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.
Urban flooding
Even 50 mm to 70 mm of rainfall under an hour triggers urban flooding in Karachi, Due to clogged, ineffective drainage system, even a short shower brings great misery to residents. All these months, Sindh govt claimed to be working on a plan to minimise damage due to urban flooding this year.
The Local Govt system, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), KMC and six district municipal corporations joined forces under a US$100 million World Bank project to do things differently said Programme Director Zubair Channa, who oversees this project. Using existing human resources that worked every year to clean drains, this time, he said government is ensuring the sewage, does not slide back into the drain but reaches its last resting place — at a 10-acre plot of land at the 500-acre Jam Chakro landfill site, located about 30 km from Karachi’s city centre.
There is another four-acre plot in the Treatment Plant 1, in the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate, where some of the sludge will be transported to and put into hundreds of mammoth 40-year-old sludge silos. “These have been cleaned and repaired and ready to put to use,” pointed out Channa. “These tanks will allow the wet sewage to settle in a compartment at the bottom and the top dry portion may be treated and used as manure.”
BUSHRA SATTAR
Karachi
Follow Corona SOPs
As it was observed on Eid-ul-Fitr owing to brushing aside SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) including not wearing facemasks and not maintaining social distance in markets. The result was in front of all of us, the sudden rise in COVID-19 reported cases and reported deaths in the month of June.
By Allah Almighty ‘s mercy, in Pakistan graph of reported cases is declining day by day now. On this Eid ul Azha, there is dire need to follow SOP’s so as to stop further spread of this deadly virus.
WAQAR BADAR KANDHRO
Larkana, Sindh
Suicidal attack on Pak aviation
As if, the fatal crash of Pk8303 was not enough, what was the rationale of this thoughtless act of raising the issue of lack of authenticity of CAA Licenses and irregularities in conduct of examinations conducted by them for CPL or ATPL? Other than diverting attention from the crash, or some other objective, there seems to be no sane reason for creating a mess that has inflicted irreparable damage to Pakistan’s commercial aviation industry.
For any irregularities in licenses issued by CAA Pakistan, it alone is authorized to take whatever remedial measures that maybe needed, and there is no role for any operator such as PIA. An operator like PIA can only be responsible for irregularities in recruitment such as were committed in 1995 and for which an investigation was conducted by AM Mushaf Ali Mir, or fake degree holders recruited from 2008-2015, or any CEO appointed with criminal record such as involvement in illegal activities like Kidney Hill or Overseas Housing or money laundering etc.
EASA Executive Director states in his letter dated 30/08/2020 on subject of “Suspension of Third Country Operator Authorization” based on announcement by Aviation Minister that 260 out of 860 pilot’s licenses are “fraudulent” and hence “State of Operator is currently not capable to certify and oversee its operators”. Can any sane person justify what purpose could be achieved by PIA Chairman writing to foreign ambassadors like the USA informing them in writing that 30% of pilot licenses were not authentic and within weeks US Transport Safety Board withdrew permission even for special flights to repatriate Pakistanis stranded there.
This gives credence to rumours that this maybe part of a scheme to replace PIA with another airline, for which permission has already been given, or a smoke screen for dubious deals on PIA’s expensive hotels.
M T ALI
Lahore
PTI: Promises to U-turns
Pakistani youth was yearning for a true leader who could bring changes in existing society of Pakistan. Youth had found a leader, current Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. Youth believed sternly and supported him throughout his political journey. However, coming in power, Imran Khan took countless U-turns on every issue. Consequently, youth has lost all hopes in him.
Imran khan promised to built five million houses, instead he demolished thousand of houses. He promised to give ten millions jobs but abolished 80 thousand jobs in Federal government institutions. He said that he would bring inflation down to make everything accessible to poor yet within two years everything has become inaccessible for almost all segments of the society. He promised to end corruption but it escalated manifold according to Transparency International.
There was a list of promises made by sitting Prime Minister before coming to power but none of them is fulfilled. As a result, youth has lost hopes and feels greatly disappointed from entire political process and so-called leaders.
IMTIAZ ESSA HALEPOTO
Jamshoro, Sindh
Educated vs illiterate society
Education has a direct link with prevalence of various positive behaviours in a society. The more a society is educated, the more it is civilised, mature, responsible, sensitive to collective issues, mindful of its rights and duties. On the contrary, illiteracy has a direct link with various negative behaviours in a society. The more a society is illiterate and uneducated, the more it is uncivilised, immature, irresponsible, disinterested to collective issues, oblivious of its rights and duties.
The history is a witness to the fact that many nations of the world excelled only when they gave importance to education for all and sundry. The era of “Dark Ages” (approximately from late-fifth century AD to mid-fifteenth century AD) is notorious for whole of Europe. It is because of the fact that during that era, the whole Europe was uneducated and scientifically backward besides lack of literature and culture over there and accordingly it behaved in an uncivilised and irresponsible manner.
During the same period, however, the Muslims were going through an “era of awakening” because of giving importance to education, scientific inventions and discoveries, literature and culture. However, when Muslims left this path and West adopted it that process reversed and whole Europe turned into light. The Muslims plunged into darkness due to extreme apathy towards education, scientific excellence, literature and culture.
ABDUL SAMAD SAMO
Karachi
