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Where’s the accountability?
I’m writing this letter as I sit in the Sukkur Express, overwhelmed with frustration and disbelief. My journey to Karachi with my father, nephew, his father, and a patient suffering from leg pain has turned into a nightmare, thanks to Pakistan Railways.
Our train, which was supposed to leave Sukkur at 9 PM, was delayed by a staggering four hours due to a track fault near Jacobabad. Some of the train’s vans derailed slightly and it wasn’t until 12:50 AM that we finally got moving. But the ordeal didn’t end there. The train crawled along and then stopped on a bridge before Rohri Junction. Now, at 1:27 AM, we’ve just arrived at Rohri Junction, and we’re told it’ll take another 20 to 30 minutes to change the engine.
What’s most upsetting is that no one bothered to inform us about this massive delay. Not at the station, not during the journey—nothing. We were left stranded, clueless about what was happening. This lack of communication is just as painful as the delay itself, especially for passengers like us who are travelling with a patient in pain, as well as students who have classes tomorrow and people who could lose jobs because of this mismanagement.
This experience has left me wondering: where’s the accountability? How can such negligence go unchecked? The public deserves better than this. I hope this letter reaches those in power and pushes them to finally address these glaring issues in Pakistan Railways. Enough is enough.
ABDULLAH LAKHO
Via email
Youth and policy-makers
Pakistan currently has the world’s largest population below the age of thirty. This youth bulge can prove to be a game changer for Pakistan but the state policies do not seem aligning with such prospects.
Unfortunately, our policy makers do not find time to think about this frustrated, unemployed youth burdened with huge expectations and big dreams in their eyes. God forbid, if someday any episode like that of Muhammad Bouzizi, who put fire on himself over the issue of his cart parking in Tunisia, and led to the Arab Spring in Middle East, ever repeats in Pakistan and anyone goes to this extreme, then things will not be easy to tackle. I hope this never happens in Pakistan and pray that this does not happen even in the nightmares of Pakistanis. That’s why; it’s time for those, sitting in the power corridors to take some effective initiatives to accommodate this rapidly rising strength of unemployed youth. According to a report, Pakistan needs to generate 1.4 million jobs every year to adjust the graduates. It is totally up to the decision makers, either they want to use this youth for boom or bust.
In our neighbourhood, we have outstanding examples of how they used their manpower and human capital to become the world’s best performing economies. China used their huge population as a benefit to become the world’s second largest economy.
Similarly, India with the second largest population boosted its economy using manpower. Pakistan can learn from these neighbouring countries and needs to formulate policies according to the requirements of the current situation.
M SOHAIB MURTAZA
Faisalabad
Path to recovery
In the summer of 2022, Pakistan faced a devastating disaster when heavy rains caused floods that affected a third of the country. Many lives were lost and people’s homes and livelihoods were destroyed. Now, Pakistan is working hard to recover from the floods, with the government, international community and local organizations providing support to affected communities.
Rebuilding damaged infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, is a significant challenge. The floods also destroyed crops, impacting food supply and farmers’ income. Moreover, stagnant water and poor sanitation pose health risks, and the floods have hurt Pakistan’s economy.
Despite these challenges, there are positive signs. Communities are coming together to support each other and international aid is providing essential resources. The government is working to restore infrastructure, provide aid and support farmers. However, Pakistan is facing similar challenges again this summer due to the monsoon season. Damaged roads and inadequate drainage systems are causing water to accumulate in roadside areas, leading to flooding. This has exacerbated the economic crisis in Pakistan.
HASEEBULLAH
Thul-Jacobabad
