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.
Profiteering during Ramazan
As the holy month of Ramadan has set in, the hoarders and extra profiteers are back in full swing. The prices of fruit and vegetable are increasing infinitely. Amazingly, lemon is sold for Rs.600 per kg and apple Rs.300 per kg. The sky-rocketing prices have made it difficult for ordinary people to buy some fruit for Iftar. Terrified with the spread of contagion COVID-19, people find it impossible to manage their meal. Already shocked with unprecedented hefty prices of wheat and sugar, how can low-earning people can afford expensive groceries?
In the background of complete lockdown in the country, it was expected that business community will show some responsibility and reduce rates during the holy month as many daily-wagers are at the brink of starvation. Contrary to this, profiteers and hoarders are constantly squeezing the blood of masses. It is hoped that Bodies meant for controlling prices of daily use commodities will awake from deep slumber and take some concrete steps for welfare of people.
IFTIKHAR MIRZA
Islamabad
Future of
steel industry
Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers (PALSP), a body of large, documented and integrated steel manufacturers representing over 60% of the primary steel output of Pakistan would like to inform the government that if any duties (CD, ACD, RD) on long steel products including steel billets, bars, wire rod and structures (PCT Codes 7207, 7213, 7214, 7215, 7216, 7224, 7227, 7228) are reduced, our members will be forced to close factories, resulting in mass unemployment, reduction in revenue generation and sharp decline of domestic steel supply to the construction industry.
At a time when the cost of doing business has been skyrocketing and steel industry margins are negative, reducing import tariffs on intermediate or finished products is a clear sign from the government that they want to de-industrialize the domestic steel sector and be dependent on imports that will increase the foreign exchange burden by over USD 1 billion per year. It is also contrary to the government’s declared policy of saving and earning dollars.
PALSP has also asked the government to commit to a cascading tariff structure to avoid market distortions. The import duties on re-rollable material (PCT Code 7204.4910) has to be increased to 22% as it is an intermediate good that currently attracts import tariffs equal to primary raw material of the industry. Moreover, steel made from re-rollable material violates PSQCA standards, cannot be produced and marketed, and undercuts the formal sector.
WAJID BUKHARI
Islamabad
Limits to absurdity and abuse
Until early 60s it was unimaginable that any individual or group could illegally occupy state forest lands, amenity plots and land reserved for parks, shoreline etc and get away scott free. From an agricultural self-sufficient country, we are reduced to a nation importing food items. Agriculture green belts are diminishing replaced by concrete jungles to give subsidized plots to the paid elite. Land which grew cotton, our major cash crop, has been replaced by sugar cane. The absurdity and abuse kept on increasing.
Pakistan, a country created by political struggle, led by Quaid-e-Azam, has witnessed his vision for a modern democratic welfare state been trampled within a year of his death by likes of Maj Gen Iskandar Mirza, who while simultaneously serving in British Indian Army was appointed as Secretary Defence. MAJ’s strong message delivered while addressing Staff College Quetta was not only rejected but reverse of what he had ordered was done with impunity.
The only constant is the regularity and ease with which State and public are deprived of their hard-earned money by Land Mafia Dons, Sugar and Wheat mafia, and not one individual has ever been punished nor loot recovered. The subsidized extravagance lifestyle of paid public office holders of a country under debt shocks international donors but not beneficiaries.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Emphasizing to close down mosques
Pakistani nation has failed to take precautionary and preventive measures seriously to curb the spread of COVID-19 as public gatherings are seen without social distancing and without mask whether they gather to collect money from government program or moving in the markets to buy needful stuff excluding departmental stores which is not serving the purpose of lock down.
The only place where social distancing is taken seriously and people take utmost care to wear mask are masjids but still it is greatly emphasized to close down masjids and allowing limited people to enter into masjids to offer prayers and especially tarweeh which is creating doubts in the minds of general people and started considering it a communal issue rather than anything else.
Number of pathetic incidents have already taken place where funeral prayer could not be allowed to perform and people took out of masjids to refrain them praying. Government should implement identical policy whether they want people not to gather as they are gathered in markets or to keep considerable distance in gatherings which is precisely practiced in masjids.
FAISAL ANSAR
Karachi
Social media and freedom of expression
We all accept the effectiveness of “Freedom of speech”, but our nation misinterprets it with offensive speech because most of us are of the view that we should express each and everything that comes in our mind. This is actually a wrong understanding of freedom of speech because Islam has confined us to certain limitations while speaking and expressing our ideas. Islam teaches us to be polite and considerate while uttering anything.
Being Muslims, we are not allowed to comment on someone’s private affairs even if our intention is just to highlight the bad deeds of others to reform our society because Islam asks us to let others solve their private matters in a private manner and not in front of public. We as a nation are always trying to comment on personal life of celebrities and other popular figures. Although we can say that a public figure is famous because of his fans and he should think himself as a public property but still how one can justify his nasty and non-sense comments about them on social media.
We should not forget that these public figures are also having families; our irrational and stupid comments can hurt someone deeply. We try to criticize on each and every matter for no use. One should not be concerned when any one ties his knot with other in the form of Nikah at whatever age because it is not our headache instead we should criticize the wrong doings happening in our society to highlight them through social media and this is the best use of social media platform to spread awareness among masses.
SHAHBAZ HAYAT
Rawalpindi
Irfan Khan & Rishi Kapoor
The passing away of Ifran Khan and now Rishi Kapoor are a great loss to the Hindi film industry. Rishi Kapoor was my favourite actor right from his first movie ‘Mera Naam Joker’ till the day of his death (April 30).
He was the only actor who starred opposite more than 56 heroines till the time of his death, including my favourite actress Zeenat Aman in ‘Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin’. He was a chocolate hero during my generation and was loved by all women, including Neetu Singh, who he married later. May their souls rest in peace.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai
