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.
Political and institutional divides
Pakistan is a constitutional democracy with a parliamentary form of government and three independent institutions, each enjoying powers defined in the constitution. There exists an executive headed by the PM, who enjoys majority support in parliament, with an opposition, having a constitutional role.
Both are elected members of parliament, who on oath pledged to uphold the constitution in letter and spirit. This oath makes it obligatory on both to accept each other’s legitimacy and interact for smooth running of affairs and ensure a healthy environment based on tolerance and mutual respect. Political differences must never be taken to an extreme, where they translate into personal animosities.
Unfortunately, Pakistan created through a political struggle, led by politicians of integrity, became a victim of adventurism from within. The pioneers of our freedom struggle had risen through the political process and acquired acumen, which became an asset that facilitated them to achieve a separate homeland. In 1958, a dictator banned all political parties and by 1959 Ayub disqualified over 75 politicians, including those who had participated in political struggle led by MAJ. Even the judiciary became a victim of manipulation.
Thereafter the junta midwifed and created political midgets, devoid of any democratic norms and the process of derailing Jinnah’s vision of a modern democratic welfare state started. AK’s choice of Leader of Opposition was his own brother and roots of fascism were sown in Pakistan.
Policy of divide and rule, a legacy of British Raj, was adopted and unity, witnessed under Quaid disintegrated. Political divisions and disagreements, part of democratic process, degenerated into animosities, where the Majority Leader is not even willing to shake hands with the Opposition Leader and we are in a royal mess, with an economy in a shambles and curse of extremism and terrorism haunting our very survival.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Science and spirituality
Science and spirituality are two of the most important fields of study in the world. They both have the power to change people’s lives for the better, but they can also be very confusing subjects. It can be hard to know which path to follow when it comes to these two topics.
Some people believe that science and spirituality are completely incompatible with each other. They claim that you have to choose one or the other – you can’t have both. However, I believe that this is not true. Science and spirituality can coexist peacefully and, in fact, they often do.
Science is all about studying the natural world and trying to understand it through observation and experimentation. It relies on rational thinking and evidence-based reasoning. Spirituality, on the other hand, is about exploring our inner selves and seeking spiritual enlightenment. It involves intuition and personal revelation.
So how do these two approaches fit together? Well, science can help us understand how the physical world works, while spirituality can help us understand our own minds and emotions better. They both offer valuable insights into who we are as individuals and as a species. When used correctly, science and spirituality can complement each other perfectly.
TS KARTHIK
Chennai
Plight of young generation
Pakistan is the 5th largest populated country in the world, where over 60% of the population consists of the young generation, under 30 years. The country has a democratic system that has pushed its young voters into confusion because all the political parties have completely failed to address the grievances of the young population.
More than seven lac people left Pakistan in 2022, and went to European and Middle Eastern countries for greener pastures because they feared that the government would not ameliorate their grievances. The unemployment rate, favouritism and nepotism are the key reasons for the brain drain in Pakistan. Even, highly qualified individuals are emigrating from Pakistan due to the successive governments’ unwise policies.
The youth are one of the nation’s greatest assets. If they depart the country for no apparent reason, it would be a great loss to the nation. It will have an adverse impact on both the country’s economy and export as well as the quality of education in higher institutions. Therefore, to government is obligated to take tangible steps to control brain drain, or else the nation will have to pay a heavy price.
AYAZ ALI BHATTI
Thari Mirwah
Confusion created
If anyone thought Wednesday’s much-anticipated verdict by the Supreme Court’s larger bench regarding the delay in the announcement of a date for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would help settle frayed politics and nerves in the country, they will have been sorely disappointed.
The apex court verdict has ended up making matters seem even more confusing. PML-N plus allies and the PTI, interpreting the verdict in their own way, despite the fact that the verdict was 3-2 and not a majority decision. And it is not just the political parties that are divided in their interpretations of this verdict; legal fraternity is in one voice as well.
Some legal experts have said that this could mean that elections will be held after Ramazan, most likely in May, while others think that because a date has not been given, elections can be delayed for several weeks or even months. As things stand, say some political observers, the Supreme Court will once again find itself in the middle of yet another controversy, perceptions overriding jurisprudence and talk of contradictions in judicial verdicts now becoming all too common.
There is a constant rumble now that the apex court can probably not ignore, whether by much, needed judicial reforms or to set straight the unfortunate perception that there may be something amiss in the justice being handed out by the court in issues as important as the constitution. What next? No doubt countrymen are still confused about the future of the present democratic system.
QAZI JAMSHED SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Underage driving
Through your esteemed newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of authorities towards underage driving. All teenagers, especially the boys, between 12-17yrs old are riding motorbikes without any precautions, therefore, they are prone to die in accidents. It is because they lack experience, don’t wear helmets and often break traffic rules. They try to do bike stunts and because of this hundreds of families have lost their loved ones. The Traffic Police don’t take any action against them, instead they take bribes and allow them to ride. Government should take action against these police officers who take bribes and, at the same time, spread more awareness about the dangers of underage driving.
FATIMA ZAKIR KHAN
Karachi
