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.
Quetta bleeds
After some relief period, Quetta bleeds again. This time Liaquat Bazar was the target of terrorists. Despite hectic efforts of security forces bomb blasts have become common feature for Balochistan. As per news reports two casualties occurred and at least seven have been seriously injured in heinous act of sabotage. The explosive material was planted in a motorcycle. Extreme care is required for monitoring unattended vehicles. People must show vigilance about their surroundings, especially in terror-prone areas.
Leaving everything up to security forces brings collateral damage. As security forces are easy targets for terrorists instead, preventive measure like installing security cams, employing security guards in civil dress and combing the area at regular intervals by its residents can minimize such bomb blasts. We can collectively chain the monster of terrorism through our joint will and effort.
IFTIKHAR MIRZA
Islamabad
Need of Careem services
Careem Service is the leading technology platform for the greater Middle East. A pioneer of the region’s ride-hailing economy, Careem is expanding services across its platform to include payments, delivery and mass transportation. Careem’s mission is to simplify and improve the lives of people and build a lasting institution that inspires. Established in July 2012, Careem operates in more than 120 cities across 15 countries and has created more than one million jobs in the region.
Careem has launched inter-city travel, so you can road-trip across cities with ease and at the best rates. The Service has been launched in Lahore, Islamabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Peshawar and more cities but still not launched toward Hazro Punjab and district like Attock. People belonging to these parts can’t enjoy the facility of Careem Service.
The people from these areas are facing a lot of trouble regarding transportation, especially the students who hardly afford expensive travelling of traditional transport. Careem Service should also be made available in these areas, so people can easily move to their destinations comfortably and at a less cost. I request the authorities concerned to provide Careem Service around these areas so we also get benefit from the wonderful facility of Careem.
SUNDAS IBRAR
Hazro
Social media and we!
Social media helps us a lot in every respect/aspect. We can communicate with people living in far flung areas. It has made our life comfortable. There are many Applications such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and many more and we can manage things in an orderly manner through these Apps. But, on the other hand, social media is full of disadvantages as it compelled people to commit suicide.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 alone, 1.53 million people committed suicide due to social media around the globe. Therefore, I urge my countrymen, please be in a limit to use social media. If used with limit, it is very likely that it may not affect them much.
RAHMATULLAH SHAFIQ
Allahbakth
Sindh education dept
Dr Mohammad Hanif, the chief meteorologist of Pakistan, had informed that a prolonged severe cold wave would hit Pakistan with the break of the 2020 New Year. Following the forecast, the education department of Punjab and KP extended the winter holidays till 7th of January. However, the education department of Sindh showed great courage by announcing the reopening of schools according to previous schedule.
I would beg to ask the secretary education: in what capacity has he issued such decree for the reopening of schools? Did he do it in the capacity of a father, brother or uncle and his family and children did go to public schools during this extremely cold wave on foot, bicycle or motorbike with torn clothes and slippers as poor children do in Sindh? If yes, then he must be officially appreciated but if he announced the reopening of schools and his family children did not even go to public school during such cold weather or they went in their private comfortable cars while being wrapped in imported warm clothes and shoes, then I would draw his kind attention to the fact that when it comes to education, Sindh has been outshined by all other provinces of Pakistan. Even Balochistan is ahead of Sindh in terms of education.
According to economic survey of Pakistan-2019, the literacy rate of Sindh has declined from 63% to 62.2% while 37,705 schools are lacking basic facilities such as toilet, boundary wall, electricity and drinking water. Around 7,611 schools have no roof. Out of a total 49,103 schools, 12,136 schools have no teacher at all whereas 11,441 schools have no enrolment and the teachers of these 11,441 schools are taking their salaries for doing nothing. Above all, a 190 billion rupee budget was allocated for education in Sindh. One wonders if it was wasted or invested. We hope that the education department of Sindh becomes serious enough to improve education.
ASIF HUSSAIN
Islamabad
Immorality bigger problem than economics
Unfortunately, in our society, immorality has become a bigger problem than economics. Morally, we have declined to such an extent that our daily activities hardly go fair and honest.
Being dishonest, telling a lie, making pure things impure with mixtures, weighing less, doing cheating, taking bribe, disrespecting parents, drinking wine, having extra-marital relations, killing innocent persons, raping a minor, quarrelling on petty issues, using abusive language against one another, etc., have become the common feature of our daily life. The worst thing about the whole scenario is that we have been taking our children towards the same path, to fit them into our society’s present cruel requirements. This is a dangerous sign for any society; as the society then, slowly but gradually, reaches its climax, where only destruction and annihilation work as our welcome forces.
If we want our society to be developed on a true moral footing, then we must inculcate in our children the good virtues of honesty, truth, fellow-feeling, respect for others and above all, fear of God; besides adopting the same within our body-politics as well. The sooner we resort to that path, the better for the real social, economic, political, cultural and religious development of our society.
ABDUL SAMAD SAMO
Karachi
Continuing bushfires in Australia
World cries wolf whenever there are accidents and crises looming around. Enemy countries from across the world have been battling and shouting abuse at one another. But the world is in need of a pure cure in almost all the spheres and on various fronts like relationship, growth, technology. What we have been witnessing for quite some time in Australia is something bizarre and something seriously dangerous. There have been reports back to back of bushfires in Australia. The first thing to be blamed for this is lethargic attitude shown by the Administration in Australia. The latest deadly bushfire incidents have been reported from southeast Australia.
Fire-fighters have been hell-bent since then on extinguishing the burning bushes and trees in Australia. There have been numerous casualties and detrimental damage to civilians and property out there. Precaution is the key to fire-fighting. In many parts around the globe, people have encountered so many fire accidents and pre-emptive tactics have been so far utilized to tackle such situations. Maybe countries like Australia and other nations grappling with Nature’s fury should take action to refurbish their equipment and other fighting gears apart from safeguarding green belt areas to neutralize (nip) bushfires in the bud.
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Via email
