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.
Don’t risk your lives for TikTok
Government has extended the lock down for another 14 days for the same reason to control the spread of pandemic Coronavirus. All the security agencies are functioning together in this critical time. But when it comes to us, we sometimes behave in a childish way. Every one of us appreciates the efforts of police, army, doctors and other healthcare heroes. People are expressing their sense of gratitude and appraisal in their own ways. I think we should make them feel special by keeping in view the concept of social distancing and personal care otherwise we are just going to kill the actual cause.
The craze of being popular on social media has taken away all our rational thinking. I want to convey this message especially to those who are recording the TikTok videos of their innocent children presenting rose bouquets to the men in uniform. Police and army men receiving this love, feel uneasiness in advising these children to stay at home. I accept that it is a little act of innocence and should not be criticized unnecessarily but we still cannot neglect the fear of Coronavirus hovering over the whole world.
It could be tolerated to some extent if the children are equipped with all the precautionary measures but here too, we observe the lacking of masks and hand gloves. In these testing times we should take responsibility at the individual level as well. The real appreciation for our heroes will be not to escape our homes for such silly acts. We all hope that this pandemic will last no longer and we will be provided with enough chances to show our feelings of gratefulness & acknowledgement in a better scenario.
SHAHBAZ HAYAT
Rawalpindi
Self-inflicted economic crisis
When weaker countries recklessly get involved in powerful nation’s proxy wars, they end up engulfed in self-inflicted pain for their own people. However, sometimes these same superpowers, blinded by egoistic pursuits to act like gods, become victim of their own pitfalls and this is exactly what USA under President Trump has got itself into.
The USA emboldened by impact of oil and economic sanctions on Iran made cardinal mistake of initiating an oil price war through Saudi Arabia with Russia, forcing 65% quarterly fall in the price of oil on 8 March 2020 without bothering about impact of Covit-19 which WHO had warned in January 2020. Instead of pursing a dialogue under umbrella of OPEC over oil production levels, negotiations were disrupted and thereafter oil prices slumped by over 30%, which ultimately resulted in global stock-market crash.
There was a perpetuation of a series of follies, with sanity becoming slave to egoistic pursuits of a US President, obsessed with hate and white supremacist notions, who forgot that Shale Oil production in USA would be first casualty of oil-price war, were they to fall below $50 per barrel. By the time President Trump intervened by pressurizing Saudi Arabia to cut back on oil production, the Covit-19 pandemic had drastically reduced demand for oil, while the market had already been flooded with surplus oil and storage capacity was running out.
There is a Greek Mythology saying that “when the gods get angry, they make you go mad”. It is unfortunate that followers of Abraham, Moses, Christ and Mohammad (Peace Be Upon all of them) forgot that Almighty Allah SWT likes humility and punishes those who wish ill and inflict pain on other human beings. The whole world will suffer an economic recession.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Quran time in quarantine
Use the quarantine for Quran time. So, when you hear next time about quarantine, take it as the Quran time. The whole world is going towards a lockdown. Many of us have long since postponed the Quran learning due to some pretext or the other. All other aspects of life have grown and flourished except for the relationship with the Quran. We learned so many languages, implemented processes, cooked complex recipes, but the only task that was untouched or unfinished is the learning of the Quran. All our excuses that dominated our mind and life are busted.
We said we are busy, and we don’t have time to learn the Quran, someday when you find the time, you will study the Quran in depth. So, Allah has now made time for us. He removed all the tasks and cleaned the desk for you. So, it’s not Quarantine, but Quran time. You are home with all the family members. It’s not Quarantine, but Quran time not just for you but for the whole family. Teach your children all that you had wished in your life.
For the rest of the world, people in Quarantine are under severe stress and depression; for you, it will be the best time of life because of its Quran time and you are in the company of the blessed Book. Its recitation, understanding and interaction bring peace and solace to your troubled heart and mind. Many of us made plans and schedules to learn the Quran, but a few of us were able to implement it. Now is the time to take out those schedules and put them in practice.
ARWA JAVED
Wazirabad
Parasites and sycophant
In Parasites and sycophants (Sept 14, 2008), Mubarak Ali has highlighted one of the important facts of life. I agree with his point of view that flattery or sycophancy is not only the problem of today’s world but it has been there all along. Being a student of English literature, I have gone through some masterpieces; some of them were dedicated to monarchs.
These works are now thought to be tributes to kings or queens of Europe, but as far as my views are concerned the authors of these poems or novels didn’t know the meaning of ‘tribute’. Their creative endeavours simply contain sycophantic ideas. For example, Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene (dedicated to Queen Elizabeth) or John Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel (written in honour of King Charles II) are all works of flattery.
SANA NAVEED
Rawalpindi
Thanking our health workers
Just as everyone is patiently waiting inside their homes, waiting for this pandemic to pass, our healthcare workers including nurses, doctors, cleaners and everyone who works at a hospital surrounded by constant chaos is spending day and night, working to eliminate the threat that is COVID-19.
Just not underestimate their efforts. They risk their own lives to save others’ lives. They spend day and night and extra hours just to make sure to give all that they have, to help the people suffering midst this Coronavirus pandemic.
We must realize how important these men and women are to this nation. They can rightly be equated to members of our defence forces, who are ever ready to sacrifice for the nation. Their efforts and their work along with all your efforts, staying at home will help us succeed in this battle we have with the Coronavirus.
GHANVA NAQVIE
Islamabad
