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.
Swirling air pollution
The approval of Pakistan’s first National Clean Air Policy should be celebrated as historic legislation albeit one considered too late in the game. Air pollution swirling on both sides of the border has been killing so many of us in the past few years. Metropolitan cities like Karachi and Lahore have fallen in love with their crowned positions among the most polluted cities while the poorest air quality did not hesitate before engulfing as many as 19 lives in February in just one area of Karachi alone.
With reduced life expectancy and millions battling intensified health complications, the writing on the wall had been screaming out loud the need for viable policy interventions year after year. What the state needs to do is not a hard nut to crack. Five key sectors are ample evidence to suggest that households, transport, industry, agriculture and waste, carry the greatest burden of pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions.
Straight-forward mitigation actions that range from strengthened controls for industries and a ban on burning crop residues and household waste to emphasis on reduced vehicular emissions can considerably bring down particulate matter in the air.
Policies that encourage the use of public transport or clean fuels in a bid to reduce emissions are nothing more than lifestyle changes, but so apathetic has been the state in this regard that the resulting uproar continues to fall on deaf ears. May 2023 finally be the year we all open our eyes to the grieving environment and how its collapse could spell the end of our own time on this planet we call home.
MUNAWAR SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Melting
US dollar
In 1973 the US came to an agreement with Saudi Arabia to price and trade oil in US dollars. Any country to purchase Saudi oil would have to pay the price in USD, the deal was signed as America promised security and ammunition to Saudi Arabia, from where the birth of Petro-Dollar came into existence and that strengthened the US dollar globally, because Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer in the Middle East and ranked second in the world after USA.
Recently Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ countries have announced further oil output cuts of around 1.16 million barrels per day. The pledges bring the total volume of cuts by OPEC+ to 3.66 million barrel per day according to Reuter’s calculations which equal 3.7% of global demand. Oil prices jumped 8% following the surprise announcement of OPEC+ countries’ production cut. The US Administration threatened Saudi Arabia for the consequences of OPEC cuts and introduced the NOPEC bill which stands for No Oil Producing and Exporting cartels.
Via NOPEC US tried to quell Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ countries which holds most of their assets and bonds in American banks however the road was not that easy for the US, in response Saudi Arabia strictly replied against NOPEC that it would ditch US currency for its oil sales and that’s not something the US would want and NOPEC bill is still on the table to be signed as an Act. The superpower is losing its control over the autonomous countries, once acted upon like programmed robots.
SOHAIL IQBAL
Via email
Improving public transport
Through the columns of your Daily, I would like to draw the attention of all stakeholders towards the deteriorating state of public transport in our beloved city, Karachi. The current public transport system is failing to meet the needs of the growing population, leading to immense inconvenience for commuters and negatively impacting the overall quality of life in the city.
In the past year, I have personally witnessed a significant increase in the fear associated with using buses as a mode of transportation in Karachi. Previously, there was a sense of security and trust among passengers. However, overtime, the quality of services provided by local buses has declined, contributing to the rise in apprehension and concerns among commuters.
The new buses introduced for locals have raised fares and only serve limited routes. This leaves us with no choice but to rely on crowded local buses, enduring the scorching heat and paying more than before. I think that the concerned authorities should improve the bus fleet by involving the public’s feedback and prioritizing the locals’ affordability. The newly introduced buses should expand their routes to ease the transportation.
By prioritizing and improving public transport in Karachi, we can alleviate traffic congestion, reduce air pollution and enhance the overall quality of life for residents. A reliable and efficient public transport system will not only benefit the citizens but also contribute to the sustainable development of our city.
KHANSA JABBAR
Karachi
Box letter
Poor education system
Education is the basic right of every human being. If we go through the history of developed nations, we find that they used education as their basic tool for achieving prosperity. Unfortunately, there are many flaws in our education system. There are many reasons behind that. Firstly, poverty is the basic reason for poor literacy rate in our country. Most of the people are living below the poverty line; so they cannot afford the basic needs of life. Low educational budget and corruption are also contributing factors; gender discrimination is also a very common reason behind our educational problems because people in rural areas do not like to send their girls to school. Education is necessary for the development and prosperity of every country. So the concerned authorities are requested to eliminate the problems hampering the attractive slogan, ‘education for all.
HAMMAL NASEER
Via email
