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Nuclear triumph
May 28, 1998 was a historic day for the citizens of this country. This momentous day marked Pakistan’s status as the world’s fifth recognised nuclear power. Hats off to Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif, for conducting nuclear tests on May 28, 1998, despite all odds.
The nation also expresses its heartfelt gratitude to late Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for laying the groundwork for Pakistan’s nuclear programme as well as Pakistan’s internationally renowned nuclear scientist, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and others, whose unwavering efforts made the country’s dream of becoming a nuclear power of the world a reality. May the Almighty always bless Pakistan. Pakistan Zindabad!
M FAZAL ELAHI
Islamabad
Pak modern slavery
In the contemporary world, where human rights and freedoms are fervently championed, modern slavery persists as a pervasive blight on humanity. Among its most insidious forms is bonded labour, a practice that reduces individuals to mere commodities, ensnaring them in a vicious cycle of debt and exploitation?
Bonded labour, also known as debt bondage, compels individuals to work to repay a debt, often nominal but accumulating with exorbitant interest rates, trapping generations in servitude. Despite various legislative efforts, the problem remains entrenched, especially in countries like Pakistan.
Bonded labour in Pakistan is a significant issue, with the Global Slavery Index 2023 ranking the country 18th globally and 4th in Asia and the Pacific for the prevalence of modern slavery. Approximately 2.349 million individuals in Pakistan live under such conditions, a statistic that underscores the entrenched nature of bonded labour across various sectors, from brick kilns and agriculture to domestic work and beyond.
Brick kilns in Pakistan are notorious for their exploitation of bonded labour. The country is home to around 20,000 brick kilns employing over 4.5 million workers. Labourers in this sector typically receive a meagre PKR 960 for producing 1,000 bricks, often paid only half this amount upfront, with the rest deducted against their debt. Entire families, including children, are bound to these kilns, where owners sometimes sell labourers to settle outstanding debts, perpetuating a cycle of slavery that spans generations.
GULAB UMID
Turbat Balochistan
Digital democracy
In the realm of technology, digital democracy has been creating a buzz for a long time. Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook that have the ability to turn our whispers into roars, are commonly used for this purpose. The digitalisation of democracy can encapsulate numerous advantages; for instance, it will provide a platform for the citizens to voice their opinion.
Secondly, the government can upload necessary documents for the public; this can bolster the system of transparency and accountability. However, there are also potential repercussions of the system. Firstly, it can spark a debate between national security and transparency. Whistle blowers can release classified documents of the government and it can be a critical threat for the nation’s national security.
In addition to this, echo chambers are created and this can give rise to hate speeches. Another substantial concern is the vulnerability of the government to misinformation and fake news; this can be demonstrated from the US election 2016. Lastly, it can raise concerns regarding individual privacy.
For instance, the government surveillance initiative like PRISM , accentuates that privacy is a major threat in digital democracy . Thus in a nutshell, the system of digital democracy has numerous advantages but one must use it without stepping on the banana peel of consequences.
MARIA ZULFIQAR AWAN
Islamabad
Exam timing
The decision to postpone the papers for intermediate is quite tricky for me, especially as a student. However, June and July have always remained the favorite months of the hot summer, and it’s not possible that June will become quite light in comparison to May. We have always faced several heatstroke challenges in June, especially in Larkana. It’s better that the exam be conducted in the last week of May to reduce the more heated challenges for students in June.
No doubt, the province is facing a heat wave alert, but the temperature will increase further in the coming two months and cause more challenges for us to resist in the intense sun. And the electricity is a huge problem for us during exams. Please try to fix these issues and ensure the availability of electricity, especially during exam hours. Due to the high voltage of colleges and schools, solar panels stop working for hours which causes headache and low BP issues among students and students face hell issues.
AREEBA ALTAF
Larkana
Box letter
Youth language
It is disheartening to see that school going kids not only of secondary level but also of primary level seem to use abusive language when they are out of school which shows regression of our society as well as bad standard of our education system. Schools are just emphasizing on class and home works depriving of training of kids and neglecting to make pupils to learn societal and cultural norms. What can be expected from a school going kid who starts using abusive language at an early age who, in fact, does not know the meaning of the abuse that he uses in his school going era and if he grows up in this manner, what language he would be using once he enters into practical life. Using abusive language in offices, markets, shops and everywhere has become so common that people do not care and mind it to use it in front of females and even do not consider it a bad habit either. Need of the hour is to realize and mind of the ordinary people should be made to avoid using abusive language through all sorts of tactics by giving wide awareness through print and electronic media about its badness and using abusive language by school going kids must be abandoned and teachers and school administration have to play their role in this regard.
FAISAL ANSAR
Karachi
