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.
Electoral reforms
Pakistan’s electoral system is in urgent need of reform to make elections more free, fair and representative. Issues like vote rigging, ballot stuffing, intimidation at polling stations and abuse of state resources undermine the credibility of the electoral process. At the same time, voter participation rates have steadily declined with only around 55% turnout in the 2018 elections. Reforming electoral laws, empowering the Election Commission, deploying technology like electronic voting machines and voter education campaigns can boost turnout and trust in the electoral system.
Updating voter lists to enfranchise women and young citizens is equally important. Delimitation of constituencies should reflect demographic changes. Strict codes of conduct for parties along with judicial oversight of election disputes can also improve transparency. Financial and organizational reforms should aim to level the playing field for all parties. Comprehensive electoral reform will promote substantive participation, give all stakeholders confidence in democratic process and strengthen Pakistan’s overall democracy.
UNZUR NAVEED
Karachi
Agriculture reforms
The agriculture sector contributes around 24% to Pakistan’s GDP and accounts for half of employed labour. It is the most important industry and source of income for Pakistan. Agricultural items such as rice, cotton, fruit and vegetable contribute to the majority of Pakistan’s export revenues. Agriculture income supports the import of capital goods and technology. It feeds the population by meeting domestic food requirements. Pakistan produces staples like wheat, rice, sugarcane, vegetable, fruit and milk to feed its large population.
Political parties should make agriculture a national priority in policymaking and budget allocations, increase public funding for agriculture to assist farmers, land ownership regulations should be changed to allow for the combining of small, scattered land holdings into more sustainable farm sizes, invest heavily in irrigation infrastructure like dams, canals and tube wells, improve water availability and solve salinity concerns., provide subsidies for important agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizer and machinery and help farmers adopt modern technology.
In rural locations, construct roads, warehouses, cold storage facilities and market yards, improve logistics and infrastructure for value addition, increase access to formal agricultural lending through banks and microfinance institutions, provide low-interest loans to buy inputs and equipment, invest more in agricultural research and development, set up advanced testing labs and improved agricultural types and best practices should be made available. With the right reforms and priorities, political parties can truly harness agriculture’s potential and make it the engine of national development.
UNZUR NAVEED
Karachi
Power sector scandal
A sum of 600 billion rupees is a substantial amount for a country dealing with frequent crises, attempting to avoid a possible default. In the hands of a responsible government, this sum could be used for significant public benefit, such as funding hospitals, establishing schools, building roads, or reducing national debt. However, according to official reports, this staggering amount represents annual losses due to theft and recovery issues within the country’s power sector.
This situation appears to be a massive scam, where certain groups have been allowed to consume electricity worth hundreds of billions without paying for years. The government either subsidized this theft with public funds or burdened honest citizens with higher costs to cover these losses. Initially, when the government bore most of the costs, a few were concerned.
However, as the burden shifted to the public, inflation-weary citizens are now asking tough questions that authorities are struggling to answer. The caretaker government recently pointed fingers at some corrupt officials in the power distribution network and the politicized management of power distribution companies for facilitating this misappropriation of public resources. This statement raises the crucial question of why action was not taken earlier, especially when losses in the hundreds of billions were accumulating.
The government has now pledged to pursue those responsible for these losses and has outlined a three-pronged strategy to reduce theft and recovery losses, including a crackdown in high-theft areas with the help of the police and administration. While these plans sound promising, their effectiveness can only be assessed once results are achieved.
ZUBAIR BAJOI
Khuzdar
Lack of education
I am writing to you to draw attention of the concerned authorities to the critical issue of the lack of education in Pakistan, particularly in rural areas. It is my sincere hope that by shedding light on this matter, we can work together to find solutions and improve lives of countless individuals. Education is key to unlock opportunities and empower individuals to reach their full potential. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, many children and young people are deprived of this basic right due to various challenges.
One of the primary obstacles is the limited availability of schools, especially in rural areas. Students often have to travel long distances to reach the nearest school, making it difficult for them to access education regularly.
Moreover, poverty makes the problem worse, as many families cannot afford the expenses associated with education, such as school fee, uniforms and stationary items etc. Consequently, children are forced to drop out of school and contribute to their family’s income. The government is requested to take steps for the resolution of this national issue.
UMAMA QAISAR
Karachi
Box letter
Cricket in doldrums
Every team starts preparing for big tournaments like world cup two/three before the commencement of the event. We have perfect examples of England, Australia and India how they align cricketers as per their strength and capacity. Unfortunately, the PCB has yet to decide opening and middle order batters as well as spin bowling options for the upcoming mega event. How close the World Cup is! Only 2 weeks left and the final team announcement is still in the doldrums.
SARFRAZ ALI SOLANGI
Doha, Qatar
