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.
Hazardous gas
The death of at least 14 people in a mysterious gas leak near the Keamari area in Karachi is a human tragedy that could have been prevented. The people in Keamari’s Railway Colony felt sick, apparently after inhaling poisonous gases.
The response from the Karachi Port Trust authorities was laggard and most people were left to their own devices to face the menace of this mysterious gas leak. Karachi is Pakistan’s largest port and handles dozens of ships and thousands of containers on a daily basis. This misfortune has happened accidently at midnight. Over the decades, because of lapses in town planning and negligence of house building control, the residential areas and warehouses have come in close proximity.
The unsuspecting denizens of these areas have no protection against fumes emanating from store houses and underground storage facilities. There appears to be no check on health, safety and environment protocols on the companies that operate in that area, neither do they offer any warning in case of an emergency. In this case, there has as yet been confirmation on the nature of leakage or the toxicity and nature of the fumes.
It is unfortunate that the concerned authorities spring into action only when something tragic happens. It is a standard practice the world over that airports/seaports have well-equipped hospitals as emergency treatment centres in case of any unforeseen mishaps. This recent tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to all concerned authorities to put their house in order and prevent such tragedies from happening again.
MISBAH JAVED
Karachi
Govt run programmes for me?
It is a common perception that government support programs are for the underprivileged section of the society. To an extent that is true. Monetary support programs work more like welfare programs where the government subsidies are provided to the poor, such as housing assistance, health insurance, financial aid etc. People below a certain poverty line qualify for such type of assistance. But what about the rest of the citizens? Should the government go out of their way to do something for them?
I believe the answer lies in enabling programs which are inclined towards skills development of the people leading to individual economic growth and resulting in overall prosperity of the nation. Recent examples of such endeavours include the Kamyab Jawan Program, Digiskills program, e-rozgar etc. Anyone can benefit from such programs; the privileged and the underprivileged. More and more such initiatives need to be taken for socio-economic growth of the nation.
ADNAN ALI MUGHAL
Islamabad
English papers CSS 2020
On 17 February 2020, an article was published in a contemporary and the writer criticized the level of English papers of CSS 2020 written examination. As a CSS aspirant and as I have written a number of articles in different newspapers, I would like to answer the author.
Firstly, the author said that the essay paper contained only one topic which was difficult to discuss which was regarding literature and the remaining were easy. The author forgot that another topic of literature was also among the essays which were regarding freedom of speech and it was not easy to be understood, it was a quotation and the aspirants were supposed to crack it. Other topics were regarding democracy, Kashmir issue, foreign policy, IMF bailout packages, digitalization and women universities as an agent of change. The topics seem easy but it’s definitely not the case. The essays on IMF and digitalization were pure argumentative. It (IMF) could only be attempted if the candidate had proper knowledge regarding economy of Pakistan. Digitalization is still in progress and the tile of essay was, Is Pakistan ready for digitalization? The candidate also required proper knowledge for it regarding hurdles in front of digitalization and how other countries are digitalized.
Moreover, the essay on women education was the most sensitive one. The domain was contained to education and the candidate was asked to write an essay of 2500 words. Similarly, the essay on Foreign Policy and Future of Kashmir cause could only be attempted by those who had proper command on critical situation of Kashmir and foreign policy. Even those who attempted the essay on Kashmir cause, they were supposed to have proper knowledge of history of Kashmir conflict.
ENGR OMAR SHAHKAR
Islamabad
Toxic culture and PSL
Imagine going to attend a match and having a good time with friends and family only to come home and realize that your pictures have been circulating on social media where girls are drinking tea and creepiest captions are written on them like “kash mein tapaal danedaar hota” This perverse behaviour is the last thing we need.
Ever since PSL has begun, there have been a number of thirsty and crass tweets coming up with every match. People can’t even watch a match with peace now? Pakistan cricket should make some rules for cameramen and the social media users should also behave. Otherwise, the consequences can be fearful.
MARYAM NOOR
Wah Cant
Cure for unemployment
I have recently heard a lot of buzz around the word freelancing, especially amongst the youth. Graduates are, no longer, squandering over full time jobs but instead earning a decent living through freelancing.
The government too is encouraging the people to explore the online world of earning, as it would not only benefit the individual but also enhance the foreign exchange reserves of the country. Providing skills in how to freelance through various programs has managed to increase the number of freelancers and their revenue growth tremendously in Pakistan. A study shows that Pakistan is ranked 4th in the world in terms of growth in earnings by freelancers. Every year hundreds of thousands of people graduate and enter the job market searching franticly for jobs; jobs that are just not there. But now with online freelancing a whole new avenue of unexplored jobs has been opened.
KANWAL ASHRAF
Islamabad
Naimatullah Khan
Former Nazim of Karachi, Naimat Ullah Khan, who served the metropolis from 2001 to 2005 has passed away. As Sher Shah Suri is treated as forerunner of Akbar the great in annals of history, Naimat ullah Khan can rightly be termed as the forerunner of Mustafa Kamal. By profession a lawyer, a humble, devoted, and down-to-earth person who put his energies in action to change the outlook and map of the city culminating it into economic hub of Karachi.
He was the first Nazim who undertook the devolution plan launched by Pervez Musharraf and is credited with initiating multiple development projects including marvellous underpasses and overhead bridges in the metropolis and starting a bus project in which he imported busses from Sweden. It is an irony of fate that metropolis could not have a person with same devotion and dedication to set things right in Karachi.
IFTIKHAR MIRZA
Islamabad
