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.
Interpreters of law
Being a member of the legal fraternity, I am ashamed of the way we are governing our state machinery while the public is getting crushed in a stampede during the free distribution of ata. I was a participant of NSW-3 in 2004 at NDC, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramdey came to address where the majority of participants were parliamentarians.
He surprised us by telling us that the Honourable Judges also have a stomach to live, his advice to politicians was not to come running to apex court seeking intervention to their disputes against rivals, rather should they develop a mechanism for dispute settlement by themselves. My questions he didn’t reply like other august speakers at NDC. It appears politicians have learnt but it is very unfortunate to see the judiciary in limbo.
The present national chaos and the ongoing egoistic wrangling between judiciary and parliament that is ignoring the adverse impact on our people’s lives together with 40% inflation has made Ramzan’s requirements and daily living impossible but electioneering during Ramzan is becoming a matter of life and death for the poor majority and our privileged elite is trying to vanquish justice and poverty stricken masses.
Pakistan’s survival lies in just fair play and the rule of law. Imperative need of time is to revive the jammed wheel of industry for productivity to secure wellbeing and welfare of the masses. Election is not the end of all our present economic and financial problems with default looming over our heads.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
Battle of bulging egos
At a time when Pakistan is facing a grave economic crisis, requiring a cohesive effort by all politicians and the three constitutional pillars of state, this country stands divided. Spreading hate and division was the policy of colonial occupiers and cannot be the path to tread for men who want to be elected in a sovereign state.
Egoistic mediocrity basks in their misplaced notion of glory, whilst the country faces financial challenges that threaten its very survival. Even the judiciary seems divided, captive to their own pursuits and territorial skirmishes, which is the worst that can happen in any country.
The future of over 230 million is at stake, just because of the bulging egos of men whom fate had placed at helm, through manipulation and intrigues, by few who were paid to serve the nation, not rule them.
Sanity seems to be a casualty, overshadowed by myopic mindset of men, blinded in the pursuit of power, in a no holds barred game of thrones.
It is shocking that these few are totally oblivious to the damage it is causing to the very citizens whose votes get them elected and whose taxes fund salaries of the paid elite and the institutions created to provide them justice, security, equal opportunities and basic necessities of life.
This is a country whose Father of Nation laid down his vision that Pakistan would be a modern democratic welfare state, with a constitution as supreme law and a social contract defining how various institutions, funded by the state, are to interact and perform their designated roles, with the sole objective of serving the people.
Those, whom fate has placed at helm, owed it to the people to pay back by serving them and not by exploiting religion, sowing seeds of division to nullify MAJ’s motto of Unity, Faith and Discipline.
All three visionary pieces of advice are missing today. People are divided, suffering because of the ineptitude of a few. Hope is running out that sanity may prevail.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Snatching is normal
It is said in Karachi that there is no crime which the police does not know about. In robberies and dacoities, they conveniently provide cover to the thieves and appear once the mission is accomplished, just to get information as to what amount has been robbed so as to claim their share from the robbers.
The police have full information about the criminals in their area and maintain a history sheet. They have a network of informants who keep them updated on activities of all criminals, including those who are involved in mobile snatching. Mobiles and other articles i.e. purses, laptops, tablets, watches, worn jewellery articles etc are usually targeted at traffic blocks or during rush periods when traffic is at still and then someone emerges by the side of your car and pulls up a pistol and demands you handover the mobile or other valuables.
It is not very difficult to pinpoint these locations and then high definition cameras can be used to cover the area which could lead to the arrest of these criminals. Police can also deploy some of their personnel in civilian clothes, driving in cars in this traffic block and flashing their expensive mobiles luring such criminals and hence trapping them. Further as all stolen mobiles are ultimately sold in the second hand or used mobile markets, clamping down on such dealers selling stolen mobiles can also be an effective way of curbing this menace.
Blocking the usage of such stolen phones by IMEI Nos by phone companies can also help. All vendors helping to open such blocked phones should be taken to task and maybe booked as accomplices if found helping them to unblock. All it needs is a concerted effort and a willingness to accomplish the task beyond your personal interests.
MUHAMMAD AHAD
Karachi
Power shortage
Developing countries like Pakistan need a continuous supply of clean and cheap energy. It is a very common fear that the fossil fuels is likely to come to an end soon. Renewable energy sources have the potential to provide solutions to the energy problems faced by developing countries. Currently, Pakistan is facing a critical energy crisis and renewable energy resources can be the best alternatives for rapidly decreasing the need for fossil fuels. The renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy and biomass energy can be used to overcome the energy shortage in Pakistan. Biomass is a popular renewable energy source and is gaining more popularity because it produces a similar type of fuel like crude oil and natural gas. Energy from biomass only depends upon the availability of raw material, therefore, biomass can play a vital role to fulfil the energy requirements of the modern age. The use of energy has increased a lot since the last century and almost all human activities have become more dependent on energy. Hence, biomass could be a good solution to meet the energy needs of Pakistan.
SHIZA HUSSAIN
Okara
