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.
Threats and counter claims
This refers to the news report ‘Imran wants me behind bars: Shahbaz (September 24). Now, considering what Shahbaz Sharif has been saying about Asif Zardari, and what counter claims Zardari made against PML-N leaders, Imran Khan desiring Shahbaz Sharif to be put behind bars is really no big deal. As a matter of fact, television channels often show Imran Khan threatening to send all corrupt persons to jail, without actually naming them, and Shahbaz Sharif objecting to it, saying Imran is not a dictator.
And I do feel that Shahbaz Sharif has a point here. Imran Khan has no business threatening to send people to jail. It is the job of the accountability bodies to investigate and file corruption cases against the culprits, and to pursue these, with final authority resting with courts to either punish the accused – if found guilty – or to acquit him if the prosecution fails to prove its case.
And on the basis of whatever reports have been published in the newspapers about ‘PTI’s foreign funding case’, filed by a former patron of PTI, Shahbaz Sharif’s claim that Imran Khan could be next to him in jail, if the above case is decided on merit, also does not seem to be too far-fetched. There is also the case of unjust killing of fourteen innocent men and women by Punjab Police at Dr. Tahirul Qadri’s Model Town, Lahore Secretariat while Shahbaz Sharif was CM Punjab. In short, if all court cases are decided on merit, a lot of additional jails would have to be constructed since Pakistani jails are already experiencing a population explosion. The plus point here is that such an eventuality will give a further boost to the construction industry which is Imran Khan’s choice solution for boosting country’s economy.
S R H HASHMI
Karachi
Rampant misuse of the law
Pakistan’s past history is a testimony to the fact that blasphemy law has constantly been misused to an extent that even unproven and unverified allegations have led to vigilant murders and mob lynching. Sadly, it has claimed many innocent lives as well. Critics argued that such occurrence is just because of the fact that our justice system doesn’t deliver justice on time and resultantly it gives rise to further mistrust between public and state institutions.
Though mob violence is a wanton disregard of law and antithesis of justice system, yet it is slowly becoming the norm. Mashal Khan Case, a Christian couple in Kot Radha Kishan in Kasur are cases in point whereas in most cases minority’s members are more vulnerable because of this occurrence.
It must be noted that the said law is extremely sensitive, unclear and at the same time delicate in its nature as it does not guide what constitutes blasphemy either. Hence, sensitive matter requires urgent attention of the government. In this regard, state can seek help from Ulema from all sects and can come up with a mutual and pragmatic solutions in the light of Quran and Hadith so that potential human lives can be saved and state must ensure that no more lives are lost. Moreover, state and media both must advocate the rule of law by propagating campaigns. Said act may restore public trust among institutions as for as justice system is concerned and let the state institutions do their job instead of taking law into their hand.
M SHAHJAHAN MEMON
Sindh
Great inspiration & great people
Our beautiful Planet has been in the grip of many serious unresolved and ongoing issues. The Planet has been grappling with these issues in vain despite having been home to everything like natural resources, technology for instance. To make something interesting or serious happen in this world desperately needs inspiration especially from great people.
The recent unfortunate death of renowned American jurist Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been discussed and highlighted greatly by most media outlets like CNN to date. Surprisingly, all these English TV channels have all been in appreciation of Ginsburg burying differences of opinion amid the American election heat. Straight from my childhood, I have been getting many a serious life lesson from various people in my native areas like Tuticorin, Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and in my different workstations like Coimbatore, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai.
Now-a-days, so many English news television channels like BBC, CNN have been highlighting unresolved issues facing the world today for instance climate crisis impact. Bad news pieces of marine ecology like “whales beaching” have been highlighted from across the world now. Such issues have to be fixed right away with the help of discerning people elsewhere. These people with stature, for example, gained by Ginsburg should bring out their discerning dissent [no negativity here] in matters like climate change, other world crises all towards the betterment of the Planet on all the major fronts such as farming, technology, employment, economic growth.
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Mumbai
Curse of child labour
The children in Pakistan are engaged in various forms of child labour. Child labour prevails almost in every part of Pakistan but it is rampant in large cities. It is hard to imagine the condition of those small children who are forced into child labour at the age of 5 to 16 in serious jeopardy and to make a living. It must come as a shock to most of us to ponder about the conditions of those children who are forced into this vicious cycle where they suffer mental and physical disorders. The children who are obliged to work in this cycle are the poorest subjects of the society, either being brutally tortured by life or poverty.
It is unfortunate to mention that a considerable number of youngsters are involved in this profession which deprives them of school and a respectful life. Child labour neither lets someone live with honour nor die with dignity. Everyday deaths of children hit newspaper headlines and news channels and programmes but, sadly, no worthwhile efforts have been taken to surmount this despicable issue. The success of every nation is the success of its youth. One sane puts it this way, “The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.” To cut it short, the government needs to enact stringent laws regarding the eradication of the menace of child labour before the situation reaches the point of no return.
MUHAMMAD IBRAHIM
Karachi
Street crimes in Pakistan
In Pakistan, street crimes have drastically increased in the last decade. Street crimes were only related to Karachi but eventually it has now been related to all major metropolitan cities of Pakistan. Mobile snatching is one of the major street crimes which is happening more often as compared to the others. Auto mobile theft is the 2nd most committed crime in the recent past. And Rape is the third one nowadays.
Over 800,000 crimes were reported all over Pakistan which includes murders, rape, mobile snatching, automobile theft, kidnapping/abduction, robbery, burglary and to name a few. The major cause of street crime is illiteracy and unemployment. Authorities are requested to take remedial steps, otherwise the scale of crimes may go up.
MARYAM AFTAB KHAN
Karachi
