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.
Every drop in ocean counts
Pakistan is among the top water stressed countries. The most serious crisis of the country has hit Balochistan where water shortage is catastrophic. A province that is situated in an arid zone where due to low rainfall, people are compelled to either migrate or to rely on any available source of water whether unsafe.
Because of the government’s faulty planning, the poor people are compelled to drink impure water. In the 21st century, women and children in parts of the province have to walk kilometres carrying buckets on their heads in search of water. The only source of water for the poor people of Balochistan is rainfall; when it rains, people store water in open areas which is harmful to both human and animals’ health.
Not only the far flung areas but the provincial capital of Quetta too is facing a high water deficit, private water tankers are much more expensive that the poor people cannot afford but have no other way. On the other hand, the agriculture sector has badly been affected. Therefore, many farmers don’t work anymore, thus this is increasing the level of poverty and unemployment amongst this group of population.
District Khuzdar and Gwadar have not been behind in terms of facing water crisis and unavailability of safe drinking water. In the coming years if the provincial government continues to ignore the issues the province will face severe water shortage and instead of development, the province will continue to dwell in the past.
MUHAMMAD IBRAHIM
Via email
Corrupt and poor system of Railways
More attention needs to be paid to the state of affairs of the Pakistan Railways and the problems faced by people when they use the Railway services to travel. Most trains seem unable to leave the station on time. This is why whenever the Pakistan Railways is discussed; it is always in a negative light. The organization regularly incurs annual losses running into billions of rupees. There is dissatisfaction across the board among the organisation’s stakeholders regarding its operational efficiency and alleged corruption. This is highly unfortunate.
Railway ticketing officers often issue the same berth and seat number to two persons and this goes on to cause disputes. The cargo services are also hopeless. But all is not lost yet. Despite its bad shape and the decades of underinvestment and mismanagement that have turned it into what it is today, the Pakistan Railways can still turn itself around. Though this will require sizeable capital investment and check on corruption as well as a modernization of operations. First however, the relevant authorities will have to take notice of the problems plaguing the Railways. If its problems are addressed and passengers’ concerns are alleviated the Pakistan Railways can become a lucrative corporation.
MUSKAN SHAFIQ
Karachi
Kudos to Republic TV
My kudos to Republic TV, Republic Bharat and the other TV news channels for investigating the deaths of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his manager, Disha Salian who died in mysterious circumstances in June this year, which the Mumbai police and the entire Maharashtra government failed to do and claimed them as suicide.
The Mumbai police were not even willing to investigate the deaths and were shielding the murderers. They were not even ready to hand over the probe to the Patna police where Sushant lived or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Shame on Maharashtra’s CM Uddhav Thackeray and the entire Mumbai police force. Now that the CBI had stepped in, everything has come to light. Hope the people who have killed actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his manager Disha Salian are arrested soon by the CBI.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Racism
and Islam
Racism is the belief that group of humans possess different behavioural traits corresponding to physical appearance. Islam is well known to justice and equality. It has given equal rights to all. Allah says at various places in the Holy Quran relating to racism; for instance, “O humankind! We have made you into nations and tribes, so that you may get to know one another. The noblest of you in God’s sight is the one who is most righteous.” chapter 49 verse 13.
Moreover, the Last Prophet (PBUH), in his last address stated that no Arab is superior to non-Arab and no white man is superior to black man and all humans are descended from Adam and Eve. Apart from that, Hazrat Bilal Habshi (RZ) was very close to the Prophet (PBUH) and was the first muzzan of Islam. Therefore, Islam has given great significance to equality and prohibited racism.
KHAIR MUHAMMAD
Sukkur
Zimbabwean deepening crisis
The new political party formed recently in South Africa called “Action South Africa” headed by Herman Mashaba calling for harsher stance on Zimbabwe against human rights abuses and illegal immigration in South Africa could actually solve both problems in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Herman Mashaba is the only South African politician who has better ideas of stopping the flow of Zimbabwean illegal migrants into South Africa by punishing members of ruling ZANU PF with assets in South Africa.
South African should support this politician who says the bitter truth that the problems in Zimbabwe have caused discomfort to indigenous South Africans because of the scale of Zimbabweans living in South Africa illegally. Well done Herman Mashaba. Quiet diplomacy has failed Zimbabwe and South Africa should be harsh on the irresponsible, reckless ZANU-PF government that have failed Zimbabwe for 4 decades. I am in solidarity with the idea of freezing assets of evil ZANU-PF leaders who mismanage the country and let South Africa pick up the pieces of too many illegal migrants from Zimbabwe.
South Africa is heavily affected by Covid 19 and cannot have the capacity to carry again the burden of Zimbabwe which is purely man-made problems of mismanagement of economy and gross corruption. It is painful that healthcare system collapsed in Zimbabwe. The hospital infrastructure has dilapidated, there are no medical resources and the patient-to-doctor ratio is far too high. Operations are being cancelled and operating theatres are dysfunctional. Nurses and doctors are always on industrial action demanding decent wages and better working conditions; there no ambulances functioning in Zimbabwe, patients are going to hospitals on wheelbarrows.
Arbitrary arrests and arbitrary detentions of anyone who denounces careless, clueless and corrupt ZANU-PF. There are frequent beatings and torture of activists. Clueless, careless and corrupt Emmerson Mnangagwa and his reckless ZANU-PF government should be removed from power before South Africa is burdened by extra migrants from Zimbabwe.
KUDZAI CHIKOWORE
London
