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TLP dharna ended
When is an action a victory and a defeat at the same time? Perhaps there is no greater illustration of this than the government’s agreement with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) that ended their dharna at Faizabad. While most residents of the twin cities felt a sigh of relief & happiness that their ordeal ended and normal life resumed, we must ask ourselves, at what cost?
It must be noted that TLP’s protest against Israeli genocide is primarily motivated by personal political gain. When Israeli aggression was at its peak during the first few months of the conflict, when Pakistanis belonging to almost all religious and political parties were on streets to show their resentment against Zionist aggression, the TLP remained absent.
Only when those protests ended, when the conflict was at ebb, this religious group decided to stage its own protest at its favourite disruption spot. The workers of this group also realized that protest was self-serving and show their existence only.
Undoubtedly, the assurances to send aid to Gaza and the commitment to host injured Palestinians are positive outcomes, but is it any different from what the government was already doing? Furthermore, the real cost is what the TLP has gained, legitimacy.
A few weeks ago, TLP members murdered minorities and proudly declared they reserved the right to take the law into their own hands whenever they deemed fit.
Now, instead of challenging this clear rejection of the writ of the state, the government sat down with these fundamentalists and negotiated a settlement that accepts their status and reinforced their power of lawlessness and violence without a word on the religious violence committed by the outfit.
QAZI JAMSHED SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Privatisation PSM
The recent revelation in the Senate’s Standing Committee on Privatization has stirred up considerable surprise: while the privatization of four major institutions, including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), is expected to be completed this year, Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) has been removed from the privatization list. This marks the first official confirmation from the government that PSM will not undergo privatization, despite earlier statements from various ministers suggesting otherwise, hinting at a transfer to the Sindh government instead.
This decision raises critical questions. Previous attempts to revive the steel mill have failed repeatedly, so why is there a push to revisit these unsuccessful experiments? The federal government has poured billions into the mill without success, and now the responsibility is being shifted to the provincial level. What expertise does the Sindh government possess that would enable it to succeed where the federal government has not?
As of last year’s figures, Pakistan Steel Mills has accumulated a staggering cumulative loss of Rs. 526 billion, with an annual deficit of Rs. 20 billion. These numbers are far beyond the initial setup cost of the mill.
GULAB UMID
Turbat
Enforce T&T
According to a news report, 84 multinational and national companies have announced their quotas through the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB), setting a target of purchasing 77.322 million kilograms this year. Ironically, only three cigarette manufacturers have implemented the track and trace system on their production lines.
It is illogical that the government is approving quotas for manufacturers who are not installing the Track & Trace System. Instead, it should have linked quota approval to the full implementation of the system. The lack of consistent implementation of the track and trace system across many industries highlights the government’s non-seriousness towards curbing illicit trade and increasing tax collection through this system.
The government must strictly enforce the implementation of the Track and Trace (T&T) System in the cigarette manufacturing sector, which has the potential to generate over 550 billion rupees per annum by curbing illicit trade in the cigarette sector.
USAMA RASOOL
Karachi
Box letter
WAPDA’s negligence
I am writing this to express my deep concern over the negligence being shown by WAPDA officials these days. I am a dweller of Alwari Street in Raiwind. It has been two weeks now, since a poll in our street is about to fall owing to the undue weight of electric wires it is lifting, as can be seen in the accompanying picture. Despite myriad efforts and complaints, WAPDA officials have yet to take action. The citizens of Raiwind have even taken the streets to protest for the timely solution to this problem, but to no avail. The street mentioned above is directly connected with main Bazar Raiwind and hundreds of people live in this street and many others, daily use this route for bazaar. As the bending poll is laden with countless twisted electric wires, it is as lethal as guns and can potentially kill someone. I request the authorities concerned to take severe action against these WAPDA officials who are constantly showing negligence towards such a grave issue, before any fatal accident takes place. The problem will remain unabated, unless any action is taken. Moreover, Raiwind, despite being the residence of erstwhile PM Mian Nawaz Sharif, falls short in essential amenities. The city lacks hospitals, universities, libraries and parks, presenting a stark contrast to the usual urban standards.
M AHMAD SAJID
Raiwind
