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.
BJP’s defeat
On 8 Feb voting in a crucial state election took place in India’s capital New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party, emboldened by national victories, is hoping to retake power, but the exit poll suggests a big defeat for Modi’s BJP. The PM’s policies of Hindutva have caused widespread protests across India in the last few months. An average of nine exit polls showed New Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), or “common man’s party,” to win majority seats.
The BJP had been seeking to oust Kejriwal, whose party took a record 67 of 70 Delhi assembly seats in 2015. While Kejriwal focused on local issues including the heavily subsidised electricity, water and healthcare he introduced, BJP leaders sought to turn the vote into a referendum on the women’s protest. With the BJP on the back foot after failing in recent state elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, analysts said the Delhi result will be a key test of opinion on national issues. Near women’s protest site, food company senior executive Maroof Ahmad said the “BJP has only two agendas Shaheen Bagh and Pakistan. They have nothing else to talk about.”
Ironically, on the eve of the elections, the BJP sent out messages telling people to vote for the party if they wanted an end to the Shaheen Bagh demonstration. One of the biggest takeaways of the election is the failure of the BJP to capitalize on national issues such as the abrogation of Article 370 and National Register of Citizens. The BJP’s intentions of undermining effects of economic slowdown, unemployment and rural discontent have not been successful.
ANZA KANWAL
Rawalpindi
NAB amendment
The recent changes to the NAB ordinance that the PTI Government has pushed through has some valid points to stop NAB from investigating Businessmen, who are already investigated by FIA, and misuse of authority of govt servants without financial gains. These changes would reduce NAB’s unnecessary pressure on business community and government servants and help NAB concentrate on large financial corruptions for quick recovery.
But there is also a feeling of providing NRO type of relief to the non-government family members of parliamentarians and govt servants, under whose name all the corrupt amounts are usually registered. And to the Benami account holders. And even to companies like ENGRO that have been involved in corrupt practice of charging higher in connivance with the government servants. Therefore I think the present government also needs to address these issues otherwise the amendments to NAB only seem like a way of providing relief to rich/corrupt people.
SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER
Peshawar
Fighting back over India’s constitution
I praise the demonstrators in India who are committed to protecting the post-colonial constitution. The protests that erupted throughout India about the changes in citizenship enshrined in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act are heart-warming because they tell us that Indian democracy is alive.
This Constitution of India was carefully discussed and produced in the Constituent Assembly for a period of three years when his makers, trained in the art of nationalist resistance, controlled the colonial state in an extraordinary exercise of moral and political legitimacy that exposed the nature of British colonialism.
The post-colonial state of India that emerged in 1947, despite the bloody internal conflict at its birth, did so deliver on its promise to a certain level to its citizens of “a sovereign, socialist and democratic republic” with justice, freedom and equality for all for the next 70 years. The constitutional impasse in which India is today is the result of a hasty and motivated act that goes against the vision of this great and diverse nation and its remarkable constitution.
FASIH IQBAL
Rawalpindi
Climate change
I am alarmed by the increasing threat that climate change and other industrially-caused environmental damage entail and recognize those powerful actions should be taken to reverse the causes and address the consequences.
I commend the Riphah University for its decision to eliminate the use of all single-use plastic water and soft drink bottles on campus, including in eateries and vending machines. Riphah estimates that her decision will result in saving 1 million bottles during the four years of experience in a graduation course. It is heart-warming to see Riphah at the forefront of tackling the plastic pollution crisis in our country. I am pleased that the government is also about to take action to reduce plastic waste.
I hope that this important legislative proposal can provide dual support, because strong measures must be taken to reverse and tackle the effects of climate change. I would like to encourage other colleges to follow Riphah’s example. The future of our planet depends on those who acknowledge the challenge and act now.
AQIB JAVAID
Islamabad
Civil hospital
Panjgur Civil Hospital is the biggest hospital in the district. However, the hospital lacks basic facilities for patients. Doctors there serve only for an hour in a day and spend remaining time at their private clinics. In this situation, patients are compelled to visit private clinics for their treatment. Apart from patients from Panjgur, people also visit Civil Hospital from far-flung rural areas of the district but return disappointed when they do not find doctors at the hospital.
Several people have lost their life because of the apathy of the doctors. Most people in Panjgur are from poor families who cannot afford going to large cities like Karachi for medical treatment. The Balochistan Health Department should provide facilities at Panjgur Civil Hospital. The former Health Minister, Rahmat Saleh, failed in bringing any change in the hospital conditions. I hope current Health Minister will take action against the doctors for negligence.
SARWAH KHAN
Via email
Retail price
The mandatory requirement of displaying retail prices on individual packs of consumer products is mostly not being followed. As a result, different prices of such products are charged by retail outlets mostly at rates higher than those set by the local manufacturers or importers. When this is challenged by a customer, he gets a typical reply that the relevant company had recently increased the price. However, official price list of the products is rarely available for verification at retail outlets.
This mode of profiteering by retailers, in my opinion, is one of the causes of what I believe to be artificial inflation. I would urge the Competitive Commission of Pakistan to take immediate notice of this unfair market practice and ensure all manufacturers and importers print retail prices of their products on individual packs. Additionally, all manufacturers and importers should regularly display the latest price list of their products on official websites, while retail outlets should show such price lists whenever a customer demands.
AATIF KHAN
Islamabad
Mass transit woes
This refers to your editorial ‘Mass transit woes’ (Dec 26). If Karachi’s mass transit project materialised it will be a miracle of sorts.
Way back during Benazir Bhutto’s government, a Canadian company was all set to build the Karachi mass transit but when PML-N came to power it scrapped it and instead started the Lahore mass transit project. This is the history of Pakistan and it never seems to change.
ZIA ULHAQ
Islamabad
Karachi, showing grim picture
Karachi has once again won the title of being amongst the least livable cities in the world. It was stated in the recent report of Global Liveability Index 2019 which ranked Karachi at 5th place. Apparently, The Economist Intelligence Unit evaluates cities on certain basis like stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
It seems that both the federal and provincial governments have completely neglected Karachi, although Karachi, the biggest city of Pakistan, pays high taxes whether through direct or indirect ways. It is still undervalued; for how long will our authorities sleep over the eminent conundrums?
ASIF MURAD UMRANI
Karachi
