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.
Living like slaves
It is painful that most Zimbabweans are still living like slaves in their own country exactly 40 years after gaining independence. There are no decent standards of living for the poor and weak. The educated and many graduates have become vendors in the streets of cities and towns of Zimbabwe. As we observe the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, let us not forget that Zimbabweans are experiencing slavery system which is being caused by the careless, clueless and corrupt ZANU PF government. How on earth can you expect professional doctors, nurses, teachers and other civil servants to earn less than $45 US dollars a month and expect them to meet basic essentials and travel to work monthly?
Under age children are doing forced labour and get almost nothing under harsh and unbearable conditions in Zimbabwe. Adults in Zimbabwe who work in tobacco production face serious health and safety risks but the government and tobacco companies are failing to ensure that workers have better working conditions, sufficient information, training and equipment to protect them. Workers on tobacco farms said they were pushed to work excessive hours without overtime, compensation, denied their wages, and forced to go weeks or months without pay. The ZANU-PF senior members re smuggling gold and putting money to their pockets and the children who get nothing are working for them in illegal gold mines.
KUDZAI CHIKOWORE
London
Problems in online classes
Educational institutions were closed due to the 2nd wave of Covid-19 in Pakistan. And it was said that online classes would be taken till 25th of December. However, there are a lot of problems faced by students regarding online classes like week 4G coverage, shortage of accessories and data bundles.
Moreover, price of data bundles are on soar due to immense current use of students. Not every student is stable and can pay Rs 330 per week for only 15GB which are consumed in a very short span of time. Government must think about students who are studying on scholarship basis. I am also a 2nd year student and entangled with online classes and consider it a wastage of time and money.
SAMEER UMRANI
Karachi
Political stability matters
Political stability, economic growth and national security are deeply interlinked. On the one hand, political uncertainty reduces the investment and ultimately affects the economic development. On the other hand, a weak economy cannot guarantee a strong national security. In the case of Pakistan, multiple events over the past years have contributed to political instability. Current political debate has totally polarized the political environment. This zero-sum game has handicapped the country’s ability to put economy on right track. Government seems unable in solving the socio-economic problems being faced by the country.
Similarly, a weak economy leaves limited options for Pakistan in the realm of national security. National security of Pakistan is hugely compromised by the internal and external factors. Despite successful counter-terrorism operations, the threat posed by the anti-state elements to the national security is still there. Dangers emanating from Afghan quagmire are there to challenge our security, despite considerable progress in intra-Afghan dialogue.
Similarly, Indian hegemonic designs also create a dilemma for our national security. Thus, a strong economy only serves as an enabler of national security. Keeping in view all these developments, political class of Pakistan needs to create a politically stable environment where a dialogue can be possible. All political parties must agree on certain economic policies and reforms agenda. . Thus, political stability is prerequisite for all other developments to materialize.
FAISAL HAYAT
Okara
Avoid
over-the-top speculations
I was writing/preparing this serious and sincere letter on the present COVID conundrum even as I was celebrating my birthday on December 22 – when I am becoming one year older. My existence in this world means a lot and even a lot more involving healthcare, family background, status, hard work and so on. So is the case of everyone out there in the universe. There have been so many things, both negative and positive, taking place across the world back to back.
For example, a beautiful Asian nation called Nepal has now been facing a new political challenge due to a possible election ahead. Incidentally, the coronavirus relating to our healthcare system has been grabbing all those headlines almost year-round up till now. Does it mean that ours has been a failed healthcare system? Have we all been unhygienic all along compared to the Homosapiens and the past civilization? These are all serious-minded questions now.
After the corona second wave and some great breakthroughs like COVID vaccination, vaccine shots, the evil and unexpected things like new corona variant, new COVID strain, virus mutation have been now rocking the whole world like anything. Especially, there have been continuous reports of the new corona strain in the European region. And countries like the UK are hell-bent on tightening lockdown measures all in the wake of Xmas and New Year.
Enough is enough. People and countries have been grappling with the corona crisis, enough to remember forever. As a serious matter of fact, most Asian nations have been limping back to normalcy after having gone through tremendous hardship from COVID. Now people in my native areas like Korkai, Tuticorin, Tiruchend
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Mumbai
