Poor plight of labourers
Every year on 1 May, people across the world, including India, celebrate Labour Day as a public holiday. A few arrange get-togethers to enjoy the much needed holiday while others spend it either watching TV, playing games or sleeping all day. The idea is to gain as much from this day as one can – for oneself. But, what no one does is think about what this day truly stands for. Has any of us done something of value for the labour class or tried to resolve their problems?
There are countless problems which are being faced by our labourers such as poverty, illiteracy, food and water crises and so many others. A vast majority of labourers and daily-wage workers remain outside the fold of labour laws, which means that workers have no paid holidays, no job security, no medical coverage, no pension, no provident fund, no limit on working hours and are paid no overtime. In India with all this, there is also an issue of child labour. Child labour in India is growing at a disturbing rate.
Hundreds and thousands of children struggle to achieve their basic necessities of life. Children are the future of any country and we should all work to help them become better people. Child labour is a very complex problem with its root in the socio-economic environment of the country. The children suffer from lack of education and health facilities and better employment.
It is important to note that India became a member of the International Labour Organisation right after its independence in 1947. However, there is not much change when I look at the present situation as there seem to be no labour laws’ implementation. There should be an international monitoring in the country and people should be held accountable who use child labour and bonded labour. I know many people who are working as labourers just for a small amount of money and they don’t even have a day off, because the day they don’t work, there is no food in their house.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Feudal system in tribal areas
In different tribal areas, the feudal system is forcefully imposed on people and has been groomed and deeply ingrained in their culture for decades, getting stronger day by day. It is supported by capitalists, corrupt people and bandits of every area. It works as the Law of the Jungle: the most powerful, wealthy and renowned person always becomes chief by getting the majority of votes in elections with the help of money, threatening the public and promoting chaos.
Once one becomes the chief, he does what he wants. This system is snatching the basic needs of the people in tribal areas, giving them no rights, no development, no government schools, no social welfare projects, just nothing. This system works on two main pillars and powers: bandits and the misuse of government power.
The chief uses both for his own benefit; he maintains close interaction and relationship with bandits by providing them guns and monthly extortion; using them when in need, he just commands them to come; this promotes chaos and fear for maintaining social control; and additionally this system is also often supported by the police.
The chief also misuses the state’s power. This system is destroying the thinking capacity of our youths and students’ brains. The feudal system is a great threat to students and development in tribal areas. The government should think carefully about this matter and take action accordingly, and also the people of their area should start youth-led movements which can have a great impact on eradicating this system.
M TARIQ MAZARI
Rajanpur
Foreign policy
There are three impulses that can be used to understand Pakistan’s foreign policy: Normative, statist and structural. First, the normative impulse, which includes ideological and self-definitional themes like culture, values, religion, and history based on its Islamic identity, is a fundamental component of the Pakistani nation-state project.
When international relations literature considers the national interest a more accurate predictor of foreign policy than identity or ideology, the crucial question is to what extent Pakistan’s Islamic identity provides explanations for its foreign policy. Second, Pakistan’s statist foreign policy shows a path-dependent obsession on an antiquated view of security as a barrier to outside dangers. Two of its close neighbours are the source of these concerns of a regional threat: Afghanistan via the Durand Line Conflict; India via the Kashmir.
M AMEER KHAN
Via email
Box letters
Plastic waste
Plastic pollution is a major issue that has been affecting cities all over the world. Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, is no exception. The increasing use of plastic in daily life has resulted in the accumulation of plastic waste in the city, causing a severe environmental and health hazard. One of the primary reasons for plastic pollution in Karachi is the lack of proper waste management infrastructure. The city generates a massive amount of plastic waste, but the local government has failed to implement an efficient waste management system. This has led to the accumulation of plastic waste in open spaces, rivers, and drainage systems, clogging them and causing flooding during the rainy season. Moreover, the widespread use of single-use plastic items such as bags, bottles and straws has also contributed to the plastic problem in Karachi. These items are not only harmful to the environment but also pose a severe threat to human health. When plastic waste is not disposed of properly, it releases toxic chemicals into the soil and water which can contaminate the food chain and cause serious health hazards. The plastic pollution problem in Karachi is further exacerbated by the lack of awareness among the general public about the consequences of plastic waste. Many people still do not understand the long-term effects of plastic on the environment and continue to use and dispose of plastic indiscriminately.
AMNA SHAKIR
Karachi
