Mall Beyond Mall

Crowd management practices are usually difficult to implement in populous developing countries. One such example is definitely the crowd we can see in any busy marketplace of Pakistan. Much to the need of realization, people have the power to educate other people through little effort making life easier for everyone in particular. As responsible citizens, it is our collective duty to realize that order cannot prevail until people learn to obey. This can only be done when we lead by example.

High rises and landmark buildings all around the world are snowballing more than ever before. Much to the attraction of shopping malls with food courts & cinemas, Pakistan has seen its share of shopping precincts in major cities in recent years while there could be a need for more in the years to come. Following the trends that prelude worldwide, huge shopping malls are becoming more and more populous not only on the inside but on the outside as well.

There are a number of popular shopping malls in major cities like Islamabad, Karachi & Lahore that people visit regularly for a number of things. Some of the most popular ones include Packages Mall (Lahore), Emporium Mall (Lahore), Safa Gold Mall (Islamabad), GIGA Mall (Islamabad), Dolmen Mall (Karachi) and the cream of this article – The Centaurus Mall (Islamabad).

It is without a shadow of a doubt that shopping malls are a need and luxury at the same time for huge number of visitors ranging within all class. This is majorly due to the fact that all necessities and essentials are available under one roof offering variety of choice. As far as the fulfillment of needs is concerned, these shopping malls not only serve the purpose but also offer more in terms of range, assortment and selection.

People usually prefer visiting malls then visiting overcrowded and strenuous marketplaces these days. This could be due to one of the undermentioned reasons:

• Malls are air-conditioned.
• All popular brands are available under one roof.
• They offer variety in terms of choice.
• Quality isn’t compromised mostly in order to protect the brand image.
• Parking is not an issue apparently.
• You can spend hours without lurching.
• Food is available all the time.
• Maps are available for assistance.
• Stairs don’t exist. Lifts, elevators & escalators help you move swiftly.
• Easy place for a meet & greet.
• No need to carry cash as ATM machines & POS facilities are readily available at all times.
• Cinemas, play areas, VR zones, gaming areas, bowling allies, skating rinks, etc. fulfill the need for entertainment effortlessly.
• Gyms or swimming pools are available isometrics.
• Furniture, clothes, grocery items, home appliances, shoes, accessories, computer gadgets, mobile devices, and much more is available in the dimensions of a mall.

These are some of the advantages of shopping malls in comparison to local marketplaces. All of these are major contributors towards the densely inhabited shopping malls.

A number of roadside vendors can been seen making ends meet as they see a golden opportunity in people who swarm over the area in their multitude. This causes a serious traffic jam and multiple parking issues for the incomers especially in rush hours which could be as frustrating as it gets.

In order to safeguard their earnings while maintaining a well managed traffic route, there must be a proper mechanism that serves the purpose which quite frankly is as dutiful upon us to obey as it is on the government officials implement.

Basically, it all comes down to the ‘might is right’ factor that we all are taught not to embrace when we’re young but what quite well is practiced all around. At times, people don’t even bother about the repercussions that lead to unruly hinterlands. This is where the ‘poor man’ steps in who breaks the rules yet seek refuge and claims immunity most of the times by uttering the paramount magical words ‘Please don’t penalize me, I poor’.

If we get this straight, this in point of fact means that first you willfully break the law and then you expect not to be punished because you are amongst the deprived. It just doesn’t fit in for me to digest that how anyone does the wrongful and believes it to be their right to seek immunity from the punishment subsequent to the consequence.

Finally without straying, I would like to stress upon the fact that conviction lies within. Clearly without destructive criticism, we need to realize our responsibilities towards the society. Whether it's about obeying traffic rules, paying taxes or contributing for the environment, we need to realize that our actions must not be the reason of trouble for anyone and quite frankly this is what religion teaches us.

Everything you do or expect to do must be positively energized for the purpose of improvement and betterment. It is our collective obligation as responsible citizens that we ensure complete and proper compliance of all rules and regulations the social order has to offer. If you are unable to convince yourself in pursuance of transformation you’d be the only loser failing to embrace the change. Therefore, in order to stay positive one must not seek asylum in scapegoating while embracing modification positively. Be responsible and be smart. Make your country great again.