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.
Lowari Pass
Commuters suffer on a daily basis on the under-construction (for 40 years) Lowari Pass connecting Chitral to the rest of the country. Many people in our country know of the 8.6km Lowari tunnel but a few know that in heavy snowfall vehicles from Chitral cannot even get to this high tunnel. On Jan 7, after waiting for help for over 12 hours, commuters had to abandon their journey and return to Chitral.
The contract work for building a seven-kilometre vital portion of this road on the Chitral side of the tunnel had been given to contractors in March 2017 at an unbelievable cost of over 200 crores. The work was to be completed in March 2019 but there is no sign of this work being completed by March 2020 or even March 2021. Such is the way contracts are given and supervised in remote areas of our country. It is easy for contractors in their rejoinder to say ‘quality of work completed so far has been satisfactorily approved and duly verified from time to time by the National Highway Authority’. We all know what ‘satisfactorily approved’ and ‘duly verified’ mean in our country. Even a layman driving his vehicle on this road can easily see how meaningless such words are when he sees the quality, expense and delay occurring so blatantly on building this road.
Then surely there must be a clause in the contract between NHA and contractors which says that the contractor must clear the snow which builds up on broken portion of this road while they are building it. If so why is NHA not enforcing it nowadays when we get stuck just because no one is clearing the snow despite the availability of heavy road construction machinery lying idly along it?
JEHAD ULLAH
Islamabad
Education Minister please!
The PTI took the onus to spread education up to the extent that PM House will (also) be converted into a University – historical vision it was/is! Lover of education including the scribe felt relaxed by hearing this slogan. If this promise succeeds, the country will (definitely) come out of all problems – because education and training is (the only) solution for success. No argument, please! Forty-five year back; Margalla Town, Islamabad, was established by Capital Development Authority and, it has not still acted upon “Article 25-A of Constitution which states: The State shall provide free-and-compulsory education to all children of five to sixteen years”. And; will one imagine that this town is located 3/4km away from PM’s Secretariat? What about corners of Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
With concerted efforts of Margalla Town Welfare Society (MTWS) – a group of elderly educated citizens – two plots for (Male/Female) were allotted for this Town. Though Girls College is working with limited staff/funds; yet Boys College is still in the queue! Some amount was released to CDA by Directorate of Education, but even then construction was/is not started. The residents are compelled to think, possibilities are that CDA may convert the site into residential plots as (she) did along with adjoining green belt of said plot and thrown – Master Plan into river Korong!!
Though, the Authority has sufficient funds for construction of Open Air Theatre; Cricket Stadium, Kite Flying sites (***) yet; not for educational set-up for tax-payers of this Town? On the basis of past experience the scribe is compelled to say, may ‘any agency’ offer donation for construction of swimming pool on this site; and Authority starts it quickly. Because, education for all; does not remain priority of any Government in the past except ‘slogans’. So, Minister for Education is requested to please get funds from PM House for construction of College for Boys in Margalla Town for educating youngsters of Madina Model State/Naya Pakistan!!
M AZAM MINHAS
Islamabad
Press the button only for growth
Varying media reports have been flying around the world in the aftermath of the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike. Now mass outpourings of sympathy have been reported from the region and mourners have been holding processions and shouting slogans en masse. Though various reports have been doing the rounds, the real motive behind the killing spree is not that clear now.
In fact, most American media houses have been creating various stories about the current America-Iran tension, even comparing the status quo to the past events in America dating back to the 1990s. Tense situation won’t do any good to anyone in the region.
Countries from the Middle East should be protected at all costs as they have been the hubs of natural sources like oil wells and oil reserves. World agencies like the United Nations [UN] cannot turn blind to the current Iran tension. Such international bodies should do the needful through diplomatic tactics rather than being soundless. The Donald Trump regime in the USA should follow some good approaches to the conflicts by reason of America’s ability to do the needful to the good of the international community.
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Via email
Child harassment
Child harassment is a global problem and pervades all cultures and socio-economic strata. The effects can be profound and life altering for victims. There is substantial literature from high income countries about signs of abuse, but a dearth of data from low and middle income countries like Pakistan.
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviours of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour that demeans, humiliates or embarrasses a person, and it is characteristically identified by its unlikelihood in terms of social and moral reasonableness. Health Care Professionals (HCPs) are ideally placed to detect abuse, but to inform interventions, training needs and cultural beliefs are needed. HCPs have potential to detect abuse early; however, in Pakistan there are numerous challenges. HCPs require support through training as well as clear institutional framework and legal support to undertake this role against child harassment. The government must take serious steps and initiatives against this evil, addressing issues regarding child abuse and maltreatment.
KAINAT TAHIR
Islamabad
Wolf in sheep clothing
As per news reports Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh has suspended a civil judge Imtiaz Hussain Bhutto from Sehwan on the grounds of misconduct, and has been advised to report to Sindh High Court. The most tragic part of the story is that the judge sexually assaulted a woman on the pretext of taking her statement. A couple was brought before Bhutto for their statements. The judge ordered the police and his staff to leave the courtroom. She came out of his chamber crying and told her family that the judge had raped her.
Court is the last ray of hope for molested women and if the same heinous crime is done inside chambers, where people will go for justice. Most importantly, no FIR has been registered against the judge so far. Should not Supreme Court take notice of this black spot on the face of Judiciary that has tarnished the image of ‘Justice’? Exemplary punishment must be given to accused. If justice is not handed out to victim; it would exactly be travesty of Justice. According to Efficiency & Discipline Rules 1973, major penalty of removal from service can be imposed on misconduct of a government servant. It is hoped that strict and severe action will be taken against judge to maintain the sanctity of Judiciary.
IFTIKHAR MIRZA
Islamabad
Hanging rapists
By not hanging the Nirbhaya rapists, the country is sending a wrong image to the world. These four rapists should be hanged in full public view and the execution should be shown live on TV on all the channels so that other rapists may learn a lesson from this one.
Mukesh Singh, one of the rapists’ lawyer has a criminal background. He is trying to tell the world that his client is innocent and has not raped Nirbhaya in December 2012. If Mukesh Singh is set free or given a much lesser punishment, it will mean that the President has been bribed too.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Via email
