Most TV talk shows barring a few exceptions look like cock fights rather than civilized and logical debates. No body listens to any body else .Even some anchor persons join the verbal war to the utter chagrin of hapless viewers. Some learned anchors speak so loud that listeners have to put a piece of cotton into their ears to protect their hearing faculty from damage. Considering the formidable challenges facing the country we need a debate which clears and not cloud the issues. You don’t have to agree while tolerating alternative views. Apparently most participants look like extremists because they do not countenance any deviation from their traditional positions. If this is the level of debate can we control political temperatures and hold free and fair elections? Democracy is the art of accommodating alternatives but not a business of dogmatism and self righteousness. What I have painfully noted in these verbal fire fights is that lessons have not been learnt from history. Most of us are probably not aware that the world is watching our debating skills.
B A MALIK,
Islamabad, June 8.