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.
Chabahar: Big loss for India
Four years after India and Iran signed a deal to construct a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, Tehran has decided to proceed with project by itself citing delays from New Delhi. According to Indian publication, The Hindu, the country will now use around $400 million from Iranian National Development Fund, instead of relying on financial assistance from India.
The railways project, which will be completed by March 2022, witnessed the inauguration of its track laying process by Iranian Transport Minister Mohammad Eslami last week. The railway project, which was being discussed between the Iranian Railways and the state owned Indian Railways Construction Ltd (IRCON), was meant to be part of India’s commitment to the trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan to build an alternative trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia. In May 2016, PM Modi’s visit to Tehran witnessed signing of the agreement to construct Chabahar port with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
The blow to India comes in the backdrop of China finalising a huge $400 billion strategic partnership deal with Iran. From the Indian perspective growing Iran-China relationship is a reason for worry and changing strategic landscape. India’s relations with Iran cooled off substantially after India agreed to reduce its trade relations with Iran after imposition of sanctions. The visit of President Trump and increasing Indo-US economic and strategic partnership seems to have been the last straw. It is unlikely that Iran’s relations with India would improve in near future..
AFIA AMBREEN
Rawalpindi
School teachers
Teachers play pivotal role in every society for its development and progression through the youth. They enlighten youth in various fields: Science, Art, Architecture and in technological fields. They indubitably deserve a high esteem owing to their meritorious services and prophetic profession.
However, a large number of school teachers in Sindh are absentees and they do not perform their duties regularly. Consequently, parents get disappointed from Government teachers and abandon their children’s education. Despite applying Bio-Matric alternative, Govt of Sindh remained unsuccessful and could not get target of reformation in education.
Thus, it expedited step-up in illiteracy rate in spite of bettering. Reforms by Education Department went in vain and brought no fruitful result. Teachers’ absenteeism is a persistent challenge for literacy rate in Sindh. Likewise, unskilled and unprofessional teachers, appointed by favouritism and nepotism, are another challenge for Sindh Government.
A large proportion of school teachers are unaware of pedagogical methods and do not have subject-specific skills. Teachers, without subject specialty, would undoubtedly bring no progress in literacy rate. Therefore they should be discharged from service and new ones should be recruited.
Those having good reputation must be equipped with more subject specialties and pedagogical standards so that educational standard could be bettered. The solution of absenteeism is not in rebuilding school infrastructure but to take strict action against those free-salary takers who do not perform their responsibility honesty.
IMTIAZ ESSA HALEPOTO
Jamshoro
Novel Coronavirus
Novel Coronavirus, the deadly disease that has taken millions of lives worldwide, is in limelight globally which has created menace for several countries around the world. Even after eight months from when it started in Wuhan, China, the virus is still spreading like wildfire engulfing many people around the world.
The WHO has indulged in taking immediate measures as the virus rang the alarming bells with a sudden rise. The deadly disease is transmitted from person to person through the air by coughing and sneezing, touching or shaking hands, and touching objects surrounded with that virus. However, the severe symptoms include fever, pneumonia, kidney failure and dreadful death. Unfortunately, the authorities and officials say that the vaccines will only be available next year but the virus can be controlled through effective and responsive conduct like washing hands with soap or sanitizer. One should also avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Also, one should avoid close contact with people who are sick.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Complete the temple
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, envisioned a country where the minority citizens will be treated equally in the eyes of the state, which will safeguard their religious and cultural rights. However, the subsequent governments have failed to live with the vision of Jinnah, and discrimination with the minorities remains unabated.
Recently, a temple was being built in Islamabad as per the wishes of the Hindu community of the city. But, the work at the temple site has been halted following the reaction from the conservative Muslim clerics, who threatened the authorities of extreme action should the construction continue. While the clergy never tires of voicing the rights of the Muslims minorities and their plights in other countries, they fail to raise similar concerns for the minority groups living in their own country.
Minorities, being the citizens of this country, have constitutional right to exercise their faith and culture freely. The federal government must protect this right and, instead of succumbing to the pressure of the religious groups, must restore the writ of the state and complete the construction work of the temple.
ABDUL HAFEEZ JATOI
Hyderabad
Educational institutions or harassment centres!
As it’s witnessed by everyone that recent cases of harassment are reported by the students of educational institutions. Recently, two such cases came into limelight. In one of the cases, a foreign student studying at University of Karachi was harassed by the officials of the respective department. Furthermore, she was also threatened when she opened up about this issue in front of the media.
The other case is related with the students of Lahore grammar school, in which some school students raise their voices against the school administration and teachers, stating that their teachers had tried to harass them and upon complaining this issue to the higher school officials, none of the concerned authorities listened to them and ignore this issue.
?After a week or two, three school teachers were fired from their job who were found guilty of the allegations, on the other hand, the students of LGS also figure out Omair Rana, a famous TV artiste, as an accused one, who was working as teacher of art.
?Previously, the educational institutions were considered as a place where parents sent their children fearlessly, but now the situation has changed and the educational institutions are losing their real identity. ?It’s my due request to all those in authority to take strict action against all these culprits, and not show any mercy and sympathy against the accused ones.
ZUBAIR SIDDIQUI
Karachi
Karachi: A deprived city
Karachi is the most populated city in Pakistan which is home to an estimated 20 million people and famously known as the financial capital and industrial hub of Pakistan. But there is growing perception among the Karachites that they are being deprived of their fundamental rights. A city which contributes a gigantic 70pct revenue to the national exchequer is still deprived of basic necessities i.e. electricity, gas and clean water.
With the passage of time many governments came with keeping Karachi’s problems at top in their manifestos, some from within Karachi. Every leader claimed Karachi as his own but when it required the resolution to its problems no one paid heed. Karachi has given chance to almost every party.
In the last election in 2018 it gave mandate to PTI which grabbed 13 NA seats out of 21. Now all eyes are on PM Imran Khan, the issues are very serious. The people have suffered a lot from such deadly problems. Therefore, proper will and determination can help PTI-led government to address these issues.
SANAULLAH KALWAR
Kashmore, Sindh
