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.
Ramadan inflation
Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar for Muslims all over the world. As far as Pakistan is concerned, it has always been a tradition that whenever Ramadan comes the inflation rate also increases. Two types of Muslims throughout the country wait anxiously for this month. For one type of people, it brings happiness and blessings and for another type, it brings a massive amount of money. But it becomes a curse for the poor people when prices of the edible items touch the sky.
While this month of Ramadan becomes blessings for the business community and hoarders that take as much benefit as they can. In addition, the poor people who earn a few hundred per day after working the whole day have nothing to do, their lives are in trouble and they are worried about burning their stoves because of this current inflation. There are no platforms provided to them to earn to meet their expenses.
In this hard situation, the profiteering has taken birth, the profit earners have raised the prices of daily food items at alarming rates despite lowering the prices in respect of Ramadan. It is a painful truth that despite being a Muslim state, there is no any leniency in the prices of very basic and demanded vegetables and fruits such as flour, gram flour, oil, potatoes, tomatoes, lemons, sugar, red chills, chicken, watermelon, dates etc., in the holy month of Ramadan. I appeal the government to take possible measures and to strictly hold the Zakat system to reduce this inflation rate.
FATIMA SARFRAZ
Lahore
Floods havoc
The floods have affected all four provinces of the country, including major cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar. The floods have not only destroyed homes and infrastructure but have also left thousands of people homeless and stranded without food and water.
The government’s response to this disaster has been slow and inadequate, leaving many victims without any assistance or support. It is essential that the media plays a crucial role in highlighting the plight of the people affected by these floods and raising awareness about the need for immediate action.
I urge you to publish an article regarding the disastrous floods in Pakistan to help bring attention to this issue and encourage action from the government and international community. The article should cover the extent of the damage caused by the floods, the current situation of affected people, and the measures that need to be taken to provide them with aid and relief. I hope that you will consider my request and use your platform to help those affected by these floods. The people of Pakistan need your support and attention during this time of crisis.
NABIA NASIR
Via email
FMD vaccine
Livestock sector is playing a critical role in poverty alleviation, food security and boosting the economy through exports of livestock products. Over 8m rural families earn 35-40% of livelihood from livestock. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is devastating the livestock industry globally, resulting in the declined export of livestock products up to 21.7% in Pakistan. Animals are vaccinated to control the disease and vaccine production units are producing inactivated whole cell cultured non-purified vaccine containing intact FMD virus and non-structural proteins (NSPs). Following inoculation, antibodies produced against NSPs are considered as hallmark of infection and used in differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals. In the light of OIE recommendations, Pakistan is striving hard for the establishment of disease free zone through inoculation of purified vaccine.
In order to address above recommendations a project titled Production and Evaluation of Purified Vaccine against FMD Virus was designed and executed under the supervision of Dr. Imran Altaf, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore. For this purpose cell culture suspension of FMDV type O was inactivated and concentrated through standardized methods. FMDV was purified from its NSPs through size exclusion chromatography followed by optimizing several parameters.
Following ensuring the purity of chromatographic elute of FMDV through serologically and protein analysis, purified monovalent vaccines containing different concentration of purified FMDV antigen were prepared as per standards and inoculated into non-vaccinated bovine calves for estimation of protective dose (PD50) and immune response.
It was concluded that peggylation found efficient method for concentration of FMDV with higher yield and animals inoculated with vaccine containing 3.23PD50 showed protective immune response up to twenty weeks post inoculation with negative anti-NSP antibodies conforming to international standards.
DR ABDUL RAZAK,
DR IMRAN ALTAF
Lahore
Melancholic conditions
Pakistan is facing inflation of utmost severity. Unprecedented inflation is rendering the masses helpless in the country. Middle class and lower class people are struggling hard to deal with bombastic inflation. Day by day, the prices of commodities are soaring in the country. It has become difficult for the destitute people to purchase one time food to satiate their empty stomachs.
Resultantly, they fall in acute depression and feel comfortable to commit unlawful acts like robbery, kidnapping and murders to get hefty ransom. Consequently, such circumstances are deteriorating the conditions of Pakistan and are triggering many other evils in the society. It is incumbent on the government to monitor the prices of commodities which are needed by every person in the country. Moreover, soaring inflation has also affected the young generation miserably. Young generation is undergoing a number of issues in the economic world. Depression has surrounded everyone in general and the youth in specific. From educational stress to financial stress, youth is struggling to cope with these insurmountable challenges.
Unemployment is rampant among the youth in Pakistan which is embroiling them in a precarious state of affairs. Youth is the future of every nation. It is a great asset that can be used to revamp the destiny of a nation. The Pakistan Government needs to understand the worth of the young generation. Number of students, who hold degrees in different fields, wanders unemployed. The incumbent govt must ensure their employment to abate their stress and agonies.
NASRULLAH KHADIM
Kandhkot
