Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Ignored people’s rights
Democratic set-up has two pillars — Government and Opposition. Whatever their ideologies are, but they have not to compromise on people’s interests. Opposition always has to perform like a surveillance tool for checking government’s policies and latter has to resolve its mistakes. But there is no true form of democracy in Pakistan. Government stifles sane, optimistic and progressive voices through its mean tactics while opposition utilizes its energy for gaining its vested interests.
Government has been levying multiple taxes on people for boosting economy but opposition is out of scene rather than pressurising government for initiating pro-people policies. Taking an example of no-confidence motion in the Senate, what were the benefits set by government and opposition for people in that election. Nothing. What is important and beneficial for man is totally deleted from the manifesto of treasury as well as opposition benches. They cannot serve democracy or people by taking these steps.
They must adopt consultation policies and sit together for the country and the poor. They will have to sideline their petty issues. These deprived people are their voters and true followers of democracy. Govt must include a few benefits in its policy book for them. One cannot govern through social media but one has to come to voters after five years so awake from deep slumber.
MUHAMMAD HAYAT
Khairpur Mirs
Tax filling benefits
Paying tax and on-time filing of tax returns is the responsibility of every citizen of any country. Any citizen, who has a certain level of annual income either from salary or business, must have to register at FBR’s tax filing system. There are many benefits of filing income tax returns in Pakistan but most of the people don’t know much detail about it. The govt given benefits of tax filler like Saving in Withholding Tax, Vehicle Purchase, Purchase of Property, Govt Tenders, Auctions, Lesser Taxes on Imports, etc. Mostly are non-beneficial for salaried persons.
With this write-up we want to notify Government to add some more benefits for tax filler like less school fee, special discounts on different outlet, special discount on medicine and grocery for tax fillers etc. It is easy to do also. If PM Imran Khan asks these companies help build tax net and voluntarily present their self to give some discounts to tax filler. This change, one will see, will help improve tax net. And a middle class people will have immediate benefits against his/her paying tax.
SYED AAMIR HUSSAIN
Karachi
Rain and safety
A rain spell consecutively in different parts of Sindh has caused a lot of destruction. The roads and streets have broken at places. The standing rain water has created a lot of problems for the vendors who are unable to set up their stalls. The standing water has also given birth to different viral diseases which are posing a serious threat to the health of children. The municipal department is a silent spectator of this dismal display of neglect. The provincial government must take quick action against the department and ensure that the area is cleaned in a timely manner.
The Sindh Government must also direct the district coordinator officer to constitute a medical team to inspect the far-flung areas of Sindh where residents are facing serious health issues but are unable to afford treatment because of their financial constraints. The Met Department has given a forecast about more rains in the coming days. The government should come up with a plan to facilitate the areas that are likely to be affected by the heavy rains.
MUJEEB ALI SAMO
Larkana
Unplanned urbanization
Apparently, the civilized and well cultured nations have been making great policies for betterment of people and building well organized urban areas. Urbanization is the movement of people to well developed and well facilitated area (urban). However, it is symbol of prosperity and development. Presently, more than 50 percent population of Pakistan has been living in urban areas, highest in South Asia. In spite, our policy-makers have no planning with regard to building cities.
However, our cities have been converting into slums and have to face a number of problems such as lack of drinking water, education, electricity, transport, health services and job opportunities. Thus, unplanned urbanization has been enhancing: social disorder, unequal distribution of resources, unhealthy settlement and mountains of garbage and waste. Resultantly, in monsoon rain more than 20 people have died in the metropolitan city, Karachi, and more than 15 people have died in other urban areas. Briefly, the government of Pakistan has to make an effective and balance policy to develop urban areas, provide jobs opportunities and manage resources, to facilitate the people.
ABDUL BARI JAGIRANI
Larkana
World’s silence over lynching in India
India claims that India is a secular country and people living in India belonging to different religions have rights to practise their religion but in reality this is not the case. It is reported that during prevailing year almost 44 Muslims have been assassinated owing to eating cowmeat while recently a 15-years old Muslim boy set on fire who was forced to chant slogan “Jay Shri Ram”. Is this the liberty what Muslims have n India? The matter of grave concern is world’s silence over lynching in India that no country is raising voice against such lynching and where UNO and human rights organisations are sleeping across the globe is another question.
Since the world, UNO and human rights organizations have no girt to raise voice against lynching of Muslims in India, they (Muslims) should act on the basis of self-help i.e. to avoid eating meat instead go for alternatives like mutton, fish and chicken etc as Hindu consider cow as sacred and it is inappropriate to slaughter cows before them as it really hurts and our religion also teaches us not to hurt anyone. On the other hand, Modi Government should rein the activists of BJP not to force any Muslim to chant any slogan of Hinduism as it is against the social as well as any religion’s norms.
FAISAL ANSAR
Karachi
Drainage of Model Town
Drainage system of Model Town, Lahore is very poor. The roads are not well constructed that is why water is not drained out from roads. People face problems owing to accumulation of water on roads of Model Town. No matter, how much raining in a day, maybe raining only 15 minutes or 1 hour the situation is same huge amount of water is on Model Town roads. Model Town administration may take a serious notice to this problem and solve it as soon as possible.
People become disturbed with this situation that water is on roads and they cannot move from their houses. Model Town Society should clear their drainage system and also construct their roads well so that no one may face any difficulty to reach his destination due to rain water on roads.
ABDUL WADOOD
Lahore