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.
NTS
This refers to the 715-recruitments of Vaccinators BPS-06 in Expanded Programme on Immunization Sindh through NTS testing agency. Hundreds of thousands students applied for the said posts in February 2022. The procedure was too slow. After 16 months, NTS conducted tests of the students in June 2023. The famous(!) testing agency repeated its old practice of not-sharing Carbon-Copy (CC) with applicants. It makes all applicants very doubtful whether results will be announced meritoriously and transparently or not.
It is sad to say that young eager-beaver candidates in Sindh are mostly deprived of their fundamental and universal rights of equal and fair treatment, enshrined by our Constitution of 1973 and Universal Human Rights Declaration 1948. For transparency and meritocracy in government jobs, Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial and chief executive Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif should play their due roles.
Firstly, it must be a law for all testing agencies to share CC with applicants and prioritize transparency and honesty. Secondly, results must be announced within three to four days after tests are finished. It is all possible because a single standard optical mark reader (OMR) Machine checks 10,500 candidates‘ tests in just an hour. Hope NTS along with other testing agencies would be strictly advised to ensure merit and honesty with regard to appointments in jobs by high-authorities. Only nations of high-morale enjoy the peak of development and prosperity, so we must follow morality and meritocracy.
IMTIAZ ESSA HALEPOTO
Jamshoro
Unavailability of play grounds
I would like to draw attention to the lack of playgrounds in Karachi throw your newspaper. As you know, Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan with a population of over 20 millions. However, there is a severe lack of playgrounds and recreational facilities in the city of Karachi. As a resident of this city, I believe that it is very important for our community and different areas to have access to safe and good recreational facilities.
Due to the lack of playgrounds and recreational facilities, children are usually seen playing in the streets and alleys. This makes the parents of these children unsatisfied and every other day either the children or the public have to face a loss. Unfortunately, there is a severe lack of playgrounds and recreational spaces for children in Karachi, especially in densely populated areas.
The unavailability of these entertainment venues has led to an increase in the number of children participating in indoor activities such as playing video games, watching television and excessive use of mobile phones. Children’s interest has been limited to indoor activities.
This issue is of great concern to the residents of Karachi, especially to parents who are worried about the health and wellbeing of their children. Not being able to engage in sports, due to which the physical development of children is not possible and also has negative effects on mental health, along with children, the youth also suffer from unhealthy life and mental stress due to study, home, business and other problems that are major public health hazard in our city. I request the authorities to take this matter seriously and invest in the development of more playgrounds and recreational facilities for the residents of Karachi.
MANAHIL ANWAR
Karachi
Opportunity for MQM
The hot news has just been broken recently regarding MQM’s website revival. Back then, MQM had a world under its feet, as everywhere we could hear the slogans of its partisans. However, comedowns do take place and that too happened with MQM when the leader gave a lot of hate speeches. As a result, the government and PTA had to ban their official websites along with social media pages.
Being very neutral, this article is being written without hurting anyone. All of a sudden, it was unbanned. I don’t know why or how. But everyone is acquiescent here, so is MQM. I’m not and never have been a follower of MQM. Nevertheless, do-overs exist in this world. In this view, MQM should have another coming back that can create something new or better.
Nobody is a saint here, so is the case with every political party existing in Pakistan. Mistakes are made and rectification of them happens as well. Now, nobody exactly knows what the party people think and what their next step would be. However, the only thing one can do is to be susceptible. For instance, in Imran Khan’s case, we all saw everything. Still, supporters are there for him, and they are ready to cast a vote again for him, so why not MQM?
Since the making of Pakistan up till now, every party and leader has come, tried and tested their formulas or ideas, completed or gave up in between their ruling era. Not all but most of them made capitals out of this country and returned nothing to it and its people. Now, it seems that MQM has been given another chance, so it should avail it to bring something better in country.
ZONISH MUNEER
Via email
Box letter
Clamp down on smoking
Cigarette smoking is injurious to one’s health, as per the statutory warning message on every cigarette packet. But however, in spite of the warning, many people still keep smoking, thus ruining their health in the process. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.Smoking also increases the risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis. Even though the prices of cigarettes have gone up, yet we find a lot of people smoking. Once addicted to smoking, they are unable to give up the habit. Smoking is a common practice today. A lot of teenagers smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol of various brands. Some of them even chew tobacco and tobacco products. These young men/women fail to foresee consequences of their actions when they drink, smoke, eat gutka or consume tobacco or tobacco products. Studies have found out that smokers can undermine health of non-smokers in some environments. The government cannot ban the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products because banned items sometimes become more attractive to people and they will not quit smoking. Every time you attempt to give up smoking, you become aware about the favourable and unfavourable situations. You have to make up your mind and change your nearby environment, if you want to give up smoking completely.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
