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.
Rising prices and its impact
The high price of essential goods has adversely affected common people. The prices are touching the sky and making life miserable for middle class and poor people. The rate of vegetables, fruits and cooking oil is out of the reach of common man.
The government must pay attention and control these rising prices. It’s high time for government to realise the problem, otherwise people will lose faith in such system of governance.
RAFIA IQBAL
Rawalpindi
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Haven’t Pakistani rulers become head of the beast belly, with the IMF & FATF belly of the beast by totally compromising our financial sovereignty before IMF conditions? PDM leaders vowed to do away with the IMF programme by abolishing all levies imposed since 2019 as GST etc to provide relief to common man. Now Miftah Ismail and Shahbaz Sharif seem glued on the IMF page saying that IMF new terms are inevitable and inseparable if we have to survive in power?
Both IMF and government seems to have gone blind that announcing an additional levi of Rs. 50/- per litre on petrol starting with Rs. 10/- from 1st July and Rs 5/- every month. Much trumpeted eyesore of petroleum subsidy that was only 20% of total government subsidies and exemptions to elite class continues. The justification that Rs. 84/- increase in petroleum prices in just 3 weeks was due to international market selling Crude oil for US $ 118/barrel. Our neighbour India is even today buying crude oil from the open market in Russia for US $ 95/barrel. Iran is another option but we can sign a deal for an additional 100 MW of electricity purchase on 20 June 2022 but cannot think about procuring petrol from Iran?
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
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As we all know, inflation is increasing continuously day by day in Pakistan. As a result purchasing power of individuals is decreasing. Inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased in April 2022 by 1.61% over March 2022 and increased by 13.37% over April 2021. However, most of the prices of commodities depend on the price of petrol. Now have a look at current situation in Pakistan and how much percentage of petrol has been increased since March,2022 to June,2022. Basically 62% petrol price has been increased in just 3 months.
TAHSEEN MEMON
Sukkur, Sindh
Traffic nuisance
I would like to draw attention of traffic authorities as well as law enforcement agencies to growing traffic bottlenecks in various parts of the city. These gridlocks occasionally appear to be the result of law enforcement officials’ negligence. However, most of these are brought on by other circumstances. Usually, causes of these unwanted happening are due to hasty, harsh, and dangerous driving.
When an accident or some violence occurs, numerous routes are immediately closed. Travellers, including buses and car drivers endure great suffering. Because of unjustified delay brought on by traffic jams, people become tense and irritated. People have to waste a lot of time getting to work or returning home. Along with taking up time, it uses up a lot of your energy. There are still many people enduring horrific torture on daily basis. Concerned authorities must seriously investigate the situation and come up with a workable solution.
SADIA RIZWAN
Karachi
Domestic gas crisis
Pakistan is enriched with a lot of natural resources like coal, gas etc. In spite of being a major resource, people of Pakistan are facing domestic gas crisis. Sui gas, normally used for cooking purposes, has always been in limited quantities. Everyone, especially women suffer a lot due to poor supply of natural gas, especially at meal times, which makes cooking a Herculean task. Consequently, elders and children have to go with an empty stomach to offices and schools. Despite that people have to pay huge gas bills even without using the gas. People are compelled to opt for LPG or firewood. Both these alternatives are not only expensive but also dangerous. The gas company offices pay no heed to complaints of common people. They argue that most of the people do not pay bills. Gas companies should take other measures to tackle this problem in order to rebuild trust of the people and also earn handsome revenue for government.
MAHNOOR BALOUCH
Pano Akil, Sindh
Dismantling Islamophobia
One of the belligerent spectacles cropping up worldwide in recent years is none other than Islamophobia. From turmoil to brutal murders; Muslims worldwide are confronting the challenges of political, social, religious and cultural discrimination at different levels of society due to unfolded animosity towards Islam.Law and policies have been formulated in France, India and Belgium banning hijab and religious minarets construction. Both Europe and the US have become bastion of Islamophobic racism, while no collective and logical response from Muslim governments is giving further rise to anti-Muslim hysteria. According to Federal Bureau of Investigation, number of anti-Muslim scorn incidents has increased to 257 yearly and according to Organisation of Islamic Council (OIC) report, more than ten European States have prohibited the freedom of exercising Islam as a religion. OIC, the collective representative of the Muslim world must play its role efficiently to protect Muslim countries and their rights.
MUNEEB ELAHI
Kasur
