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.
Happy New Year
New Year’s day according to the Gregorian calendar (January 1) is one of the most popular occasions. Many people throughout the world celebrate this festive occasion with their loved ones or in large gathering. Exchanging messages, greeting cards and gifts are a part and parcel of the New Year celebration. The media too covers many New Year events which are showcased on prime channels for most of the day. People who decide to stay indoors resort to these New Year shows for entertainment and fun. The age-old tradition of planning new resolutions for the coming year is a common sight among children and adults.
In some places, a figure resembling an old man is made. The figure signifies all that should be dispensed with, such as evil thoughts, bad behaviour and so on. The figure stands on a road or in lanes and passersby often drop money into the box that is kept beside it. The effigy is set on fire at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. The burning of the effigy signifies the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one. The money collected is used for partying by the people who have made the effigy. Most of us have forgotten that the New Year is not only a time for revelry but also for a time for reflection.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
*****
According to the different regions of Pakistan, the different people living in different regions celebrate New Year’s party according to their customs and styles. The people of mountainous areas do it in a different way and the people of plain areas do it differently. For example, Chitral is a famous mountainous area of Pakistan and its people are friendly and love cultivating grapes. They arrange Grapes and Walnut parties and express their joy for the arrival of New Year.
In other densely populated areas of Pakistan like Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, the festivals related to New Year are arranged, which are known as “Mela Chirgan”. A large population of muslin citizens visits mosques to thank God for the blessings of a new year. Lots of prayers are done in order to bring peace and prosperity in the country. Some people also burn piles of wood, especially in the non-urban areas where most of the people are illiterate, they consider wood burring as a cleansing act for removing any evil from the surrounding in the next year.
MUHAMMAD BAKAR
Rawalpindi
Zimbabwe and New Year
It is painful that most of Zimbabweans educated and many graduates have become vendors in the streets of cities and towns of Zimbabwe because they want to afford to buy the rice and chicken as economic conditions worsens. Lack of disposable income and high inflation has stopped Zimbabweans from celebrating New Year.
The poor management of country resources and lack of commitment by the government to transform Zimbabwean economic prospects have created extreme poverty, sorrow and misery that Zimbabweans cannot celebrate New Year. ZANU-PF government has failed to bring smiles and joy to citizens on New Year day and should resign before mass exodus of Zimbabweans to other foreign countries such as South Africa, Botswana, UK, Canada and USA.
KUDZAI CHIKOWORE
London
Unacceptable decision of SPSC
Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) is, indeed, the huge platform which brings about different jobs opportunities for the candidates. But the other day the SPSC released notification regarding consideration of CCE attempts which hurt the emotions of the candidates too much. The Notification clarified that the screening test prior to the written examination will be reckoned as an attempt. Moreover, it also said that computing of attempts is effective from CCE 2019.
Aspirants of CCE are gloomy due to the unstable decision of SPSC. Because there are such candidates who have already failed CCE written exam twice and appeared in screening test of CCE 2019 & 2020 but again they faced failures. According to the law & jurisprudence this decision hints humans’ violence. Thus, this hopeless decision is likely to ruin the carrier of hard workers & destroy their career. This is nothing but a psychological torcher.
HASNAIN ASAD MEMON
Sukkur
Climate action
The changing climate pattern around the globe poses a formidable threat to dwellers of the earth and though there is a growing consciousness about this potential weapon of mass destruction. Not only small and developing countries like Pakistan are the worst sufferers in view of their inability to cope with the weather related disasters like flash floods, it is also adversely affecting the affluent countries as well, in the shape of freak weather. Pakistan has jumped three places to take fifth position on The Global Climate Risk Index 2020 in the list of nations most affected by climate change. Sadly, poor countries like ours are paying the ultimate price for the unbridled greed of the big polluters. The release of the climate index report coincides with the two-week-long 25th UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Madrid where representatives of nearly 200 countries, including Pakistan, are meeting to discuss and strategise the impacts and solutions for slowing down the pace of global warming. It asserts that developing countries are hit harder by climate change because their vulnerability is increased by a poor capacity to cope.
Between 1998 and 2018, some 10,000 people died due to extreme weather events including floods and heatwaves. This shows that climatic hazards, besides having a devastating impact on the ecosystem, also affect the overall development of nations, including public health, agriculture and the economy. Prime Minister Imran Khan has highlighted the dangers of climate change both at home and internationally. But that in itself is not enough. The country needs drastic steps to, among other things, improve its air quality and harness renewable energy sources if it is to tackle the damage inflicted by changing weather patterns.
NOMAN KHAN
Islamabad
