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Climate crisis
Pakistan’s economy heavily leans on agriculture, considering it the backbone of its economic stability, predominantly reliant on crops. Climate change has significantly disrupted Pakistan’s agriculture in recent decades, primarily influenced by factors like topography, soil quality, and the changing climate.
Weather is mainly influenced by sun. The sun heats the earth’s atmosphere and its surface, causing air and water to move around the planet. This causes rise in temperature, changing precipitation pattern and increasing frequency of extreme weather. Global climate change is a change in long term weather pattern that characterize any region of the world. The term weather refers to short term daily change in temperature, wind or precipitation of a region. The economic toll on Pakistan due to climate change is substantial, ranking the country fifth globally in suffering extreme weather consequences linked to climate change. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, wildfires, alongside human-induced activities like pollution, deforestation, and overhunting, contribute to this climatic upheaval. Anthropogenic climate change emerged as a looming threat from the mid-20th century.
Heat waves are likely to become more frequent in the future and represent a major challenge for agriculture. Certain crops are sensitive in Pakistan. Raising temperature and change in precipitation results in shortage of water which leads to problem of food security. In 2022 flood due to increased precipitation and glacier melting due to climate change destroyed about 50% of crops which led to shortage of food in Pakistan.
Due to rising temperature and carbon dioxide concentration some crops yield but a study points out that in Pakistan climate change will decrease agricultural productivity by 8-10% and wheat will be one of the major losers.
To conclude, it can be said that climate change is a main hurdle in agricultural productivity. Notwithstanding it is beyond anyone’s control but its losses can be reduced by taking some remedial measures such as avoiding anthropogenic activities, preparation of water saving techniques, reduce pollution as much as possible.
FAIZA AROOJ
Rawalpindi
Gaza in crisis
Frequent natural gas failure in Rabia City, Gulistan-e-Jauhar are a worrisome experience for the residents of the area. Gas failure in this area has persisted for a significant period, extending beyond days and months. The duration of these natural gas failure ranges from 12 am to 5 pm and 10 pm to 7 am hours daily. Regrettably, people are enduring this prolonged inconvenience, particularly students, women and office-going people. Consumers, who diligently pay their gas bills are understandably furious and are appealing to the caretaker government for immediate action to restore the gas supply in the locality.
They question why they are being penalized for their regular bill payments. Additionally, I urge SSGC to implement a stringent policy or inquiry process for consumers engaged in illegal gas theft or those who fail to pay their bills. These individuals should be contacted and brought to justice, but it is crucial not to punish the entire community for the unlawful actions of a few.
SYED SADAQAT HUSSAIN
Karachi
Digital transformation
The Digital landscape unfolds like an intricate tapestry woven with threads of ideas, diverse perspectives, continuous learning and boundless possibilities. This expansive realm is accessible to all, seamlessly connected through the arteries of digital devices and the orchestration of marketing services. As the intricate pattern of technology evolves, the internet emerges as a potent catalyst, moulding international dynamics and nurturing connections that transcend borders.
Flourishing online enterprises, dynamic shifts in communication landscapes and groundbreaking educational paradigms collectively signify the metamorphosis characterizing this digital epoch. The pervasive influence of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter intricately intertwines lives on a global scale, bequeathing digital technologies with a profound impact on the very fabric of daily existence. With the advent of the digital age, the communicative landscape undergoes a seismic shift, opening unprecedented avenues for remote employment and extending outreach on a global scale.
In this expansive horizon, opportunities abound – from assuming the role of a global performer to a captivating audience that spans the entire globe. While the digital age presents its set of challenges, it concurrently bestows invaluable benefits such as heightened global communication, the rapid pace of societal transformations and seamless access to a wealth of knowledge. Amidst the multitude that populates the online sphere, the digital age unfurls a unique panorama, weaving together both hurdles and openings. This underscores the imperative need to address issues like inequality and power misuse, leveraging the vehicle of freedom of speech on the internet as a powerful force for positive change.
ALI HYDER JUMANI
Sukkur
Box letter
Hoaxing by 1122
Through this letter, I would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the apathy and inhumane attitude I experienced from the 1122 ambulance service of Sindh Integrated Emergency & Health Services last week My 3-month-old baby was receiving oxygen in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) at LNH (Liaquat National Hospital) and I had to move him to another hospital where I had got reserved the only bed available in their HDU. This required urgency and the ambulance had to be properly equipped with oxygen set-up. I called 1122 and they took quite an extensive amount of time to locate the available ambulance in their fleet and when I asked why they are taking so long their agent got infuriated and misbehaved with me and then dropped the call by saying that no ambulance is available. I was quite disappointed and was thinking how come such a big ambulance service had not stationed any of their ambulances outside such a big hospital. Then I asked my brother for help and he through one of his friends contacted an official of SIEHS who asked one of their agents to call me. He called me and I provided him all the required details and he said they had moved one of their ambulances from Samama Shoping Mall (Gulistan-e-Jauhar) but he did not provide me the number of the said ambulance. The SIEHS claims that its response time for 1122 is 10 minutes (to reach the location) and this makes them among best ambulance services in world.
TUBA USMAN
Karachi
