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.
Remembering Shoaib Hashmi
Shoaib Hashmi was my economics teacher in Government College till 1967, before he went to LSE for his MSc. His liberal values made him student friendly but one thing I didn’t appreciate coming from Urdu medium school, was when he entered class room before taking roll-call, he, while standing on rostrum, would take out “Three Castle cigarette packet from his pocket, lit a cigarette and then would tell his students that they can smoke in class and anybody wants can have a cigarette from me also.
It was when I considered and still consider smoking to be a bad habit, I have learnt a lot from GC and owe a lot to GC. The notion of a teacher being a friend was new to me. He was a much-loved teacher at GC. His unique sense of humour, a blend of Gawalmandi-Mozang wit and sarcasm, will be missed and I pray for him and family to bear the loss.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
Pink rock salt
It is regretfully stated that in the 75 years of the country’s history, due to political instability and tension, all the governments so far have resisted each other in vain. This affected the process of sustainable development which India missed no opportunity to take advantage of
For 60 years after the partition of India, she bought the world’s best mineral salt from Pakistan at cheap prices and after processing it named Himalayan pink salt, she continued to earn billions of dollars from the world market. Now this export has been stopped.
According to a recent media report, the American trade delegation in Washington met the Ambassador of Pakistan and offered to invest 200 million dollars in the extraction of salt from Khewra, its processing and global distribution. It is not difficult to estimate the value of this boon bestowed by nature which has been taken advantage of by its enemy more than Pakistan.
The deposits of pink salt are spread over an area of more or less 300 km in the mountain range between Jhelum district and Sikohat in Pakistan. In this regard, the above-mentioned investment is important. Every possible effort should be made to utilize this valuable wealth to the maximum extent possible for the sake of economic improvement and rehabilitation.
AHSAN UL HAQ SHAIKH
Chunian
Loss and damage
Climate change is about to destroy the world. Both the natural and human systems are severely weakened by the effects of climate change. When they strike, the disasters are genuinely out of control. The most losses and damages were brought on by climate change. Despite knowing how effective prevention is, we still lag behind. The 2015 Paris Agreement recognised loss and damage as its top concerns.
The Paris Agreement’s Article 8 states: “Parties recognize the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), global surface temperatures have warmed on average 0.85° C relative to pre-industrial temperatures (IPCC, 2014). Moreover, a recent report commissioned by the World Bank found increasing evidence that even with very ambitious mitigation measures, the Earth’s atmospheric system may already be committed to warming of approximately 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels by 2050 (World Bank, 2014).
While mitigation continues to be of paramount importance to limit loss and damage, the extent and magnitude of climate change impacts will certainly increase in the future. Decision makers will need to be prepared to implement both adaptation and risk reduction measures to avoid loss and damage and a suite of other approaches within comprehensive risk management frameworks to address loss and damage that is not averted.
ARISHA IRSHAD ALI
Via email
Rising corruption
I am writing to express my deep concern about the rapidly increasing corruption in Pakistan. Corruption has become an epidemic in our country and it is spreading at an alarming rate. It is a cancer that eats away the fabric of our society and undermines our democracy. In recent years, the level of corruption in Pakistan has skyrocketed and it is affecting all aspects of the country’s society and economy.
At its core, corruption is the abuse of power for personal gain and it is not limited to anyone sector or level of government. From the highest level of government to the lowest, corruption is rampant.
The roots of corruption in Pakistan can be traced back to various factors, one of the main factors is the lack of accountability and transparency in government and public institutions. Additionally the weak economy and widespread poverty are also the causes. Corruption exacerbates social inequality and hinders the delivery of essential public services.
The consequences of corruption are severe and long-lasting and we cannot afford to ignore this issue any longer. The government must take urgent action to address this problem. It is important to raise awareness and educate the public on the damaging effect of corruption. This problem requires a concerted effort from all sectors of society and it is essential that action be taken now before the problem becomes even more entrenched.
SHAHEER MUMTAZ
Karachi
Building bridges
The relationship between India and Pakistan was very bitter earlier. Both the countries had some abhorrence with each other due to various factors. But in recent years, the relationship between the two countries is slowly patching up. Both the countries are doing quite well of being friends with each other. I think the governments of both countries should form a mutual understanding so that the citizens may live in a pleasant neighbourhood and each and every person should feel safe. We should take a liberal approach on the issues between us.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
