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Is the UN still relevant?
The United Nations often faces criticism for being an ineffective organization. Especially, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Gaza conflict have added fuel to long debate of UN’s credibility. The organization was primarily founded for maintenance of international peace and security, yet it failed to achieve this fundamental objective. This puts the very existence of UN and International Law into question. But is that really a sufficient justification for the UN to cease to exist. A careful analysis opens a different side of the issue. Despite being unable to bring about many of its promised functions, the UN will and must remain in place.
There are several reasons why the United Nations has been unable to perform its functions the way it should have. Firstly, the flawed structure of United Nations Security Council with 5 Permanent members having veto power renders the organization dysfunctional because if any one of these 5 states vetoes a resolution, it cannot be adopted and therefore, the state brutality continues jeopardizing peace and security. Moreover, there is not any limit to number of times a state can use its veto power. Having said that, United States has by far vetoed 44-45 resolutions passed in UNSC against Israel. Secondly, none of the resolutions or decisions of the UN have any binding force that means they are not enforceable.
In such an environment, the states are left with a choice to either abide by resolution or act contrary to it.
Thirdly, the organization relies on member states and cooperation among them for sending peacekeeping missions to prevent any inter-state conflict. Many a time, the states are not willing to contribute to command force or peacekeeping mission. Fourthly, the UN lacks resources and finances to perform its role more effectively. These factors usually come as a hurdle in the way of UN maintaining peace and security.
UJALA SEHER
Islamabad
Poverty chasm
Pakistan is mired in a deepening chasm of poverty, with a quarter of its population enduring abject destitution. This socio-economic malaise is exacerbated by a stark disparity of wealth, cleaving society along lines of extreme economic stratification. The genesis of this crisis lies in a combination of factors: agricultural stagnation, rapid population growth and a dearth of essential public services.
To ameliorate this condition, Pakistan must prioritize human capital formation, agricultural modernization, economic diversification, robust social welfare programmes and elimination of corruption. Only through a concerted and resolute effort can the nation aspire to a more equitable and prosperous future.
MUDASIR ALI
Ratodero, Sindh
Dearth of
seating
Lack of seating space in Turbat University poses a significant challenge for students and faculty alike. Lack of adequate seating arrangements can hinder learning environment and impact overall academic experience of individuals in the university Addressing this issue is crucial to ensure better educational and research activities within the institution.
The students of Turbat University are facing numerous challenges and dearth of seating at central library is one of them. When students visit the library, they often find no chairs and are forced to sit and study on floor. The university administration needs to address this problem promptly by expanding seating capacity in all departments at the earliest.
AURANGZEB NADIR
Turbat, Balochistan
Accountability in Pak Railways
My recent journey to Karachi with my father, nephew and a patient turned into a nightmare, thanks to Pakistan Railways. Our train that was supposed to leave Sukkur at 9pm was delayed by four hours due to track disruption near Jacobabad. Some coaches of a train were derailed and it wasn’t until 12:50am that we finally got moving. But the ordeal didn’t end there. The train crawled along and then stopped on a bridge before Rohri Junction. So at 1:27am we reached Rohri Junction and waited another 30 minutes to change the engine.
What’s most upsetting is that no one bothered to inform us about this massive delay. We were left clueless about what was happening. This lack of communication is just as painful as the delay itself, especially for passengers who are travelling with a patient.
This experience has left me wondering if there is any accountability in the railways? The public deserves better than this. I hope this letter reaches those in power and they try to address these glaring issues in Pakistan Railways.
ABDULLAH LAKHO
Via email
Passport delays
The ongoing delays in passport issuance have become a significant concern in Pakistan, with complaints steadily increasing over past several months. As reported by immigration authorities in late April, the backlog of pending passports had reached a staggering 600,000, including both urgent and fast track applications. This situation has led to growing frustration among citizens, particularly those who had expected timely processing of their applications.
According to officials, many passport applications submitted with the normal fee have not been printed since December 2023. Even those who paid for urgent processing, which should ideally be completed within five business days, have been forced to wait anywhere from three weeks to a month. This delay has left applicants in a state of uncertainty, with no established communication mechanism to inform them of the status of their passports. In response to this growing issue, Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazir Tarar provided some reassurance during a recent National Assembly session.
He assured the assembly that the issue would be resolved within two months, citing plans to increase the daily passport printing capacity from the current 24,000-26,000 to 55,000-60,000 by the end of September.
GULAB UMID
Turbat, Balochistan
