Development

  

History of Dala Culture 

Driving through the streets of Lahore, Karachi or Islamabad, you may encounter a modified Toyota Revo or Vigo, headlights flashing, blaring music, usually some form of rap or Punjabi bangers speeding through traffic as if it owns the road. These pickup trucks, no longer the rugged utility vehicles, have become chariots of privilege, ego and power, fueling the the trend which is now known as “Dala culture” 

The terrifying part of this culture is how swiftly it evolved becoming the vehicle of choice of affluent young men—sons of landlords, politicians, industrialists—using them as a way of displaying their wealth and power, arming their vehicles with illegal tints, massive tires and raised suspensions showing themselves to be above the law. This truck symbolises the phrase: “Move, because I won’t stop.”

The streets are their domain. You’ll find convoys of these pickup trucks charging through wedding processions, college farewells and late night drives, recklessly running through red lights, crushing anyone in their path. In 2021, a young man in Karachi lost his life due to a Vigo slamming into a bike during a post mehendi celebration on Sharae Faisal. The celebration had a fleet of luxury vehicles passing by with no one stopping for the victim. Recently, there had been a case in Lahore recorded in a viral video where a group of men in a Revo threatened a family over a parking dispute. Full of pride and pomposity, they recorded the ordeal themselves, fearless of consequences

Dala culture shows a deep and worrying issue in Pakistan: the wealthy are given carte blanche to do whatever they want. These trucks are often driven by underage teenagers or their bodyguards given orders to clear the way. These vehicles are a symbol of entitlement making a mockery of law and order with imposing slogans on the back of these vehicles being frequently visible. Being connected with wealth, power or a well-known surname, this mockery is performed in public without the fear of police intervention.

In a society with glaring issues of inequality, these titans on wheels reinforce the feeling that the law applies only to the weak. The average citizen moves in fear, while the elite cruise in defiance.

To fix this, the entire landscape of law and order must change in this country. Enforcement of rules and license accountability are integral. Alongside this, the mindset of the youth must be changed, without which Pakistan’s road shall remain hostage to the Dala culture—a culture where horsepower is mistaken for power and recklessness is perceived as respect.