Media urged to play its part in pulling people out of tension
Faisal Kamal Pasha
Rawalpindi: In the anti-climax after Pakistan lost at the hands of India in the crucial semi-final, the people in the twin cities became frustrated and showed visible signs of depression. They looked angry and lost temper all at once. There were many incidents in the city of people getting infuriated on petty issues.
Mazhar Iqbal Bhatti, a lecturer at the International Islamic University, Islamabad, and a clinical psychiatrist, has attributed the frustration and anxiety developed in the nation to the media for creating a mega-hype and blowing the match out of proportion.
Frustration started to prevail with Pakistan losing its wickets in the important game, and even the family members at home started arguing with one another. People waiting for the sensational game for the whole last week remained glued to their TV sets and were happy with Pakistan’s bowling performance. But the tension started building up when the Pakistan batting collapsed like house of cards. At many homes, young guys started smashing household goods in pain and anger.
The defeat has left a bitter taste for the whole nation. This state of mind persisted even on the following day and many in frustration evaded any discussion on the match. Many in the streets were heard saying, “No discussion over the match.” They moved glum-faced and did not talk to others.
With the defeat some people talked as if that was the end of the world and all hopes and expectations of Pakistan had been lost. There were some who propounded conspiracy theories and some declared that the match was fixed. In short Pakistan’s defeat in the semi-final, at the hands of India, has left worst psychological scars on the minds of a huge number of citizens.
Mazhar Iqbal Bhatti, however, opined that the media should not have overplayed. Media projected the cricket match like a war between two arch enemies and devoted most of their time in discussing the ‘battle’ from different angles. They created a hype of the enthusiasm of people which took the expectations of people to dizzy heights. No one perhaps had an iota of any probability of our defeat. This was not good sport. Our players were not eagles, or lions or gladiators and what not, but they were presented as such. The media should have presented things also keeping in view that defeat too was a possibility.
No wonder if many of our viewers suffered from hypertension. Most of them were peevish and hated to talk about the aftermath.
It is now media once again which can pull the nation out of the morass of despondency and frustration. They should tell our simple and gullible people that games can be won and can be lost and one should behave like good sportsmen. They should enjoy the game and if there is a defeat it should be accepted in good grace.
Source: The News
Date:4/1/2011
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