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.
PTCL super efficiency!
My residence phone remained out of order for nearly FOUR months, my repeated verbal and electronic complaints remained unheard but every month bill was received without providing the basic facility of phone service.
My letter was published in your esteemed newspaper on 10 May in the “Voice of the People” and surprisingly I started receiving calls from 051-2266000 asking for details of problems that were not available on their electronically designed complaint centre.
In the next days, my telephone was re-energized, if the matter only needed Islamabad orders then what Karim Nasir D.E. Phones Misri Shah is doing, on top they came with another lollypop offering me Optic-Fiber super internet connection but I told them having disappointed earlier from your optic fiber internet service that I had got discontinued I am quite happy with a private Internet provider giving hassle free service.
Thank you Pakistan Observer for getting our voice, through the Voice of the People’s column, reach the unreachable.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
Bone cancer awareness
I am writing to draw attention to the critical need for Pakistan to increase bone cancer mindfulness. Unexpectedly, bone cancer affects one in every nine women in our nation, making it the most common complaint among ladies because of a lack of mindfulness, numerous cases aren’t discovered until they’re well along, which raises the death rate.
We must start expansive mindfulness programmes that reach every societal group and inform women about the value of routine wireworks and early discovery ways. We can save lives and make a healthy future for our country by banding together and making health a top priority.
DAMSA MALIK
Lahore
Attention required
Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, the leader of the Haq Do Tehreek based in Gwadar, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court after being in custody for four months. Rehman gained prominence in late 2021 when he started a massive protest in Gwadar for the rights of the people of Makran.
His peaceful protests, however, turned violent in December last year, resulting in the death of a police officer. Rehman was arrested in January, but his supporters continued to protest for his release all over Makran, especially in Gwadar.
The issues for which the protests have been held sadly have not been addressed yet. It seems that the state is uninterested in those issues. The HDT movement highlighted the importance of the rights and the deprivation the people of Makran are feeling in the time of the ‘development’ which is being done in the Makran region, especially in Gwadar.
The locals are saying they’re being deprived of their basic rights due to such developments and they are not being included in this state’s development of the region. The people feel they are not being partnered in this development and being extracted by the province’s resources.
Taking Mr Rehman into custody is not the solution for these problems. The state has to come to terms and has to listen to the local people of Balochistan and try to solve their issues and provide them basic rights. The people of Makran deserve to be heard and their concerns addressed. It is time for the state to take action and ensure that the people of Makran are not left behind.
MARYAM MOHSIN
Kech
Neglected Lasbela
District Lasbela has always been facing the music due to the deep slumber of its rulers and administrators. There have always been tragedies either in the form of road accidents, natural disasters or poverty. Last year, torrential rains and heavy floods pushed many precious souls into death and it caused a large amount of financial loss.
Owing to heavy rains and floods, many bridges were broken creating woes for the transportation, houses were shattered rendering people without shelter and crops were demolished leaving nothing to eat. When once the rains were over and the situation came under control, people were hoping for great revolutionary changes but still they were left alone. Unwillingly, Whole year passed but there were hardly a few steps taken against the horrors of natural disasters by the officials.
During these tough times, various NGOs and Trusts presented their fullest support by providing food and temporary shelters (tents) to affected ones. Though they were putting full potential, yet the affected people were not fully rehabilitated due to the large-scale destruction and damage. More fateful is this that the authorities kept on showing cold-shoulders and neglecting the issues.
Perhaps another disastrous rainy-season, with destructive consequences, is heading towards District Lasbela. Suffice to say that, many precautions could have been taken prior to seasonal rains, but it feels like worse Administration and abortive management will cause more losses this time. It would be worth predicting that till how long the natives would be relying on the mercy of their Earth-gods and keep bearing major losses and keep losing precious lives?
IMRAN NAWAB
Hub
Box letter
Rising food crisis
Food crisis has been one of the burning issues throughout Pakistan for the last several years. Wheat crisis is known the largest crisis which people are encountering in particular. Across the country, all of the provinces are suffering owing to this worst condition. Recently, KP farmers demanded from the provincial government to stop development of residential societies on agriculture land, as it is leading to food insecurity in the province and the province has to depend on other provinces for meeting food requirements. The most important thing is that around 70pc people are surviving their lives on land work. Land work is the only source for them to develop themselves. In short, it is appealed to the government of Pakistan and all provincial governments that they must strive hard to meet all the fundamental needs of farmers and must provide them aid during tough times.
SANGEEN ALI
Turbat