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.
Judicial attack on education
It was expected of CJ LHC to emphasize on Punjab Government to focus more on education, divert resources to this most vital sector, which alone can guarantee hope and faith for better prospects of this country, instead of doing the exact reverse.
Sanity itself seems to be a casualty in our country. The Judiciary should have assumed role of protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit, instead of violating it.
The Constitution makes it mandatory that “The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 5 to 16 years, in such a manner, as may be determined by law”. This 100-year old government school, located in Jhiga Galli Murree, a remote part of Pakistan, was catering to provision of subsidized basic education to children belonging to age group between 5 to 16 years.
The question arises can the judiciary even contemplate violation of the constitutional obligation and deprive these poor children, what is guaranteed to them as a basic right? Would they have done this if it were a religious seminary? In my humble opinion, with all due regards for judiciary, they should have been emphasizing upon the state to observe austerity, cut back on perks and privileges of paid elite and invest more on development of human resources, instead of what they have done.
Places of worship, education and health, should never be demolished, but need to be renovated and upgraded to meet demands of an increasing population. Provision of basic education and vocational training by the State, can help us to defeat scourge of extremism, terrorism and radicalization in this country. Lack of education is the perfect recipe for disaster.
Pakistan already lacks behind in education, research and sciences as compared to other countries in the region and we need to do more, not less. Education is far more important than expansion of a Judicial Complex at a location in the mountains, frequented by the privileged elite in summers etc.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Let’s green Pakistan
We, Pakistanis, actually never treat our streets and colonies as we do our homes. We very well know how to keep our houses clean and we do keep them clean. But at what cost? It is at the cost of making our streets and roadsides unclean by disposing of debris there.
Cleanliness is a self-sustaining system. The system is available and working successfully in some of the western countries. Why western countries are so clean? Does each citizen go collecting debris? No.
They have a cleaning system and everybody by law is held responsible to follow the system. First of all it is the duty of government authorities to conduct cleanliness workshops. And they should educate people about their roles and responsibilities in keeping their premises clean. But unfortunately, if we don’t have any such system in Pakistan it doesn’t mean that we are free from our duty. In fact, everybody is responsible for keeping his house, street, workplace, colony and the country clean. It is hoped that if we take our responsibilities seriously, it will benefit our country and society.
HAMMAL NASEER
Balnigwar
Pakistan’s education crisis
I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the crucial role that education plays in shaping the future of individuals and nations. Education is the cornerstone of progress and prosperity, and it empowers individuals to make informed choices, contribute to their communities and lead to fulfilling lives.
However, it is disheartening to note that in Pakistan, the value of education does not always receive the attention it deserves. According to recent reports, Pakistan’s literacy rate has only experienced a marginal increase, rising from 62.4 percent to 62.8 percent. Furthermore, the provincial literacy rate stands at 61.8 percent. These figures underscore the persistent challenges in education sector.
The Pakistan Economic Survey reveals a distressing reality, with a staggering 32 percent of children in Pakistan being out of school. This issue is particularly acute in Sindh, where a concerning 44 percent of children are deprived of education opportunities.
It is troubling to observe that 37 percent of these out-of-school children are girls, further exacerbating the gender disparity in education access.
RAHIM DAD
Kech
Road accidents
Through your respective newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of higher authorities to a dreadful issue: the increasing number of road accidents. Road accidents have become a major concern for the residents in recent times, as they are on the rise and causing numerous fatalities along with severe injuries. Karachi, Pakistan’s largest urban city with a substantial population, is a place where road accidents occur regularly, resulting in several deaths every day.
According to reports, in Pakistan, 28,170 people lost their lives due to road accidents, accounting for 1.93 percent of all deaths. High-speed driving appears to be a significant contributing factor to these accidents. Therefore, I humbly appeal to the Government to take essential measures to reduce road accidents in Pakistan.
KHADIJA ASGHAR
Turbat
Box letter
Domestic violence
In our society, domestic violence against women is increasing at a rapid speed. Women neither feel safe and secure in their homes nor outside. One in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence by their partners. They are beaten or manipulated every day without any reason, which in turn makes them depressed and stressed. Due to such violent acts, they may contemplate suicide or take another wrong step. Nowadays, women are condemned to a life full of sorrows and melancholy. Women, being a major part of our society, also deserve a happy and healthy life. Therefore, I humbly appeal to the government to enforce strict rules and regulations for the restriction of domestic violence against women.
AMINA AMJID
Turbat
