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.
BRT smart ticketing
While there was a lot of hoopla in the press about TransPeshawar winning the Award for “Best Smart Ticketing Programme” (200K+ journeys) for 2022 at the Transport Ticketing Global there was disbelief in the local audience as well. There is a general disbelief in the society about a local system getting international recognition.
To those people I want to say come and travel on the BRT network and benefit from the services and judge for yourself. The smart ticketing system developed by LMKR, Technology partnered of BRT, is one of the most critical steps towards making Peshawar’s public transport more efficient, accessible and affordable. The ticketing system offers a wide range of benefits to its commuters. Faster transactions, efficient payment methods make the overall experience really smooth.
This smart ticketing system removes people from the process validation with the help of latest technology as people can use their Zu Cards or Mobile App to pay anywhere, anytime. It collects payments from mobile wallets, ticket vending machines, and point of sales is inserted into turnstile or validators installed on vehicles making the payment process smooth.
The biggest benefit is that commuter no longer has to be concerned about finding exact change or carry around the BRT travel card – or wait in lines at ticket counters. The system is easily accessible because of mobile wallets and facilitates you even if you forget your wallet at home. All this with reduced fraud and theft makes the process of using public transportation system more user-friendly. This locally-produced technology is way advance and mor convenient for the users.
M SAGHEER
Islamabad
Idol worshiping
We, as a nation, are on a hazardous path. Fondness for a particular political party or personality is very strong among the masses and leavs no room for constructive criticism. According to an American author, Stephen R. Covey, who wrote international best-seller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, most people “do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply”. And this aptly describes our extremist political mindset and views about the current situation.
The problem with Pakistani politics is the growing propensity among politicians to pursue victory above everything, taking and treating politics as some kind of war. The same trend is then followed by their supporters; they are always at loggerhead with the supporters of rival party(ies). There is no concept of listening patiently and accepting one’s wrongdoings and mistakes, or those committed by their favourite leaders.
Such is the extreme that when people even know that the other person is right, they still defend the follies of their leaders. But no matter how blind or stringent a supporter of any political party happens to be, deep down everyone is aware of what is right and what is wrong.
The hard part is to admit it, which we don’t. Look at any prosperous country in the world, and one will find that while people may support their leaders, they do criticise and point out their mistakes with the intent to improve a policy. They think on a broader spectrum, because they want the best out of their leaders in the interest of the country. There is no idol worshipping.
There is no harm in supporting a political party, but that must be on the basis of some rational thought, logic and solid ground. Supporting a party or its leader despite their flawed policies and even corruption means loyalty to the party of that leader; not to the country. Keeping the party and its leadership on their toes will result in benefits not only for the individual, but the whole nation. Only such an approach can take Pakistan out of the current socio-economic and political morass. That is the real change we need at the moment.
FOZAN AKMAL
Via email
Learn, unlearn and relearn
Clouds of uncertainty and corruption have always been hovering high over Sindh for long. People have always been deceived with fake promises and mere slogans. The visuals of Asifa Bhutto Zardari aroused a feeling of chaos in me to pen down and portray the picture.
Asifa was found distributing bananas in Hyderabad Sindh to woo voters during the campaign for the recently-held LG elections. And I’m pitying the people dancing when receiving those bananas. It reminded me of my childhood, when we were taken to zoo by our parents and we used to throw bananas at monkeys captivated in cages. Those monkeys used to dance while receiving those bananas. The situation at Hyderabad was resembling to my reminiscence.
Our people will not be able to revolutionize themselves even in decades to come. We will always be stuck in Pajero culture, protocol phobia, running after Vigos and selfie culture. We think of ourselves superior when we get a chance of meeting and shaking hands with corrupt politicians. We post those pictures proudly and get cheap applause by the viewers. Such filthy mindset needs to be changed.
We should refrain from meeting and shaking hands with such politicians and such marginalize ourselves in attending their political gatherings and meetings. We should reserve the right of vote only then this monkey show will stop and these dynasties will distribute our rights in place of bananas. It’s time to take action now as it’s now or never. We must learn, unlearn and relearn from our mistakes, only then we can drift away those drastic clouds hovering over us.
SAJJAD H CHEEHANI
Agra, Sindh
Crux of the financial crisis
What is the crux of the recent financial crisis in Pakistan? Is it the debt ? Is it the tax collection? Is it corruption and bad governance or is it incompetence? It will be surprising to know that the major factor for the present crisis is that we import more and we export less. Biggest export is fuel and we don’t have enough dollars to pay for it. How can we get dollars? We need our products to be of exportable quality.
If we keep on consuming everything and we keep on importing from outside world we will not be able to survive this crisis and eventually default. If we default we won’t be able to get debt nor will we be able to buy fuel. If there is no fuel, there will be no electricity and all businesses, government work etc will come to a stop.
This might lead to massive chaos. There is even possibility of rogue elements attacking the rich God Forbid just like we saw in Sri Lanka. It is hoped that IMF will rescue us for next couple of years but then what? As long as we don’t start exporting goods and services we can’t survive for long.
SIRAJ-UZ-ZAMAN
Via email
