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Danger for political system
Pakistan’s politics of late has been chaotic, best described by ‘stalemate’, ‘quagmire’, ‘paralysis’, ‘clash of narratives’ and so on. Although, for many, things have already come to an unforgivable pass, for the country’s economy and its people’s general well-being. It is time now to actively look for a way-out before it’s too late. Perhaps this applies the most to Imran Khan and his PTI.
There are signs already that the PTI may be looking for a way to back away from its now-somewhat-subdued “foreign conspiracy” narrative. There have also already been reports and rumors of backdoor efforts between the PTI and the establishment getting stakeholders together for a resolution to the political chaos in the country.
Some serious efforts need to be made by both sides to bridge this gap between the government and PTI. Now the political battle is converted to personal enmity between the two parties. It may not be as easy to sign a charter of democracy today, with political polarization at its height and political toxicity almost the ethos of at least one major party. Which is why it is far more important for all sides, especially the PTI, to take a step back and initiate talks with each other.
As a first step, it is necessary to start allowing processes of investigation on the Wazirabad incident. Under the circumstances with the FIR under serious shadows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer of a thorough investigation into the attack by a full bench commission of the Supreme Court is the right way to go about it. If a full bench commission is formed, it can probe the allegations made by Imran Khan without any pressure from the system. It would be in the best interest of both the parties, the government and PTI to initiate a dialogue towards electoral reforms before next elections a consensus on ECP, a consensus on the economic outlook and a consensus on the political system. Without dialogue, we can only see more months of instability, ultimately a danger for democratic system.
QAZI JAMSHED SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Padidan railway gate closure
THE Padidan Railway Gate deserves the attention of the concerned authorities. Individuals affected by the closure include students, the elderly, patients and others.
Since there is no alternative of this Padidan Railway Gate to cross the roadway, some people stuck in traffic because there is significant traffic on both sides of the gate while trains are passing and the gate is meant to be closed. It’s significant to mention that because some people are in a hurry, they will begin to pass the railroad gate without anyone noticing and ultimately they lost their lives.
Several innocent people’s lives have been lost recently due to railroad crossings in Padidan. To address the issue, the government has not yet taken any decisive action. Ironically, despite the frequency of catastrophic train accidents, the government has been unable to develop a thorough strategy or come up with a feasible solution.
A long number of similar occurrences have taken place in the past and still do occasionally, but the government’s inaction and delay have made the issue worse. In order to prevent people from being separated from these trains and putting their lives in danger, there should be a bypass or a bridge across a railway-line or road.
Along this, it is urged that the government of Sindh and the government of Pakistan, in particular, the railway authorities, move right away and build a bridge across the railway gate.
FARHAN ALI SIYAL
Padidan Town
Bad sanitary conditions
Mehmoodabad, a well-known area of Karachi, has been the victim of bad sanitary conditions. The sweepers do not turn up for cleaning the area for days together. Our complaints to the head jamadar have fallen on deaf ears. The whole area is littered about with rubbish and garbage.
The stinking smell from the festering garbage and overflowing gutters have become unbearable. In some places the covers of main holes are missing. Such unhygienic conditions pose a great danger to the public health.
The stagnant gutter water on streets is another nuisance. I am writing this piece with a hope that may it shake up the conscience of the authorities concerned.
TOOBA FARRUKH
Karachi
