphasising the decline in physical activities. “Schools have become businesses. Most schools these days hardly have any space for playgrounds or other activities. For their sports days, they book a ground somewhere. For concerts or dramas, they book a stage. The older schools with proper facilities still produce students who excel in sports or the arts, but such opportunities are scarce elsewhere,” she observed. However, she expressed hope, saying, “I do believe that a child with a genuine love for sports or extracurricular activities will find ways to pursue their passion.”

Ms Hasan also touched on the importance of addressing young people in a relatable way. “Youngsters don’t want to be talked down to. So we can embed the messages we want them to understand in comedy or satire. It is the responsibility of the media, but the media is failing in this regard,” she said. She attributed this failure partly to privatisation of the media, explaining, “After privatisation, advertisers brought new priorities, focusing more on beauty than content. Writers and producers may be on the right track, but they face interference as they are made to cater to advertisers instead of their audience.”

Commenting on the impact of the pandemic, she said, “Covid-19 played a big role in keeping kids indoors. However, today’s kids have more exposure than we ever had through their smartphones and computers. If you don’t meet them at their level, they won’t listen. When the young start believing they know more than their elders, they become harder to guide.”

Architect and town planner Arif Hasan, who presided over the talk and is also Salma’s father, shared his perspective on societal changes. “I have been teaching for many years, which keeps me surrounded by young people and feeling as young as them,” he said. “You need to understand and accept that the past is not coming back. The changes we see now are here to stay.”

He also discussed shifts in family dynamics and gender roles. “The joint family system ended, and so did family pressures on women. Women began pursuing higher studies and jobs, as homes can no longer run on a single income. Women are no longer weak; we see them playing cricket, football and even riding bikes,” he noted.

Mr Hasan emphasised the role of the media in reflecting societal changes. “With privatisation, the world is undergoing significant transformations. These changes are happening globally. The media should showcase them, but it is not free to do so,” he added.

Professor Rabia Siddiqui and Seema Liaquat of the URC also spoke at the event.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2024