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Arshad Nadeem
The whole nation knows that Arshad Nadeem won a gold medal for Pakistan at the Paris Olympics 2024, but this victory is not just an ordinary one, as it has raised concerns among the citizens related to the future of athletics in Pakistan.
For decades, the people and the Pakistan Sports Board have supported cricket with no return. Now, some athletes are making Pakistan proud at the international level, with little to no support from anyone except their families. This win has indicated that the athletes in this country lack the resources that can be used for training and representing Pakistan. At the Paris Olympics 2024, just seven athletes were sent, which is a smaller number than the officials who accompanied them.
Amir Khan, a taekwondo player from Swat, secured a gold medal at the 7th Heroes Taekwondo Championship in Bangkok, and athletes from the Punjab University secured nine medals at the Asian rowing championships, including five golds this year. The love, publicity, and rewards given to Arshad Nadeem were not given to these athletes by any of the citizens or government officials. The media needs to deliver such news to the public not just one day but every day. They should play news related to these and many other talented athletes who can make our country visible and proud at an international level.
As many resources as they require should be provided to them, just as they are given to cricketers. All sports should be valued equally in any country, regardless of gender. Any country’s success is a combined success, not an individual one.
LAIBA FAISAL
Lahore
PTI withering
The disintegration of PTI continues, President of the Punjab, Hammad Azhar, has resigned from the party along with a few other party leaders. His departure after levelling allegations and criticism tarnished the image of the party. The “electables” and other political figures who were forced to join the party, were expected to disperse. The mass exodus following the events of May 9th confirmed this, but even as some loyalists remained with the embattled former leader, the party continues to lose key members day by day.
Azhar’s parting words should be a cause for concern for those still within the party. He alleges that access to Imran Khan is being controlled by a small group of individuals who are sowing discord among party members by providing biased and selective information to Iman Khan who is behind the bars. As a result, political conflicts within the party are intensified in the party. This integration is hardly surprising. Punjab has always been a key battleground, and played a key role in the country’s politics.
The appointment of Usman Buzdar, widely regarded as ill-suited for the role, was an attempt to curb power politics in the province. However, it only led to the creation of multiple power bases that vied for dominance. Hammad Azhar’s resignation is yet another blow to PTI, which now needs to focus on seeking reconciliation with the government following the May 9th unrest and consolidating its existing power base. Without decisive action, this slow exodus will likely continue.
MUNAWAR SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Increasing expectations
In the digital age and the era of the printing press, where hundreds of novels are published each year, most are fictional and do not align with the realities of life which is filled with tensions and responsibilities. These novels, however, are raising the expectations of the younger generation, especially girls, regarding their partners. The unrealistic portrayal of love in these stories is leading to disconnection from the real world and excessive overthinking.
This generation must understand that the love stories they read in novels are fictional and do not reflect real life, which is far from simple and linear. In reality, love is not the sole focus; it is intertwined with various responsibilities. While reading fiction is enjoyable, projecting it onto real life is illogical. Our generation needs to differentiate between fiction and reality, rather than fantasizing about fictional scenarios in real life.
MUHAMMAD DARWESH
Sukkur, Sindh
